Rodriguez meets with Michigan

[Sports Guy]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3155414

[Danielos38]

Too bad he's not there already. It would be great to see two of the most inovative coaches in the nation battle it out in the Florida vs. Michigan bowl game.

If he went to Michigan, they would easily go back to being dominant.

[RShack]

Too bad he's not there already. It would be great to see two of the most inovative coaches in the nation battle it out in the Florida vs. Michigan bowl game.

If he went to Michigan, they would easily go back to being dominant.

I think we don't know how much he really wants to be in a pressure cooker. Michigan has gotta be one of the Top 5 pressure cooker jobs.

[CrimsonTribe]

I wouldn't worry too much about him leaving. He'll change his mind at the last minute and decide not to go.

[geschinger]

I suspect this has more to do with getting the university to follow through on commitments more than wanting to go to Ann Arbor. Although I'm not sure the athletic department would necessarily be devastated if he left. $4m is a hefty chunk of change for an athletic department budget.

While I'd hate to see him leave it would be fun to see how his system would revolutionize Big 10 football. RR could be to Michigan what Urban Meyer is to UF.

[ledzepp8]

I don't think he's going anywhere. And an insider on WVU's scout board says that he is staying. But this whole leverage song and dance that he's pulling for the second year in a row is going to get old real fast. Either be loyal to your team or not, stay or go elsewhere. The whole thing reeks of childishness. If you're feeling disrespected then talk to your bosses or whoever like a man. Quit dragging the fans and the players through this thing ever season.

I would hope Rich is loyal to his school and team, but if he does choose to go to Michigan...I'd have to say he's definitely not ready. I love the guy but he has a lot to learn before he could ever do something like that. You somehow can't close out the season against a 4-7 Pitt team and secure a BCS title bid, then you aren't ready for that kind of pressure.

[RShack]

I don't think he's going anywhere. And an insider on WVU's scout board says that he is staying. But this whole leverage song and dance that he's pulling for the second year in a row is going to get old real fast. Either be loyal to your team or not, stay or go elsewhere. The whole thing reeks of childishness.

Huh? It would appear to "reek" a whole lot more of "effectiveness" than "childishness". According to the way college ball works, that's just how college coaches get what they want. It has nothing to do with maturity, it's just how the system works, that's all. He didn't invent it, he's just in it.

[SteveA]

It's official, he has joined John Beilien in Michigan. Just call WVU the Wolverines' AAA team.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10532347

I question how a big, dropback QB like Mallet will be able to run RR's offense.

[mweb]

Well there goes one of the great Big East coaches that Gesh said wouldn't leave. Bad couple weeks for WVU fans.

BTW, this is a pretty big statement concerning the elite programs debate we've had on here.

[ledzepp8]

I guess there's no such thing as loyalty anymore. Coach Rod turned his back in his alma mater, his fans, his home state and especially his players. And what's really bad is that he told top recruit Terelle Pryor that he was going to Michigan before he told his own players, that's just classless. Screw you Rich Rodriguez...we're better off without you. Mountaineer football is way bigger than you buddy. You couldn't even finish out the season against a crappy Pitt team with the National Title on the line...Good luck playing Ohio St. to end the season.

And now I have to root for Ohio St which really makes me mad.

[geschinger]

Well there goes one of the great Big East coaches that Gesh said wouldn't leave. Bad couple weeks for WVU fans.

BTW, this is a pretty big statement concerning the elite programs debate we've had on here.

Much like the Big East teams moving to the ACC saved that conference, it's going to take a former Big East coach to save the stodgy Big 10.

It's a big blow to WVU football but I have confidence that like w/the basketball team they'll be more than fine w/whomever the next coach will be. I can't blame RR for going for the much bigger payout. He already had gotten a raise last year and wasn't going to get another one this year and the offer from Michigan is a monster raise for his current salary.

[ledzepp8]

Much like the Big East teams moving to the ACC saved that conference, it's going to take a former Big East coach to save the stodgy Big 10.

It's a big blow to WVU football but I have confidence that like w/the basketball team they'll be more than fine w/whomever the next coach will be. I can't blame RR for going for the much bigger payout. He already had gotten a raise last year and wasn't going to get another one this year and the offer from Michigan is a monster raise for his current salary.

I ultimately don't think he wanted to leave WVU. I think he wanted to play the 'Bama game again for the second year in a row and this time the donors and brass called his bluff and said we've already gone down this road. You got an extension, more money and the promises you wanted last year...if that's not good enough then get to stepping. By then he had no choice as he had burned too many bridges.

I agree with you though, just like with Huggins coming home to coach the basketball team...the football team will find someone who wants to be here and won't be using it as a stepping stone every season.

[RShack]

There's a very small number of jobs that are truly special. Michigan is one of them. (The simple fact that nobody laughs at them when they're wearing those goofy-looking helmets is proof of that ;-)

Back when Bill Curry was coaching GT, his own alma mater, Bama was still one of those special jobs. Not so much now, since they've spent a few decades mooning about The Bear the way O's fans moon about Cal, but it was then. He quit GT to go to Bama. He said that GT was his home and he hated to leave home, but Bama was one of the few truly legendary programs of football. Some people hated him, but most people understood. And GT has a whole lot more football tradition than WVU does (no disrespect to WVU, but it's true).

I don't fault a guy for wanting to go to the top of his profession. I don't blame a guy for taking his chance to see how he does in the big time. I'm not so sure the loyalty thing is a 2-way street anyway. Say he had a few losing seasons in Morgantown, you think everybody there would stay loyal to him? I fully understand how it's disappointing, and maybe even heart-breaking. But he's clearly taking a better job at a brand-name school. Not many guys wouldn't. He'll probably pay the price for it too, by getting fired unless he starts beating OhowIhateohiostate pretty dang soon...

[ledzepp8]

I don't fault a guy for wanting to go to the top of his profession. I don't blame a guy for taking his chance to see how he does in the big time. I'm not so sure the loyalty thing is a 2-way street anyway. Say he had a few losing seasons in Morgantown, you think everybody there would stay loyal to him? I fully understand how it's disappointing, and maybe even heart-breaking. But he's clearly taking a better job at a brand-name school. Not many guys wouldn't. He'll probably pay the price for it too, by getting fired unless he starts beating OhowIhateohiostate pretty dang soon...

Well considering WVU has had all of two coaches in the last 30 years, I'd say yes they would be very loyal to him. I'm not all that disappointed that he's leaving, as coaches for the most part aren't that important in the long run, it's just the way he's gone about it. Especially telling Terrelle Pryor that he was going to Michigan before he told his own players. And I understand he's taking a better job, but he also said he had his "dream job". This was all about him wanting more money, which with a higher cost of living probably is going to be about equal. For a guy who was "fighting for his players and the program", he sure bailed on them pretty quickly.

[RShack]

Well considering WVU has had all of two coaches in the last 30 years, I'd say yes they would be very loyal to him.

Fair enough.

This was all about him wanting more money...

I bet not. I'm sure the money is part of it, but for a career college football coach, getting a job like Michigan has got to be absolutely huge. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and that's only if you're both good and very lucky. Not many people get a shot at a job like that. Hundreds of guys try their whole career, and only a very few actually get a shot at it. I don't think many guys would turn it down.