Coach who knows Rich Rod says Arizona promised him they'd schedule Michigan

Submitted by M-Wolverine on

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2011/11/did_arizona_promise_r…

(with video)

High School Football coach told people at the New Orleans QB Club that Rich told him...

 

His expression to me was he felt he had a better chance to win the national championship at Arizona if he recruited properly and they promised him they would put Michigan on the schedule within three years.

I will probably hate myself in the morning for posting this, as it will deteriorate, and will never happen, because the chance Michigan says yes is zero...but it's news, and I thought it was interesting how people may view things.

mgowill

November 29th, 2011 at 7:59 PM ^

I look at it like the male wrestlers who forfeit to female wrestlers. If you win, you beat a girl. If you lose you lost to a girl. For the guys that forfeit, there is no glory in winning. For the guys that don't forfeit, they risk embarrassment for their pride. There is no right answer as it is a subjective topic. http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/For-first-time-…

ATLWolverine

November 29th, 2011 at 7:51 PM ^

it pains me to hear you say "If you want to be the best, you need to play the best" and then suggest App State is a benchmark for us.

If you seriously think that they are a team by which we should measure ourselves by, I think you need to think with something other than the pair that you're urging me to grow.

It's a no-win game and I would derive no pleasure even if we beat them by 70, because even scheduling them is a tacit admission that we regard that loss as a benchmark.

It would be like Dwyane Wade losing a 1-on-1 basketball game against a high school kid and then after 7 years demanding a rematch. Just weaksauce. Respect to 2007 App State for being a very good team, but I really don't think that is the kind of rivalry we should be building at Michigan.

coastal blue

November 29th, 2011 at 7:03 PM ^

I can see why Rodriguez would want to do it, because he feels that he got the shaft and was treated like shit and nothing would prove that Michigan got it wrong like beating us. It's just human nature to want "revenge" if that's what you would want to call it. 

I wouldn't like this game for several reasons. If we lose, we'll have to hear about it for a couple weeks afterwards and it will be miserable. 

If we win, I'd be happy for the team and coaches, but it would be tough for me to be totally happy knowing how much extra joy it would bring certain segments of the fairweather fanbase who abandoned the team then joyously jumped back on this year, the media who created a hellhole to coach and recruit in and the conniving members of our athletic department and university. 

If we were to face Arizona, I would rather have it be in the Rose Bowl, because it would mean that Michigan was enjoying a period of sustained success and that Rodriguez found a better fit for his style after a miserable experience here in Michigan. Until then, it'd be best just to let it go. 

coastal blue

November 29th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^

But I was in the stadium plenty of times to hear the boos. 

And whether you liked the coach or not, when the kids on the team have to hear how terrible they are collectively over and over again - despite many personnel holes that people can't seem to fathom - you are not supporting the team. 

 

phil

November 29th, 2011 at 7:24 PM ^

I've gotta believe RichRod told Zona to try and schedule this 3 or 4 years into the future with his whole "lose big, lose close, win big" theory

 

Would be interesting, I'm sure RichRod has a big chip on his shoulder trying to show us what could have been. 

swamyblue

November 29th, 2011 at 7:32 PM ^

I smell reality TV in NCAAville!  Meyer to the bucky's, Tressell to the zips, RR supposedly said...blah blah blah.  I don't believe he said this...Why?  Because he's intelligent enough to recognize the possibility that we could play zona @ the Rose.  Jebus, when is our bowl game announcement again?  Let's get back to business - shall we?

BlueGoM

November 29th, 2011 at 7:43 PM ^

When RR was hired at Arizona I thought we might meet him in a bowl game at some point.  I don't think it'd be cool to do a home and home or something like that, and I doubt Brandon would agree to it.

OTOH,  Brandon might want to validate his coaching choice and want to play RR.

I think this site would explode if Michigan ever lost to a RR led team.

 

lhglrkwg

November 29th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^

We're talking a big game about playing RichRod and Arizona, but doesn't it just seem that it would be our luck that RichRod finds his QB in year one who was languishing as a 3rd stringer at Arizona this year and they're immediately awesome and Tony Gibson is the DB coach and they aren't terrible. I feel like that's just how it would work out

markusr2007

November 29th, 2011 at 10:00 PM ^

The last time Arizona played Michigan was 1978 in Ann Arbor. The Wildcats were coached by a former Michigan assistant coach, Tony Mason (1966-1968).

Arizona (5-6) came out seething and almost knocked off Michigan (10-2).  The Wolverines prevailed 21-17 on a 4th quarter touchdown run by Russell Davis. It was the closest scoring margin of any game Michigan played that year.

