ANN ARBOR,MI–  Through all the crap that has happened to coach Rod and the Michigan program,through the losing seasons. All the upsetting games the last couple seasons, could this be the year they turn it around?

Experts say that Michigan will have another struggling season before we actually get there. Yes we are young! But very talented. As for me I believe this will be a turning point, this season I believe we will achieve 8-9 wins.  This might sound crazy to fans but coach Rod will be coach of the year for the Big Ten. Just my thoughts, but thats what I think, I believe in my team.

Incoming freshman and punter/kicker Will Hagerup told me, “We will have a better year for sure, the team is a lot stronger so far.”

ALL IN FOR MICHIGAN! GO BLUE!!!!!!!

Jarrell a 5-9 197 pound had rushed for over 1,049 yards and 12 touchdowns for his team on 151 carries as a junior. Besides the wolverines, Texas Tech, Oregon State, Texas A&M, Tulsa, Utah, are all interested in him and have been recruiting him real hard.

Oliver if recruited will return to play with a couple of his old teammates from high school. Herron and Woolfolk he had both played with, and Darryl Stonum just down the road from there.  Jarrell wont make his decision till the summer or even fall time but his visit to Michigan makes his choice pretty strong.

He now is a defendant in a nearly $1-million breach-of-contract lawsuit stemming from his involvement in a condominium complex in Tuscaloosa, Ala., according to the Tuscaloosa news  and the Associated Press. The suit follows one filed last summer involving a condominium complex that never materialized in Blacksburg, Va.

Last August, a Birmingham, Ala., bank sued Rodriguez and his partners for $3.9 million, charging they defaulted on a loan for the Legends of Blacksburg, a condo complex near Virginia Tech’s football stadium. The suit was filed in South Carolina because of a Spartanburg bank’s involvement in an initial $26-million loan.

What else can go wrong for coach Rodriquez?

Here’s my two cents for anyone that’s interested. The worst thing you can say about this staff is that they work too hard?  I’ll take that. Lloyd Carr’s players were so soft that they literally told on Rich Rod and Co.  Yes, if there are requirements, than they need to be followed. I love the fact that we have a coach that wants to use every single second allowed and few more to make this team the absolute best it can be.

Another knock on coach is, that he brings in the wrong kind of player and these guys aren’t characteristically Michigan material. They won’t be saying that when Demar Dorsey is leaving cleat marks up and down sideline after sideline. Lloyd Carr had as many off field occurrences if not more. Marlin Jackson, one of Michigans favorite corners literally punched a kid and that never affected his status or Lloyd’s.  Kelly Baraka saw a very prominent career go,”up in smoke.” Let’s not even mention the acts of Larry Harrison, as well as others.  People had no trouble dismissing these actions. Now if a kid has any questionable traits whatsoever its a knock on the program. I choose to base my judgements on what they do once they’re enrolled.

The absolute bottom line is, this team is still playing in the Big House every Saturday, running out of the same tunnel, wearing the most recognizable helmets in the country, and representing the city of Ann Arbor as well as its University.
There are going to be people that love to watch us fall from grace. You can’t fall if you weren’t at the top to begin with.  So when people say how about your Wolverines, turn to them smile and say enjoy your time now because at some point WE WILL BE BACK ON TOP and they can resume hating on us from the back of the line!

• He has a system that works (stipulation:  with the right people).  Rich Rodriguez was 60 and 26 at West Virginia with less than excellent recruiting abilities.  Let’s face it, knocking on a recruits door saying you’re from the WVU Mountaineers isn’t nearly as impressive as saying you represent the block M.
• Rich Rod is starting to recognize the recruiting fact.  He mentioned it in his introduction press conference, but hadn’t really used it in his first two recruiting classes.
• His players are starting to be deeper involved in the system.  Let’s be fair, the 2010 recruiting class is really only his second class.  2008 wasn’t really Rich Rod’s crew; he was distracted by the WVU buy-out mess, he was interviewing assistants and trying to sell the locals on his system (not to mention that drama queen Terrelle Pryor recruitment debacle).
• He has a tandem of talented quarterbacks that can run his system.  Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson and Devon Gardner are all talented players that fit the Rich Rod system well.  So well, in fact, that I would like to see Gardner red-shirted so that he can have time to get a better grasp of the college game.
• Rich Rodriguez went 5 and 7 with basically a freshman offense.  In addition, he was a play or two in 3 of his losses (Michigan State, Iowa and Purdue), and despite the final score, the Ohio State game last year was a much closer game than people thought it would be.  Take away the freshmen mistakes, and Michigan’s looking at an 8 and 4 (or 9 and 3 if the OSU game gets played with more confidence) and a bowl game.

All right, enough of that, I’m getting tired of looking at bullet points.

Now, for all that I’ve just said about Coach Rod, if he pulls off another pitiful bowl-less season, I’ll be in the line of people intensely against giving the man a new contract.  He needs to produce and he needs to produce now.  He has players and he has a decent schedule, so he really is out of excuses.  So let’s give Rich Rodriguez his third year with a sunnier outlook than last.  Either way the season goes, Wolverine fans will be happy.  Either Michigan will be back in the limelight or Rich Rod will be on his way out of town.  Go Blue!

By Justin Lado

Coach Rodriguez with a (3-9) in 2008, and this year (5-7) and no wins against Ohio St yet, and no bowl games yet will try for one more year next year.

Rodriguez also said that Tate Forcier will not be guaranteed the spot next year. New recruit and #5 QB in the nation Devin Gardner will compete for the spot against Tate and Denard for QB spot next year.  Rodriguez said,”we want to have two or three guys at each position who are truly competing for the job.”