Marvin Robinson and Mike Jones left the team

[nonbcsfan]

RR did not do himself any favors with his "my way or the highway" attitude, and when you don't at least try to endear yourself to the old guard at a place like Michigan, your leash will be mighty short.

 

[jalopy]

Yeah, it's never good to thumb your nose at the checkbook but did the checkbook have to tattle to the press?

 

[Coach_Ed_LPW]

Not going to rehash this argument. I just am embarrassed at the lack of support RR received. I think if I ran into Lloyd I would smack him upside the head.

You're kidding right? If he didn't embarrass the University, alumni, and fans both on and off the field he would've had plenty of support. He sucked and he had plenty of time....the defense, my god man. Excuse me Im gonna go puke.

 

[jalopy]

Excuse me Im gonna go puke.

You are excused, hopefully permanently. Was it RR that decided not to spend the money to hire a decent defensive coordinator? NO! Was it RR that advised current players to transfer and prospective recruits to look elsewhere? NO! Was it RR that went to press with stories of too much practicing? NO! All this (and more) was done by "Michigan Men". If RR is such an embarrassment as a coach, please explain how he had success with a program without the appeal of UofM? Please wipe the puke off your face before you reply.

 

[jdwills126]

Not only was the cupboard bare when RR arrived but his predecessor encourage defections. I am not here to defend RR but he didn't get the full support from the university and alums.

I agree to an extent. RR came in with a scorch earth policy and guys bailed. I think RR was happy as that would help speed up his transition. As well as opening a spot for Pryor, how did that work out. Mallet, Arrington, Manningham, act. RR was inflexible and did not want a longer transition.

RR's own stubbornness alienated boosters and alums and without the backing of those groups you are pretty much toast. Remember the #1 jersey controversy? It was as if RR was daring the boosters/alum to walk away from the program! Thats not to say that their wasn't a faction that would not accept RR regardless. But winning has a way of quieting critics.

The spread works no doubt about that. But RR wanted to use all his scholarships on the offensive side of the ball. He never devoted the time and energy to bring in quality defensive recruits. And again the 3-3-5 was an awful defense against big strong teams. And I don't care what Windy said about that defense it was a liability.

As of defensive coordinators Scott Shafer wasn't as bad as his time in A2 made him look. Maybe it was trying to implement and run that broke ass scheme.

As for the spread it is an exciting offense and I think UofM should implement parts of that offense I just think it relies on players that are to one dimensional. UofM with D Rob was a mess. OSU would be loss without Miller. It pigeon holes teams.

 

[jdwills126]

UofM with D Rob was a mess.

I meant without D Rob UofM was a mess.

 

[jalopy]

A lot of that stuff is "he said, she said" stuff, but you are right, RR needed a better pr consultant. It is relevant to note that a faction was dead set against the RR hire for the onset. The bottom line is winning would have eased the differences and RR didn't do that.
The other stuff we are just going to have to agree to disagree on.

 

[nonbcsfan]

Yeah, it's never good to thumb your nose at the checkbook but did the checkbook have to tattle to the press?

it did because it wanted him gone... I am perfectly fine will blaming Martin for botching the entire hiring process... RR had no clue what he was walking into, and didn't react well to it, and when the dude who hired him retired, the fat lady was singing...

 

[jalopy]

...the fat lady was singing...
Yeah, because she would become the next head coach of Michigan.

 

[jdwills126]

The White House wishes it could keep the secrets like UofM! Was Les Miles actually hired and backed out?

Was the search committee totally disregarded like Desmond Howard suggest?

Was Martin on his boat when Miles called?

Did Lloyd really sabotage RR?

Who was the motivating force in practice gate?

Martin should have been fired! If it wasn't for his money raising abilities his tenure would have been awful! RR was never a fit for Michigan and it was easily observed almost from the start to us fans!

I wonder how RR would have fared at Alabama?

