Rodriguez is the new Lloyd

[_amon _ones]

George...crazedcav333 has a legitimate point here. The difference between OSU hiring Tressel and Michigan hiring Rodriguez is this...Tressel was brought up in the OSU - UM rivalry. He grew up with it, and he lives it now. Rodriguez may be familiar with the rivalry, but he has not lived it, as most OSU and Michigan fans have.

I am a Michigan fan, but I am also a realist. Carr and Moeller were successful against OSU because they both worked with Bo through the Woody years. Cooper was an outsider to the rivalry, and was punished accordingly. When Tressel came in, his first vow was to restore the rivalry, and beat "that team up north".

Rodriguez has no ties to this rivalry. He was supposedly a WVU man to the end of his career. I can't fault him for leaving his alma mater for a storied team such as Michigan. He will have a better recruiting base on the name, alone. But I can question his approach on the rivalry...something he has only read about and hasn't really ever felt. Pitt - WVU is nothing compared to OSU - Michigan. It might be "the border war", but it will never be "The Game".

I can understand why Harbaugh stayed at Stanford. He is trying to build that program back up the right way. He has a good thing going there, and wants to put his stamp on his own legacy. Miles is similar, although his stay at LSU seems to be more motivated by money and backdoor moves by the LSU athletic department. But, he is creating his own legacy there...or using it as a stepping stone to a NFL position. In that case, I'm glad he stayed there.

Guys like Carr, Tressel, Bowden, Paterno, Bo, and Woody are there for the school...not to parlay that position into a NFL job or more lucrative offer at another big time school.

In time, I hope that Rodriguez feels the rivalry. But, I don't think he is anywhere close to ready to deal with the expectations and scrutiny of being Michigan's coach...a perennial Big Ten contender and true rival to OSU. If The Game is just another game to him, he will fail. He could go 11-1 for five straight years, but if his record against OSU is 0-5, he will be considered a failure (just ask John Cooper). If you don't win The Game, nothing else matters. Period.

 

[Style]

I think worry was the wrong word but all I was trying to say was that this was not the best scenario for OSU...

Gotcha, and I agree, this was not the best scenario. Personally, I was pulling for Charlie Cheeseburger.

 

[Style]

and as much as you think Pryor and Jenkins will be rushed to your team they very well may follow RR over to UM

From this week's Bucknuts Radio Hour: http://www.bucknuts.com/news/story.php?article=26

D Long: "Josh Jenkins has publicly stated UM is not in the running. Rodriguez leaving WVU absolutely improves Ohio State's chances with him."

 

[crazedcav333]

George in two seperate press conferences he stated he's keeping his offensive and defensive style's because that's, "All I know."

George I'm gonna respectively ask that you not group OSU fans together and listen to the points. I know I just did that with UM fans but that wasn't completely directed at you. He has said that above quote, and that's what I'm going on because that's what surprised the hell outta me.

From what I know, Josh Jenkins will probably be in the scarlet and grey. OSU was in the lead for Pryor (He came here Nov 2nd) but as much as this scares/hurts/kills me to say it, I see Terrell going to Michigan - which equals a huge problem for the entire Big 10 in two or three years.

Amon Ones great post - I know I'm one of the more level headed OSU fans out there as well, and I've seen some of the fairweather Buckeye fans ruin it for everyone. Most people on here bashed me for some OSU comments but 90% of those things have come true.

I think what a lot of OSU fans are feeling is pure fear, they just won't admit it. For me, it's not fear for this season, and it's not just of Michigan talent (which is odd since usually the underdog wins The Game, especially when one team is unranked and one is in the top 10). R Rod is bringing in an offense that had a lot of success, so when he gets his players in the Maize and Blue the sky is the limit. (Pryor=success).

This has really shaken up the fabric for a lot of recruits. I believe over the past two months, there were 8 guys who had OSU, UM, and WVU as their top 3, Jenkins and Pryor being just two. WVU has lost a couple of verbal commits, and I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan lost one or two of their stronger, slower recruits who don't want to be in the spread. (Yes style, I've gotten into the recruiting game this year).

What's funny is that may deter Pryor one way or the other is the Michigan basketball team. He's a top 30 basketball prospect as well and has said he'd like to at least try to play both sports (I have no clue how?) With OSU's program on the rise and Michigan's program, well Michigan, if he does infact want to play hoops that could do it.

 

[The George]

I understand he said that about his offense

He also said this....and this is the part that you dont seem to understand...

