Rich Rodriguez talks football - yes, football - and his brush with Obama
MIDLAND - With the bulk of the work in the NCAA case against him and his football program done, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez can spend the next two months focusing on football.
Rodriguez was happy to get back to that topic during his appearance at the Michigan sports editors meeting earlier this week in Midland.
He answered questions about the spread offense, Greg Robinson’s 3-3-5 defense and recruiting, and reiterated for the umpteenth time that he sees no end in sight to the quarterback battle between Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson.
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez says he likes having two quarterbacks compete for the No. 1 spot. "I like to have two guys that are clear-cut guys and that way if one guy gets hurt you always have another guy."
Ann Arbor News file photo
“Some coaches, they like to have one guy, a clear-cut guy,” Rodriguez said. “I like to have two guys that are clear-cut guys and that way if one guy gets hurt you always have another guy.
“But that being said, I don’t know right now who the starter is. And I’m not saying it for sensationalism or anything.”
Forcier started every game last year as a true freshman, but he and his classmate Robinson split first-team reps during spring practice.
A run-only threat last year, Robinson looked more comfortable in passing situations during limited public consumption this off-season. He played with Michigan’s first-team offense against the Wolverines’ second-team defense in the spring game, and he wowed teammates with his remarkable athletic ability in practice.
Rodriguez cautioned that both quarterbacks are young and bound to experience more growing pains - “I don’t know if they’re shaving yet but they’re getting close to seeing some stubble,” he said - but he expects a fierce competition come August.
“I’ll find out probably the first couple weeks in training camp if one guy has taken charge of it or not,” Rodriguez said. “If it happens that way, it happens that way. If not, it may not be sorted out until the first couple games, if then. But I better have at least two guys I feel comfortable we can win with, and I do think we’ll have two.
“(True freshman Devin Gardner is) going to be in the mix as well because he’s a competitive guy, and even though he’s a true freshman, he’ll challenge them a little bit. But clearly Tate and Denard, because of the fact they were here last year and have some experience, have an edge right now. But it’s going to be a fun race.”
More Rodriguez: • On going to a 3-3-5 defense: “The reality is Coach Robinson has run a lot of 3-4 and 3-3-5 stuff in his past and did some last year, even though people didn’t recognize it as much. And all we did in the spring was actually simplify things so there’s not a lot of big differences between what we did at times last year and what we did this spring. … It’s not what we ran at West Virginia, which when we left it was pure 3-3-5 and that was the deal and that’s what they grew up in. This was combining some things we did last year and simplifying some things so our young guys would be ready.”
• On having Robinson back for a second year as defensive coordinator: “I think that’ll help from a standpoint that he knows our guys and the rest of the guys have been with us a couple years so they know our guys. … He knows exactly the pieces we have on defense. Offensively, we know what we have. And that’s the thing that stability gives you more than anything else, it gives you the ability to know how to fix your problems and what you got to go forward with.”
• On recruiting: Rodriguez said coaches met last week to pare down their list from 150 or so targets to around 70 prospects. Michigan has four verbal commitments and expects to sign a class of 15 or 16 this winter.
• On expansion: “I am not saying this on any knowledge other than my own projection that I think we’re going to do something as a league, and the timing is probably right But I don’t know that for sure. I don’t think we’d add anybody to our league that wouldn’t bring value
• Finally, Rodriguez was asked what he misses about coaching small-college football the most. He talked about how tight some of his teams at Glenville State were and said he vowed then, “if I ever go coach at a big school I want to take the same approach.”
“I think we had the same kind of relationships when I coached at West Virginia and I think we’re developing the same kind of relationships here at Michigan,” Rodriguez said. “Winning games and having some championships and all that’s fun, but it’s the relationships (that matter most). When a kid calls you 10 years after the fact and tells you what he’s doing and has a wife and two kids or what have you, it’s pretty neat.
“When President Obama came to speak (at Michigan’s commencement last month) I get a phone call from a young man that was a receiver for me at Clemson. He said, ‘Coach, I’m on President Obama’s secret-service staff. I’m helping protect him, just didn’t know if you were going to be in the office, I’ll come by and see you.’ And I hadn’t heard from him this guy in 10 years. I said, ‘How long you been there?’ He said, ‘I’ve been on the job about six months.’ I said, ‘Where are you staying?’ He said, ‘I can’t tell you that.’”
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
Robbie Webb
Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 5:27 p.m.
GoblueinNE_PA, you're misreading things. We never said you can't count his first recruiting class, you can't count his first or second year because of all we had to go through. The recruiting was great, but those guys are fresh out of high school (young) which was why it didn't help much that particular year, but it was a step in the right direction.
BroncoJoe
Sun, May 30, 2010 : 6:21 p.m.
