My Thoughts on Coach Rod

I was always told that when you should always start off with the positive and then go to the negative. But I am not going to do that with this post.

Some of the things that bothers me about Coach Rod is that last year when he went through the whole thing with the University of Alabama head coaching position, he said that he did not want to leave his position at WVU, because it was his alma mater. He was committed to them for the long haul, or so he said. He said that before, but now somehow that all changes. Why?

The other thing that bothers me is that he seemed to have made some really dumb coaching decisions when they played Pitt this year. I don’t like the fact that he couldn’t beat their chief rival in what should have been a fairly easy win. Which leads into the next thing….

I don’t like the fact that he said today that he treats every game the same, but some are more important than others. I don’t want him to set up a “Beat OSU clock” like they have at that school down south or to go into the next basketball game and guarantee a win in 340 days. But I would like to have heard him say that he will do what it takes to beat them. That the tide will turn in that series back the way it should be. But he doesn’t know the depth of that rivalry or even the one with that team up north and that other team down south, but more western. He will understand it soon enough I am sure.

Now for the positives….

I like his pedigree. This guy grew up 5 miles from one of the greatest coaches in NCAA history and Michigan history. The man who made Meeechigan what it is today. The man who built The Big House and the golf course and so much of the University’s athletic facilities. And that man would be Fielding H. Yost. Whose “point-a-minute” teams had 56 consecutive wins from 1901-1905 and had a 2,821 to 42 point difference with an average of 50-1 per game. He had some high powered offensive teams. So knowing that they both come from the same area, albeit 100 years apart, is nice.

And Coach Rod also has attachments with Michigan’s other great coach, Bo Schembechler, because Coach Rod played under Don Nehlen, who was an assistant under Bo for many years. And I know Don carried those ideals with him, so hopefully it has rubbed off as much as possible on Coach Rod.

Lastly, I like the fact that Coach Rod is known as the “godfather” of the spread offense. Michigan has needed to change up it’s offense to compete with the big boys and keep their winning ways. The teams in the SEC have stepped up their programs and become the dominant conference in college football and if Michigan wants to compete, I believe that the spread offense is the best way for us to do it. I have great respect and admiration for Lloyd Carr, and appreciate all that he has done for Michigan football but the time has come for a change and I think Coach Rod can bring that change.

Congratulations Coach Rod in being the 16th head football coach at the University of Michigan and only the 11th since 1901. We have a tradition of coaches staying for the long haul and not jumping to the next bigger job (is there any bigger?) so do us proud, because “those who stay will be champions”. We will stand by you as fans and show you our undying loyalty like we have always done with our coaches.