Why does UM keep Dick Rod?

[jb]

Seriously, I am curious.

Or are they waiting for LSU and Stanford's season to end to ensure thay can get someone better and not repeat the same mistake?

Do they REALLY see another year changing things?

[danwismar]

Do they REALLY see another year changing things?

The one person that matters isn't talking, but the official line is they will wait until after the bowl game to do their "evaluation" of their program. From a recruiting standpoint, this is nuts....the next month is crucial.....and coaching uncertainty is the enemy of good recruiting.

Some people have convinced themselves that they're only half screwed up...that RR's offense is peachy, and just the defense needs a makeover. As Herbstreit said last night though, they could have Nick Saban as their defensive coordinator and they would still suck on D with the players they have there.

I'm on record since August as saying no amount of 2010 wins could save his job...just my gut sense from reading how he has alienated all the wrong people in Ann Arbor. But there does seem to be some resistance to the idea of starting over again...another three-year plan, etc...(we Browns fans sure know the feeling)

For the program's sake, I hope they're not seriously considering Miles...hasn't he proven since the RR hire that he's a numbskull? Colorado is supposedly making a run at Miles, so he may either be gone, or given a vote of confidence at LSU.

I think in the end, UM will decide they need a "Michigan man". RR has never been that, and the proud academics at a great university will decide to put this embarrassing episode behind them.

[dpdad]

Money.

A 4 million dollar buyout if he is fired in 2010 that drops to 2.5 million on January 1, 2011. Even for U of M, 1.5 mil is nothing to sneeze at. Although there are probably enough alumni desperate to get rid of RRod that they can raise the difference privately.

[motherscratcher]

Hey Dan, do you have a short list of "Michigan Men" who would be considered? I'm assuming Harbaugh would be at the very absolute top of the list. Do you get the sense he's a possibility?

Could they be talking to Harbaugh behind the scenes, waiting for the bowl game?

Do you think it's possible that Harbaugh has told them that he will take the job, but not until after Stanford's Bowl game, and UM is waiting until then to fire DickRod to help prevent the inevitable shitstorm that would surround Harbaugh for the next month if the UM job was opened?

I've thought about that but think it's unlikely. Could all of that be happening without anyone leaking anything?

[motherscratcher]

Hey dpdad...what does the "dp" stand for? I have a theory but I'm afraid to say it.

[dpdad]

Just a nickname my youngest daughter gave me when she was little. I have no idea what it stands for.

[motherscratcher]

I was way off.

[fairvis]

Dick Rod was given a clean slate because of the concern that "the cupboard was bare" with the loss of Lloyd Carr. I wouldn't say that the cupboard was bare, I would say that he alienated a bunch of players that would've provided a large impact and continued a decent team.

If Les Miles had taken over Michigan in 2007, Mallet would've stayed, and been a competent to good QB. Justin Boren would've stayed, and Zach Boren would have certainly gone there instead of tOSU. The alienation of Threet (who's a pretty decent QB at ASU) and McGuffie (who played hard, even though undersized) cannot be discounted as well. And God knows, Rich Rod knows absolutely nothing about recruiting defensive talent.

The epitome of RR's career is the Michigan kicking game this year. How can a top-10 historic program not have a kicker that can make a FG greater then 40 yards? Why didn't he host an all-campus tryout during the spring to find some ex-soccer player that can boot it? How the hell can't he just offer a scholarship to the top kicker in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois and know that he'll get at least one of them? 4 for 13 on the season in field goals. Punting like it was last week. How the hell can you be a football coach and be that short sighted? It's a microcosm of the issues that Rich Rod has, and the inability to put together a cohesive football program at the highest level. The ease of recruiting a kicker, the necessity of starting freshman in the defensive backfield (who then transfer after a year or two playing), these all point to a failed program. Can him, bring in Harbaugh or Miles, and that team (with RR's athletes) wins more games next year. Guaranteed. Three years out, they'd be in the national title hunt again, not just barely bowl-eligible.

[leadpipe]

Dear God in heaven, LP doesn't ask for much, but as a wagerer of football games, can you please, please allow Greg Robinson to continue on as the University of Michigan defensive coordinator. As you know, I'm eternally thankful for the Syracuse years, and that you created yet another man dumb enough to hire him again. I'm not so selfish to ask he get another Division 1 gig, just allow LP to let it ride for one more season on college football's biggest dolt.

