Rich Rodriguez's newest staff member a familiar face to 2 Michigan football players
Recruiting high school teammates Craig Roh and Taylor Lewan paid off twice for former Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez.
First, he convinced Roh, a defensive end/linebacker, and Lewan, an offensive lineman, to leave their home state of Arizona and play at Michigan, where they both are key contributors in the Wolverines' 10-2 season.
Now Roh and Lewan's former high school coach, Charlie Ragle, is part of Rodriguez's new staff at Arizona, azcentral.com reports.
Ragle, who compiled a 63-7 record in five seasons at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., was named today as the assistant director of football operations at Arizona.
"I think anything you do in life is based on relationships," Ragle said, according to azcentral.com. "... In 2008, we established a relationship. We spent time with their staff. He had already gotten our kids. He had gotten to see our program from the inside out and had never forgotten it."
Comments
heartbreakM
Thu, Dec 22, 2011 : 3:09 a.m.
Curious that the staff hires so far were his old buddies, Gibson and Dews, but not any real defensive coaches yet. Gotta figure that many changes occur after bowls are played, though. I think it's good for former coach that he is bringing somebody from Scottsdale into the fold. Will help him learn the landscape, but honestly, enough about this coach at this point. We are all curious to see how he does, but are we going to get stories about all their spring practices, also?
heartbreakM
Fri, Dec 23, 2011 : 5:48 a.m.
Defense??? We don't need no stinkin' defense!! Lol. Go blue
tulsatom
Thu, Dec 22, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.
I agree, heartbeakM. I like the direction U-M is going under Brady Hoke and RR is a tiny speck in the rearview mirror at this point. I wish him luck in Arizona, although he still seems to rely on cronyism for most of his assistants. It will be interesting who he selects for defensive coordinator. I doubt he'll select a high-profile proven coordinator like a 'Greg Mattison' type. Instead, he'll probably select another 'Greg Robinson' or 'Scott Shafer' type that he can manipulate and who won't take any of the spotlight away from him. I think he wants his team's offense to get all the positive attention and his defense to be the scapegoat when there are problems. It's either that or that he just doesn't see the importance of a good defense. Whichever the case, I really don't care anymore.
Terry Star21
Thu, Dec 22, 2011 : 2:55 a.m.
I'm a little surprised about the defensive coordinators, it was my opinion that the program was offense, offense, offense and the last team with the ball wins. Desmond's comments (in the related content above), in my opinion were meant to highlight the change for good made by Michigan and no harm to anyone else. In my opinion, I liked Cherry Coke when it first came out - it was a product that was almost there, needed more time, was spread out too wide of a market area, had a parking lot attitude of recruiting it's drink, was frustrated with the success of Coke because it was their cans out there, and probably made the same mistakes over and over again that led to it's non-success. It's a no-brainer that Coke is the best, and the biggest seller at the Big house and in Michigan I believe, I mean this is Michigan for God's sake.
DonAZ
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 7:02 p.m.
Still no word on a defensive coordinator. "Rodriguez still has to hire three defensive coaches including a coordinator and a tight ends coach, plus expects to appoint some additional internal staff, he said." <a href="http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122011aaa.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/122011aaa.html</a> He either... (a) Has someone selected but doesn't want to announce until after bowl season, or (b) Wants someone but that someone won't commit for whatever reason, or (c) He is making the same mistake at Arizona he did at Michigan ... i.e., ignoring the defensive side of the ball
tulsatom
Thu, Dec 22, 2011 : 3:35 p.m.
Very good observations, Don. I think it is (c) or maybe even the following: (d) He wants to make sure he and the offense gets all the limelight so he will hire an insignificant coordinator (someone like Greg Robinson) who nobody else wants and who he can manipulate who can also serve as scapegoat for the team's failures if/when his team loses.
DonAZ
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 9:27 p.m.
@LS -- minor correction, it was Shafer. I was reading up on Shafer in Wikipedia ... it's interesting because it reads as if Rodriguez hired Shafer based on little personal knowledge. I'm not saying that's wrong ... but it's a little odd, isn't it? The whole college coaching world seems to be a who-knows-who type of thing. With respect to UofA -- best case is it's Jeff Casteel and he's waiting until WVU post-bowl to announce. My sense based on nothing but reading between the lines is that Rodriguez and Casteel have a deeper level of understanding/trust. But I'll say this -- if Casteel is a guy who likes to fish, then he'll hate southern Arizona. There *is* fishing here ... but you gotta drive a bit to get to it.
DonAZ
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 9:21 p.m.
@LS -- Lewan for certain ... I'm less convinced about Roh. Roh must be good enough to earn that starting DE spot under the watchful eye of Hoke and Mattison. But his name went surprisingly absent from a lot of post-game write-ups this year. Any sense for this -- why Roh seemed less productive? Am I just perceiving this incorrectly?
Lorain Steelmen
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 9:02 p.m.
Don....he actually made this mistake, TWICE, while at UM. (Snyder(sp) & Robinson). IMHO, that was the single greatest reason he is a 'former UM HC.' I hope for his sake, that he'll lock down a big time DC, and go from there. Dispite the negative press, I hope he succeeds out there. But one thing for sure, both Roh & Lewan, were both good recruits and have been contributors.
riverraisin
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
Sounds like he's making the same mistake twice, Don He probably doesn't have Defensive Coordinators beating down his door either. Who would want to work for a coach that gives you no freedom to install your own system?
15crown00
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 6:45 p.m.
who is going to watch RR for rule violations.he'll b in trouble again before u know it.
Terry Star21
Wed, Dec 21, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.
It's inevitable !