Like Michigan, Arizona ran an Option I offense that year with Jim Krohn (#5) at QB, FB Hubert Oliver, WB Tim Holmes and TB Larry Heater (no relation to Chuck Heater). On defense Arizona had a great LB/DE type named Cleveland Crosby (#95).

bmacjr11

November 29th, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^

I find it baffling tha he majority of the posters here do not see this happening.. As well as the fact that the majority of posters are having a hard time seeing why M is opening up in Dallas next year. The answer is money, and nielsen ratings.. Throw the App. st. Game in there as well, that was also scheduled because of both of those reasons. The Bama/Mich game will be watched by an inordinate amount of people arond the country, not to mention the payout both schools are already getting just to play in the game. App St and Arizona will also both draw higher ratings as well because of the storylines surrounding the game. As much as our fan base hates to admit it, that App St debacle ended up being one of the most talked about games of that entire season. Of course more people will tune into watch a Mich/App St game than a Mich/Toledo game that will only have a regional draw. These factors accompanied with Brandon's (not scared of anything) outlook are the reasons he schedules games like a neutral Bama or App St again, and it is why that I am sure he would be happy to schedule Arizona... (assuming it is not a home and home). Better ratings and more visibility for the program ultimately means more money in Michs pockets. We have to remember, M has a former CEO as an AD, not a random fan that is scared to lose to a former employee.

AVPBCI

November 29th, 2011 at 10:09 PM ^

speaking of brandon, does anybiody have his email address would like to send him a nice email

 

i have seen the email address around here before, i know he replies back

 

markusr2007

November 29th, 2011 at 10:13 PM ^

Michigan just needs to play a few more marquee opponents of historic interest like LSU (never met), Georgia (1965?), Clemson (never met), USC (1990), Stanford (1972), Cal  (1979)and Oklahoma (1976).

Due to the Citrus and Alamo bowls vs. the SEC and Big 12 in recent years (vs. Florida, Auburn, Alabama, aTm), the 2005 Rose Bowl, and the addition of Penn State and Nebraska to the BIG10, there's only a few teams left on Michigan's "Bucket list". 

The Arizona schools and perhaps Boise State/BYU would also be interesting matches.

Sadly it looks like Michigan's Wolverines will instead dine heavily on MAC cupcakes for a long time to come.

Don

November 29th, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^

We played USC in the RB after the 2003 and 2006 seasons, but it's been many decades since we've played them during the regular season, before Bo came to town. I'd love to see them in Ann Arbor, preferably when it's in the low 40s and raining.

We last played Stanford during the '75 and '76 regular seasons; tied them 19-19 and then pounded them 51-0 in the rematch.

Last played Cal in 1980.

More for the never-played-'em bucket list:  Va Tech; Kansas State; Iowa State; Texas Tech; TCU

How about teams we've only played once in bowls? Tennessee; Arizona State; Mississippi; Arkansas

Or West Virginia? played them only once, back in 1904.

Or Pitt? Last played them in 1947.

 

 

markusr2007

November 29th, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^

including former Michigan recruit, Tom Savage #17, 6-5, 240 lbs and Daxx Garman #9, 6-2, 185.  Garman QBed for Southlake H.S. in TX. (same school as Missouri QB Chase Daniel).

 

 

 

bo_lives

November 29th, 2011 at 10:57 PM ^

And I couldn't care less who's coaching them.

And for the record, I'm glad we scheduled Appalachain State again. We will beat them 77-0, because Hoke dun't mess around. Lloyd's staff let their guard down and it cost us. It is NEVER going to happen again.

After all, THIS IS MICHIGAN FERGODSAKES!

UMgradMSUdad

November 29th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^

If the story is true, it puts Brandon in a great position, kind of like a car dealer who finds out a guy has promised his new girlfriend he would buy her the shiny new convertible on his car lot she really wants.  The dealer bumps the price up a few thousand and refuses to come down.  The boyfriend is either stuck backing down from his promise or paying through the nose.

Wolverman

November 30th, 2011 at 1:32 AM ^

 being that i live near Tucson I'd love a home and with Arizona lol every year! Sucks only seeing Uof M live if they go to an arizona bowl. I'm gunning for bama vs u of M tickets in texas stadium next year so i can take my son to his first Michigan game. If i'm lucky i can get A2 in the next few years i never been to the big house :(

dahblue

November 30th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^

I have a hard time believing this to be true.  Obsession with a past employer (in any job) is a giant red flag.  You don't hire someone who spends interview time complaining about unfair treatment at a past job.  You certainly don't coddle someone's desire for "revenge" (especially when it's clear to everyone but Rich that his termination was, at minimum, understandable).  The fact that Rich even mentioned, in his AZ presser, his upset with "not being able to complete the job" at Michigan was face-palm moment enough  Either the story isn't true or Arizona just bought an obsessed lemon.