Thanks in advance, your buddy, The Lead Man.

[danwismar]

Could all of that be happening without anyone leaking anything?

I doubt it.

I'll try to get back to you on that list of Michigan Men.

[danwismar]

The more I hear about Les Miles' contract, the more I'm convinced he's going nowhere. The guy gets an automatic one-year extension if he wins 8 games in any given year. The buyout is some crazy number like $18 million, which I understand works both ways...he would have to pay that amount to LSU (over 4 years time) if he leaves early, and they would owe it to him if they terminate him. I hear he is also guaranteed to be the highest paid coach in the SEC...so if Saban or Meyer gets a raise...Miles gets an automatic bump. Ridiculous.

Michigan is notoriously tight-fisted, and if he left LSU, I'm sure he'd insist on the hiring school getting him off the hook. UM just went through a nightmare buyout situation with RR. Miles might have a special clause to go to Michigan, but why would LSU have given him one?...They gave him this ridiculous deal just after he won the NC, because at the time they were panicked about potentially losing him to UM.

Harbaugh is obviously the No. 1 choice, and a no-brainer hire if he wants the job.

An excellent fall-back option, and a guy a lot of people are talking about in connection with the UM job is Brady Hoke...8 years at UM ('95-'02) under Carr before going to his alma mater Ball State, and then on to two years at SDSU. Ironically, he's an Ohio guy.

http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/bio-Hoke.html

As someone said earlier, I believe, Dick-Rod's buyout goes from $4 million to 2.5 million after Jan. 1, 2011. Michigan is tight enough to wait and save the money...plus Harbaugh would probably want to wait till then anyway.

Could be wrong, but I still think RR is gone.

[fundamentals]

If you are a Buckeyes fan or someone who wages against the Wolverines, you should hope this question remains as one of America's Unsolved Mysteries. He is woeful and let's keep it that way.

[Ziner]

Colorado is supposedly making a run at Miles, so he may either be gone, or given a vote of confidence at LSU.

Colorado doesnt have the cash for Miles. They kept Hawkins because they didnt have the cash to can him last year.

They supposedly made an offer to Jon Embree and are hoping Bienemy will come along as the OC.

[jb]

The more I hear about Les Miles' contract, the more I'm convinced he's going nowhere. The guy gets an automatic one-year extension if he wins 8 games in any given year. The buyout is some crazy number like $18 million, which I understand works both ways...he would have to pay that amount to LSU (over 4 years time) if he leaves early, and they would owe it to him if they terminate him. I hear he is also guaranteed to be the highest paid coach in the SEC...so if Saban or Meyer gets a raise...Miles gets an automatic bump. Ridiculous.

Michigan is notoriously tight-fisted, and if he left LSU, I'm sure he'd insist on the hiring school getting him off the hook. UM just went through a nightmare buyout situation with RR. Miles might have a special clause to go to Michigan, but why would LSU have given him one?...They gave him this ridiculous deal just after he won the NC, because at the time they were panicked about potentially losing him to UM.

Harbaugh is obviously the No. 1 choice, and a no-brainer hire if he wants the job.

An excellent fall-back option, and a guy a lot of people are talking about in connection with the UM job is Brady Hoke...8 years at UM ('95-'02) under Carr before going to his alma mater Ball State, and then on to two years at SDSU. Ironically, he's an Ohio guy.

http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/bio-Hoke.html

As someone said earlier, I believe, Dick-Rod's buyout goes from $4 million to 2.5 million after Jan. 1, 2011. Michigan is tight enough to wait and save the money...plus Harbaugh would probably want to wait till then anyway.

Could be wrong, but I still think RR is gone.

This makes a ton of sense. But it is still surpringly quiet on the ruor front to me.

[JCoz]

As someone said earlier, I believe, Dick-Rod's buyout goes from $4 million to 2.5 million after Jan. 1, 2011. Michigan is tight enough to wait and save the money...plus Harbaugh would probably want to wait till then anyway.

Could be wrong, but I still think RR is gone.

Agree Dan,

I think he is gone. Backchannels have probably been being worked for the better part of the season.

More and More though I'm not seeing Harbough taking a different college position. I don't have any inside info on that, and could be totally off, but that's what I'm thinking at this point.