RASWVU wrote: "Even though last year's recruiting class contained 27, it is an NCAA violation if more than 25 show up this season. That means that either 2 have to go elsewhere or 2 have to be pushed back into the current recruiting class (grayshirt). Either way, no more than 25 can be added to this year's roster." 8 players were early entry, coming into school in January (Devin Gardner, et al). Some of those players can be counted as scholarships for the 2009-2010 season, per the NCAA recruiting rules. So there can be more than 25 recruits entering this year. Even the Compliance Department hasn't messed this one up. Here's the text from the NCAA Div I Rules: "15.5.6.3.2 Recruited Student-Athlete Entering after Fall Term, Aided in First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete recruited by the awarding institution who enters after the first term of the academic year and immediately receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) shall be an initial counter for either the current academic year (if the institutions annual limit has not been reached) or the next academic year. The student-athlete shall be included in the institutions total counter limit during the academic year in which the aid was first received."
GoblueinNE_PA
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 10:49 p.m.
I thought we couldn't count his first recruiting class? I've heard that many times here by those that support RR. "He's only had 2 years of his recruits, you can't count that first year." Funny how the only class he's had the isn't "his" is the only class rated as a top 10 class!
Robbie Webb
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 2:38 p.m.
Murrow's last famous words were, ''This guy can't recruit''. Dang, a top 10 class his first season, and top 15's his other two, number 2 in the big ten last year after two losing seasons. Yeah, that's horrible recruiting. Murrow, I promise you if you did some research you will find that Rodriguez is a great coach and a great recruiter.
wvtroll
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 10:47 a.m.
I think it'd be much better to avoid all the predictive comments up there and focus on the current and past. The ones that say "support the team" are the ones that seem to have a true meaning for the word fan. Unfortunately, any predictive comment generates ridiculous replies that are supposed to be taken as the Gospel. So I hope one day that every prediction posted is taken just as that person's opinion. I've mentioned before my opinion, and it's only my opinion, that a fan can support the team without supporting the coach. It's quite possible for a coach to change a good team into a great team, and it's also very possible for a bad coach to have kids on the team that can overcome bad coaching with their talent and determination. Now all of you "fans", whether supportive or not, have to decide for yourself how you decide how much bad is enough or how much good will suffice. If you decide to give the team one more game, then so be it. If you decide you've had enough of this coach, fine. It's obvious that there is no definitive answer to how much is enough. But none of you can base your admiration on predictions by a rating magazine, the coach's own words, or whatever else is thrown your way. Only the next game, and the next one after that, and so on, can sway your opinion, so that's why I say the current and past, and none of the future, because it hasn't happened. There is nothing wrong with optimism. That's what each and every game should foster for any fan. But all of you must decide after each game how you feel about your coach. You will always support your team, though. I monitor this site because of what I saw at WVU concerning your coach and I want to follow this man still. I have my own opinion, and have learned not to mention them here. But I wish I could read the facts, and not the political rhetoric that banters back and forth. I have to admit, though, that it sure is amusing at times. Here's to a good season.
NorthernPike
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 8:09 a.m.
Edward R Murrow - You just got owned! lol And then you disapeared. BTW, you are the worst kind of fan. Get behind this team or get the f*%# out of the way. Or go root for sparty (if you don't already) we don't want you.
RASWVU
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 6:17 a.m.
Even though last year's recruiting class contained 27, it is an NCAA violation if more than 25 show up this season. That means that either 2 have to go elsewhere or 2 have to be pushed back into the current recruiting class (grayshirt). Either way, no more than 25 can be added to this year's roster.
voiceofreason
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 2:56 a.m.
"SN has them 71st in the nation" We might as well just skip the actual games then! I wasn't aware that someone had an accurate crystal ball!
3 And Out
Sat, May 29, 2010 : 2:12 a.m.
Mixed Messages....and More Mixed messages from Rich Rodriguez...and Still NO clear cut plan of action. They are going to Stink this year, as much as I hate to say it. SN has them 71st in the nation. What a joke. and that is all on Rich Rod....in over his head.
Dave Birkett
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 10:14 p.m.
Michigan will have 85 scholarship players on its roster this season if all 27 of last year's signees are admitted and Jordan Kovacs gets a scholarship. There are 12 seniors, 15 juniors, 19 sophomores, 11 redshirt freshmen and 27 recruits. I think it's likely one or two recruits aren't admitted though. Rodriguez said he hopes to sign about 16 players for 2011.
Jaxon5
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 9:56 p.m.
Yuba Old Salt. You've seen a lot. It's difficult to watch the dismantling of a great program and see it sink to the depths. They really are bad. But if we follow you're advice it will be a more enjoyable season. I guess they can only get better.
Old Salt
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 9:44 p.m.
Why Don't we all keep just be quiet and see what happens.and then comment we may be surprised..I played in the big house in 1943 before it was called the "Big House" not as a football player but in the University of Michigan Marching Band.. under William D. Revelli and I still live close enought to hear the crowd cheer on Saturdays.. "GO BLUE:
Jaxon5
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 7:32 p.m.
Here's some more math... the Michigan all time win record will be lost to another team in time with the approach taken by the former Athletic Director. It is now okay to be like most other teams and sacrifice seasons supposedly to rebuild for the future. The problem is you never get the wins back. And, you end up rebuilding every few years, and as you rebuild you lose more games. So instead of being a very good team every year and some years an excellent team, the approach is to be a mediocre to bad team for several years and take a shot at being an excellent team every 4 or 5 years. That's not going to cut it with most fans. Sorry.
