He's got a good program going at West Virginia. Is Michigan that much more prestigious?
2007-12-17 02:13:39 · 13 answers · asked by trer 3 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
WVU is a good program, but it is no where near the caliber of Michigans.
The Big East is a decent conference, BCS yes but barely. The Big Ten is one of the four best conferences.
Tradition... Michigan has tons of it, WVU has none of it. Like Bo Schembechler said to his staff his first year at Michigan "Fielding Yost and Fritz Crisler hung their coats on that rusty nail." Michigan is the winningest program in the Country
The Big House... the best and largest stadium in the country always sells out.
Rivalries... not one big rivalry but three of them every year, two of them against similairly storied programs, Notre Dame and O-State, the other against MichState.
The University itself... always a top ranked school in academics. Any Michigan high schooler who can get accepted should go there unless they get accepted to Cal, Harvard, Yale, MIT maybe a few others.
Conference championships.... it's the BIG TWO (Michigan and O-State) plus one other (Wisco, PSU maybe Iowa). He'll never finish below third and most of the time in the top two and half the time the conference championship.
Recruiting... at WVU he could recruit WV, Va., Pa, SW Ohio, at Michigan he can recruit from California to Washington to Maine to Florida.
Money... He's now the highest paid state official in the State of Michigan.
Money 2... Michigan has lots to spend on the football program and is spending it building new facilities.
His relationship the the AD at WVU became strained.
2007-12-17 06:51:39 · answer #1 · answered by spalffy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not going to trash Michigan. Michigan is a great school (academically, athletics, etc.). I can not fault them for going after Rich Rodriguez. Biggest rival (Ohio State) can't stop a team with a spread offense. Why not get the guy who basically invented it? HOWEVER...
For those talking about job security, etc. WVU is EXTREMELY loyal to their coaches. Don Nelan (Coach for WVU all through the 80s and 90s) was REVERED at WVU. Heck, he even has a street named after him and he has the record for the most consecutive bowl losses in a coaching career (8 in total). Rich Rodriguez had the best situation possible and the ONLY reason he left is for....
...THE MONEY. Well, that and he bought into the hype that is Michigan football...now. It's sad. He basically spit in the face of his players, the people that have supported him since he started coaching at WVU, and his alma mater as a whole.
Nothing like screwing over the school that gave you your ONLY chance as a football player and then gave you a great head coaching job later on in life. He had the potential to basically be the football God of WV and instead traded inmortality for bigger dollars.
Oh, and by screwing over, I mean, leaving right in the middle of preparing for a BCS bowl and during the prime recruiting time for any university.
Shame on him.
2007-12-17 02:41:16 · answer #2 · answered by The TDB 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
He left for the almighty Michigan Wolverines. Nothing more prestigious than going back on your word and leaving your alma mater and home state high and dry. Way to show some class Rich.
To spalffy: He recruited all across the country at WVU. White from Alabama, Slaton from NJ, Devine from Florida..........
2007-12-17 06:51:51 · answer #3 · answered by fmagellan74 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. He is a bum. The damn ink isn't even dry on his new WVU extension. I can't even believe it and I'm not even a WVU fan. There is no more loyalty in college football anymore among coaches. It's funny how a D-I player has to sit out one year after transferring but a coach can jump ship whenever. West Virginia was the top of the Big East. Now he will only be looking up because he will be second best to Ohio State.
2007-12-17 02:22:47 · answer #4 · answered by Veritas et Aequitas () 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
He has no loyalty. He went behind the university's back and made a deal, he told his recruits before he told his own players, school and state. He is no longer welcomed in our state. Just to update the ignorant people answering, WV gets a heavy part of their team from Florida, so add that to your list. They will run him the hell out of Michigan in 4 years because he can't win the big one. That has always been the case and that is in the Big East. He will get destroyed in the Big 10. That system takes 3 years to learn. they won't wait!
2007-12-17 15:34:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are rumors that he did not get along with the AD at WVU.
I think he was playing the same game he played last year with Alabama and got burned. WVU told him to honor his contract he just signed.
I will enjoy him destroying Michigans football program.
2007-12-17 02:39:45 · answer #6 · answered by wvmom 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Michigan is probably in the Top Three of programs based as much on university loyalty as anything else (if a coach is looking to cash in financially, it isn't going to happen). Compete for a Big Ten title virtually every season and run a clean program & you can virtually have a lifetime job at the university. There is little job security and loyality in majow college football by universities and coaches, but U of M is a throwback for the right candidate.
2007-12-17 02:21:28 · answer #7 · answered by Zombie Birdhouse 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Michigan is the winningest program in the history of football. PRestige (check) Good rivalry (check) Awesome stadium (Check).
2007-12-17 02:20:15 · answer #8 · answered by bama79rolltide 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
he is just it in for the money.. i think the bast@rd was more focused on becoming Michigans head coach then worried about that Pitt game.. wtf?!?! a 4-7 team beating us?? i dont get that... oh yes i do.. pat white cries hurt all the time and steve slaton fu(ks up too much... he doesnt deserve the heisman...
2007-12-17 19:36:36 · answer #9 · answered by i♥holio 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My In-laws from WV aren't very happy this morning. A few weeks ago I was there for Thanksgiving. That weekend they beat UConn and they thought they were invincible. Since then they lost to Pitt and now are losing their coach. Being from TN, I don't have much sympathy for them, especially after hearing all about WV when I was there.
2007-12-17 02:31:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