I don't really have a good inkling on who they'd get as a replacement at this point.

You are spot on regarding Les, there is ZERO POINT ZERO PERCENT chance he initiates a divorce with LSU because of the buyout terms.

What about Randy Edsall or Al Golden?

Edsall is a bit older and Golden probably has his eyes set on the PSU job, but why not pounce on Golden before PSU can?

[danwismar]

I've got to believe the bloom is off Golden's rose a bit after Temple disappointed people this year...not sure.

I still think Hoke would be a better choice. The Ball St. alum makes a lot of sense for Indiana too. If IU is smart, they'll make their move sooner instead of later.

[JCoz]

I've got to believe the bloom is off Golden's rose a bit after Temple disappointed people this year...not sure.

I still think Hoke would be a better choice. The Ball St. alum makes a lot of sense for Indiana too. If IU is smart, they'll make their move sooner instead of later.

Wouldn't that a bit short sighted? He's 42 and at Temple. It's not like he has or will ever have a whole lot to work with there.

[Bayou Tribe]

The more I hear about Les Miles' contract, the more I'm convinced he's going nowhere. The guy gets an automatic one-year extension if he wins 8 games in any given year. The buyout is some crazy number like $18 million, which I understand works both ways...he would have to pay that amount to LSU (over 4 years time) if he leaves early, and they would owe it to him if they terminate him. I hear he is also guaranteed to be the highest paid coach in the SEC...so if Saban or Meyer gets a raise...Miles gets an automatic bump. Ridiculous.

The highest paid coach in the SEC clause is for if/when he wins a national title and only pertains to his base contract (not television deal, nike deal, etc). So after the '07 title they bumped him up to having the highest base salary in the conference. Since then he has been passed up. If he would win another one, he would bump up to at least $1,000 higher than whoever is tops in the SEC at that point in terms of base contract. So it is not a constant, rolling pay raise every season, it is only an incentive for a national championship season. Saban had the same clause when he was here.

Second, the buyout was 18.75 million based on the ammended contract in 2008 (3.75 mill per season through 2012). So right now it is actually at 7.5 million (not counting the pending rollover year), it's not a lifetime 18 million dollar buyout.

Last, the infamous roll over clause. Check out the March 2008 memo linked (bottom of page 7, signed on page 8). There is no automatic rollover for an 8 win season. 8 wins marks a basis for extension, basically meaning that 8 wins triggers the Chancellor to decide whether or not to grant an extension, which then has to be approved by the systems president. Miles was not granted this 1 year roll-over after the 2008 and 2009 season (both 8+ win seasons).

http://i.usatoday.net/sports/graphics/2009/coaches-contracts/pdf/miles_lsu.pdf

[JCoz]

Nice info Bayou, but 7.5 mil still makes one hell of a buyout for both parties. Have to really, really want that divorce to make it happen.

[Bayou Tribe]

Trust me brotha, I hope when that day comes LSU is on the receiving end rather than the other way around. 7.5 mill is nothing to sneeze at.

[danwismar]

Thanks for the info, Bayou. It did sound too good (bad?) to be true.

[Triple-S]

http://deadspin.com/5705751/not-even-jo ... ou-richrod

anyone see this?

No fan of groban's music, but any man that disses on dickrod deserves a round of applause.

[Bayou Tribe]

Thanks for the info, Bayou. It did sound too good (bad?) to be true.

Miles is an enigma. There are at least a half dozen times through the season where I think his contract is completely ridiculous, unwarranted, and I want him gone on the first thing rolling out of Baton Rouge. This is only to look back at the end of the year and see that he's won 10 games again, given us an undefeated home stand, has minimal character issues or bullshit going on around the program, has his players/coaches/himself very active and involved in the community. This guy frustrates the hell out of me sometimes, the fanbase is reduced to a gang of cynical nutjobs.

[BruceK]

The latest rumor ( or at least, one of the latest):

"Adam Schefter, a U-M alumnus and NFL know-it-all for ESPN, said on a podcast today that the feeling around the league is that Harbaugh is more interested in taking over in Ann Arbor than going to the San Francisco 49ers."

http://www.freep.com/article/20101230/SPORTS06/101230091/1355/Sports/Schefter-expects-Harbaugh-at-U-M