"Sometimes there's misinformation about our offense, and obviously now, we've been more of a running team than a passing team in our spread offense. But we've always geared our offensive game plans or offensive schemes around our offensive skill players. In the past when we had great players and great receivers, we've been probably 55-60 percent pass back. When I was at Glenville and Tulane University, and then we've done more of the running stuff. So I will be able to evaluate our players here and see what best fits. The beauty about the spread is it's not like a wishbone or a Wing T or a West Coast where you see one and you see it all. This is a little bit different. Not every spread is like another spread.

http://www.mgoblue.com/football/article.aspx?id=103288

What do you not understadn about that. His offense can do either run or pass depending on the talent around him. he can gear it up as a pass happy shot gun around Ryan Mallett or more of a run and pass option with a Terrell Pryor

It depends on the talent around him. He adjusts to the players he has.

 

[The George]

Ill concede jenkins but dont count UM out on Pryor...we have a legit shot to land him


BTW look for DJ woods a WR out of Stronsville OH to switch over from WVA to UM

 

[The George]

as for the Game...well if you dont understand how big OSU vs UM is than you are an idiot

I think he is smart enough to listen to everyone and realize that OSU vs UM is a big game

Rich IS Michigan now... I highly doubt he walks into the horseshoe next year pretending like its just another game

 

[crazedcav333]

Well I was wrong about Rod...I have not seen that interview and was just going on the conference I had heard.

I hope he does start to feel what we fans do and what Bo, Woody, Tressel, Lloyd felt as well. He knows how big it is, but will he care as much as he should? I do hope that he does once November 22nd roles around and he walks into the 'Shoe. He owes it to Michigan to care.

 

[Style]

I think what a lot of OSU fans are feeling is pure fear, they just won't admit it.

I can't speak for any OSU fans except myself, but I am not feeling fear, pure or diluted.

look for DJ woods a WR out of Stronsville OH to switch over from WVA to UM

Oh no!!!! Another Ohio high school kid that the Buckeyes didn't even offer going to Michigan! The Horror!

 

[The George]

just givn a heads up dude

dont be an ass

 

[_amon _ones]

as for the Game...well if you dont understand how big OSU vs UM is than you are an idiot

I think he is smart enough to listen to everyone and realize that OSU vs UM is a big game

Rich IS Michigan now... I highly doubt he walks into the horseshoe next year pretending like its just another game

Everyone knows how big The Game is, but there is a difference between knowing and feeling...a big difference. He can listen all he wants, but it will never come close to the reality until he has actually stepped upon the sidelines and felt the atmosphere at the 'Shoe or the Big House on that brisk November afternoon. It will take him at least 2 years to gauge this, having never been there before...to feel the collective love or hatred of 100,000 strong. There is absolutely nothing like that feeling. Those that have been there know this, whether they be fan, athlete, or coach. But Rodriguez has experienced none of these from that perspective. If you don't think that this will have some sort of impact on his view of it, then you can not be looking at this realistically.

The reality is, that you can throw out all the X's and O's in The Game...9 out of 10 times that game comes down to who has the heart and drive to want that game. This was proven time and again in the Cooper era.

I hope you are right about him being Michigan now. I just remember Cooper coming into this rivalry, and not taking it seriously and referring to it as "...just another game...we treat them like any other opponent." This played right into Michigan's hands and allowed them to play the disrespect card for years, to the tune of 10-2-1 record against OSU. I can only hope Rodriguez does not follow that ill-fated path.

I think Rodriguez is a good recruiter and a good coach. On the flip side, I am suspect to his motivational techniques and his lack of experience in the setting of one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Familiarity breeds contempt, but he is just not familiar with it at this point. Time will tell if he turns into Bo or ends up Cooper, but history (and the changing face of college football) are against him.

Also, if given the opportunity to move on to the Pros, would he leave? Right now, judging how his career path has gone, I would say yes...which is another point against him...just ask any Moutaineer fan who fell for his promises.

I want to believe that he will be Michigan's man, return the rivalry to a toss up game, and stay there for the duration, but he needs to prove it. There is just too much history and precedence against him, at this point.

 

[The George]

I just dont buy all of that


but hey its JMO

 

[cavincali]

just givn a heads up dude

dont be an ass

the vast majority of players that go to michigan from Ohio are the ones that didnt get offers from OSU.

One person's trash is another's treasure. :chuckles:

 

[crazedcav333]

I don't know if we went after them, but I'm pretty sure Crable and Manningham were both Ohio recruits - I'm sure OSU would have loved either one, especially Manningham.

And he's not from Ohio, but I don't care. I'm not talking any recruiting trash to Michigan until we know the fate of Terrelle Pryor. Someone on another board brought up "What if Pryor commited to UM and Devine transfered?" That would mean RR would have his WVU style offense and more, and in two years Michigan will be the favorite in The Game.

Luckily that won't happen - Go Bucks!

 

[cavincali]

michigan needs all the recruits they can get. Lets just be honest, they are quite a bit away from where OSU stands with talent, especially on defense. Michigan needs pryor a lot more than OSU does.

And if pryor decides to go to um they will still lose next year.