<p>I have to agree with Rittenberg's observation that:
"Many will point out that Rodriguez doesn't acknowledge athletic director Dave Brandon or the Michigan administrators. I see no issue with this. Brandon let him twist in the wind for more than a month before making a decision that could have been finalized in early December. It wasn't the nicest thing to do, especially when other jobs, namely Miami, were available. Rodriguez doesn't owe Brandon any courtesy shout-out."</p>
<p>By not firing RichRod after the OSU game, Dave Brandon gave him an opportunity to show Brandon why he deserved an opportunity to coach the team in 2011.</p>
<p>RichRod shot himself in the foot after his inappropriate (for the occasion) speech at the football banquet and by poorly preparing the team for the Gator Bowl despite having five weeks to do so.</p>
<p>Why was Rich Rodriguez fired?
A) He just wasn’t a good fit and divided the Michigan family.
B) All those losses to Michigan State and Ohio State.
C) The Gator Bowl embarrassment.
D) That final meeting with Dave Brandon: Rich Rod made a lot of good points but didn’t put up enough of a defense.</p>
<p>15-22 says it all. His last three games were lost by an average of 32 points. Yes, they were good teams, but that is no excuse. </p>
<p>His defenses have gotten progressively worse, allowing more yards and points as seasons went by. His 2008 defense was his best and his 2010 defense was his worst.</p>
<p>Firing the entire coaching staff when he joined Michigan. WHAT WAS HE THINKING! I can understand firing a couple of coaches but not all of them. I think he kept 2 coaches out of 9.</p>
<p>Cutting all ties with the old program by focing major players (Mallett and Boren) to transfer out. He should have eased his way in. Sure he would have had to play a different style for a year or two, but he would have avoided his horrible 8-16 start.</p>
<p>All of those issues have one source: His overcommitment to the spread. So obsessed he was to establish his brand of offense that he neglected everything else, including Special Teams and Defense.</p>
<p>I like RR. I think he is a good coach and a good guy…but he never realized that Michigan was bigger than any coach and that a coach that takes over the Michigan program must respect Michigan tradition and expectations.</p>
<p>That’s the point. Brandon should have fired him after the regular season is over. I don’t think Brandon has any intention of giving him one more year even if he had won the bowl game. It’s a delay tactic so he could announce Harbaugh coming in shortly after firing Rick Rod.</p>
<p>In 20-20 hindsight, everyone would have better off if the decision had been had after the OSU game. </p>
<p>Dave Brandon could have started his search for a replacement a month sooner and RichRod would have pocketed an additional $1.5M buyout and might have been able to find another HC position for the 2011 season. </p>
<p>Fireing Rich Rod without having a replacement or at least a short list in mind already is pretty frustrating too. Les Miles or Brady Hoke would be a good choice, however, the fact that Brandon is dragging the hiring process out by hiring a search firm and conducting a national search is quite disappointing. </p>
<p>Maybe Brandon will surprise everyone by luring Urban Meyer or Bill Cowher out of retirement.</p>
<p>"In 20-20 hindsight, everyone would have better off if the decision had been had after the OSU game. "
No one cares if “everyone” would be better off. It only matters if MICHIGAN is better off. RR has no leverage (since he can’t afford to pay a buyout to leave on his own) so there is no point to do anything to his advantage unless it also means it helps Michigan.</p>
<p>"Brandon should have fired him after the regular season is over. I don’t think Brandon has any intention of giving him one more year even if he had won the bowl game. It’s a delay tactic so he could announce Harbaugh coming in shortly after firing Rick Rod. "</p>
<p>Why is that bad? It is great for Michigan.
First of all, by delaying, it killed all the hopes of RR finding a good gig this year with most of the coach openings coming in December. This prevents our current players from transferring to his new school and prevents him to recruiting our current commits. Marginal benefit to Michigan.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>There is no way of hiring a big name coach before the bowl season anyway since they were going to go for Harbaugh. There was no way Harbaugh would have given up an opportunity to his first BCS bowl. It’s also better to have a “head coach” than no head coach at all recruiting wise. At least there’s a face to the university. Again, Marginal benefit to Michigan with nothing to lose (since it wouldnt have been possible to fill that spot between that time if they were to go for harbaugh)</p></li>
<li><p>Lastly, it saves Michigan 1.5mil, which can be used to pay for Les Miles’ buyout :D</p></li>
</ol>
<p>“RichRod would have pocketed an additional $1.5M buyout”
Bad for Michigan</p>
<p>“and might have been able to find another HC position for the 2011 season.”
Also bad for michigan. If RR were able to find another HC position, we can expect a greater number of our current players transfer to his destination. He might also be able to sway some of our commits to his new school.</p>
<p>David Brandon is a good CEO. And a good CEO knows what he should do: Do only what’s best for his shareholders (in this case the regents, boosters, students, alumni). Other parties’ (RR’s) interests are irrelevant.</p>
<p>I was only agreeing with Rittenberg. I am with the camp who thinks Brandon should fire Rich Rod after the regular season. That would allow him to start searching for a replacement a month earlier. They needed to have a short list and alternatives in case the Harbaugh deal fell through (unless they had an under the table understanding with Harbaugh).</p>
<p>But then I didn’t consider your point #1 which is certainly valid.</p>
<p>One of the problems Rich Rod had was players on the team that didn’t buy into the program. </p>
<p>If there are players on the current team that are more loyal to Rich Rod than to U-M, let them leave. That way, the new coach can recruit and develop players that want to be at Michigan.</p>
<p>Rich Rod recruited too many players that were more interested in using Michigan as a stepping stone to the NFL than for an education.</p>
<p>As Bo said, “No man is more important than the team. No coach is more important than the team. The team, the team, the team.”</p>