 

[jalopy]

Please understand my answers are hearsay but from people within the university:

Les Miles was never hired but an oral agreement was reached. The only reason Carr stayed for the 2007 season was because the timing was better for Miles. That I know to be fact

Desmond doesn't know what he is talking about. Martin was under tremendous pressure after the Herbstreit fiasco. It is true that the committee was divided about RR but there was no consensus either way making the committee pointless in Martin's eyes.

The evidence against Lloyd is thin, mostly rumblings from non-objective parties. However, it would be in character for Lloyd to do this. I do know that he and Bo were not on the same page at the time of Bo's passing and separation was imminent.

No idea where Martin was when he received the news but word is it wasn't on campus.

Practice gate was instigated by former players. These types of things are expected with a philosophy change as drastic as was attempted here. The issue is that there was zero effort on the part of those in power to kill the story. Normally, if a story like this comes out, boosters and alum would put tremendous pressure on the paper to kill the story. This didn't happen despite the Freep brass being littered with alums.

The thing that RR couldn't figure out was that the Michigan situation was completely different than his previous gigs. He didn't need the shenanigans and circus act to draw attention to the program. He needed to bend over backwards to accommodate his detractors and he did the opposite.

With the university and others solidly behind him, he would have been able to build a dynamic offense and then address the defense. That was his plan.

Alabama is Saban. they were in the dumps before him and will be so again if/when he leaves.

 

[nonbcsfan]

...the fat lady was singing...
Yeah, because she would become the next head coach of Michigan.

and doing a pretty good job thus far...

 

[jalopy]

Yeah, the future looks brighter than the past and present. He will ultimately be judged on his record against the nuts. The 2014 team should be the best team we have had in a long time.

 

[Chief]

Nice, were you aviation? My brother-in-law is a CW4 going for his 5 but it gets pretty competitive at that level....He's in the 1/60th down here at Campbell. Those are some hard core dudes.

No. Military Intelligence. Hard to believe I know. I retired about 16 months before I was even eligible for the CW4 Promotion Board.

Had spent 15 months in Saudi Arabia. Was back for just over a month and they wanted to send me back down range for 6 more months. Had they been nice and at least let me stay home thru the holidays, I'd be retiring next summer instead of back in 2009.

 

[Chief]

lol. I guess you'd genuflect for RR then...

If I remember correctly, it was Michigan that approached RR. We hired him and left him out to dry (actually, worse). Not the lessons I learned during my time there.Maybe the Army taught you different.

Funny thing about the Army J, it has standards and a certain culture the individual needs to accept/adapt too. RR did neither when he came to Michigan.

Not to say he would still be coach had he came in different (the lack of wins were hard to overcome). You don't go into an organization and start alienating the people you need support from; at least initially.

 

[Chief]

how he had success with a program without the appeal of UofM? Please wipe the puke off your face before you reply.

Well, Miami, VT and BC leaving the conference certainly helped. I mean WVU's rise to prominence begins once those teams left. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[nonbcsfan]

Chief, how many years did you serve?

 

[uofmarmyguy]

How s retirement Chief? I am 2 yrs away myself. In Korea now and loving it had to get out of Ft Polk. Looking forward to walking the stage. The first day I dont have to get up at 0430 will be amazing!!! Lol

 

[Chief]

20 years, 1 month and 9 days... but who was counting.

Retirement is great. Last official day was a Friday (31st), woke up on the 1st at a Caribbean beach resort. Was our retirement gift (wife retired as CW3 one month after I did).

 

[Chief]

If I remember correctly, it was Michigan that approached RR. We hired him and left him out to dry (actually, worse). Not the lessons I learned during my time there.Maybe the Army taught you different.

Forgot to add, the Army has a standard. you abide by it or you don't. If you don't, then you should expect repercussions. In my 20 years in the Army I learned this: The Army does not tolerate those that tarnish the reputation, opinion or public perception of the Army or in any fashion cause harm to the Army. As long as one abides by the Army standards/expectations, the Army will stand by you.

If you only knew how many people never get past Basic Combat Training because they simply can't, won't accept/adapt to the Army.