Bryant
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 6:42 p.m.
"Simple Math. The U had 69 scholarship players last year. I don't know how many they lost, but let's be conservative and say it's 12 (I'd bet it's more like 15-18).69 - 12 + 16 = 73 = a coach who either can't recruit or who can't do math (or both)." Michigan signed 27 players for the 2010 season to bring their scholy total to 83. 11 seniors as well as any possible attritions will be replaced by new recruits. If he can win or not at U of M remains to be seen but you do the math for the 2010 season: 11 Seniors 13 Juniors 20 Sophmores 39 Freshman Rich Rod deserves a chance! It is obvious that Loyd gave up on recruiting towards the end of his tenure.
Lokalisierung
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 6:10 p.m.
Sorry AZ, you probably meant giving Weiss more time. My bad. Oh those Weiss years were funny though. Such a swagger coming in to rule college football. Everyone was saying how they'd be national title winners in a couple years...it was just sad. Funny, but sad.
Lokalisierung
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 6:05 p.m.
No one involved with ND Fottball who watched Willingham follow up with a 11-37 record at Washington wanted him to have more time.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 6:01 p.m.
Sparky 79 wrote: "If you follow recruiting rather than just spouting out random assumptions, it's pretty easy to see how RR gets to 85 schollie players. It's called signing 27 players this past recruiting period to make up the difference." Not "assumptions." Simple Math. The U had 69 scholarship players last year. I don't know how many they lost, but let's be conservative and say it's 12 (I'd bet it's more like 15-18). 69 - 12 + 16 = 73 = a coach who either can't recruit or who can't do math (or both). Good Night and Good Luck
Sparky79
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:41 p.m.
If you follow recruiting rather than just spouting out random assumptions, it's pretty easy to see how RR gets to 85 schollie players. It's called signing 27 players this past recruiting period to make up the difference. The last three recruiting classes have been 24, 22, and 27 players. Of course, not everyone from that first recruiting class is still here, but add in the walk-ons who earn schollies and what not, you're left with 12 schollies available for this year. That's also a LOT of youth and inexperience. You're talking a handful of true juniors and a ton of true and redshirt freshmen and sophomores. This is the year we need a lot of those sophomores and some of the redshirt freshmen to step up, and I'm sure they're going to have to count on some of those true freshmen for help on defense, too (which is going to make everyone nervous, I'm sure). I think the defense is still a year away from where they really want to be, it's just a matter of these kids finally getting some playing time and getting some experience.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:37 p.m.
"No matter what is being said here anymore it's all starting to sound the same as in a collision of words just evaporating into nothingness. I guess that means nothing much written makes much sense or means anything for that matter so it's time for the season to start which it does in a bit over 3 months." Huh???? Good Night and Good Luck
PortageLkBlu
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:32 p.m.
No matter what is being said here anymore it's all starting to sound the same as in a collision of words just evaporating into nothingness. I guess that means nothing much written makes much sense or means anything for that matter so it's time for the season to start which it does in a bit over 3 months. Bottom line RR knows what needs to be done and I'm sure the maize and blue are taking this season seriously as in it's time to ratchet it up a notch. They should understand the play book by now and the mistakes should be under control at least much better than the last 2 years. I think RR can do this fan support will help as it always helps any team in crunch time which this year is crunch time cause if RR goes and a new coach comes there may not be a QB controversy it may be the same situation as when RR came and Mallet made tracks unless a new coach brings in the spread the existing QB's could lose their jobs. If Mich. has a chance this year this truly will be the year of team effort and that includes effort by the fans. Anybody that doesn't think that the fans make a difference has never been to a college game. When I lived in Oregon I attended Oregon games at Autzen stadium and I truly saw the Ducks win some last minute games with fan support. In all my years as a Wolverine fan this coming year is truly to be anticipated.
azwolverine
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:29 p.m.
murrow, Weiss supporters blamed Willingham for 6 years at ND...and some there still think he should have gotten more time.
Lokalisierung
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:21 p.m.
haha beat OSU...classic.
Joe
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:07 p.m.
thier going to beat ohio state this year just watch,you'll want to know who said that?
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 5:05 p.m.
Richrod's defenders keep pointing to the fact the UM had only (roughly) 75 scholarship players last year when it was allowed 85, and that somehow this was Lloyd Carr's fault. Given that RichRod had two recruiting classes behind him, it is hard to see how this is LC's fault. Now we find out that he intends to sign 15-16 players this year. How, then, will we ever get to 85 max? Assuming all players are red-shirted and all players recruited will stay the full five years(both false assumptions), 16 players/year x 5 years = 80 scholarships. So much for Richrod's scholarship problems being caused by Lloyd Carr. The guy can't recruit, either. Poor recruiter. Poor coach. NCAA problems. We hit the trifecta with this guy. Good Night and Good Luck
MikeB
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 4:31 p.m.
NoBowl, I can help get you Pizza Bowl tickets if you need them? They aren't very expensive though
NoBowl4Blue
Fri, May 28, 2010 : 3:22 p.m.
Pizza Pizza Bowl could be a reality