I took a look at the Lindy's 2nd team offensive AA list and I see two transfers from Michigan: Ryan Mallett and Justin Boren are on the list. These are two players that RR basically ran off. I think RR needs a minimum of 9 wins this year and has to be competitive vs. OSU or he's gone gone.
I expect them to be better, he didn't suddenly forget how to coach when he took the UM job. He had a team built for a traditional Mich offense and he chose to not go the route of adapting your style to the talent, instead decided to install his systems right away. Mallet was a poor fit for his offense and both RR and Mallet were better off going different directions. Last year even though they didn't get to a bowl again they were much improved over the first year. I would be suprised if they didn't make a bowl game this year and be competitive in the B10, maybe not 9 wins but if they make a bowl game I think RR gets to continue. No bowl game then I'd be shocked if he were still coaching in AA in 2011. Of course some of the issues with the NCAA haven't helped his cause and the new AD didn't hire him so that can be a factor as well. The thing I wonder what will happen is regarding the QB situation. Forcier is being pushed by the No Shoe Strings QB and the Forciers have traditionally transfered if they weren't the starter.
No bowl game and it is indeed a no brainer for the Michigan AD. But I think an 8-4....."Ron Zook" type year with some losses that shouldn't have been plus another A-kicking by the Buckeyes then he doesn't survive that either. Maybe Mallett doesn't fit his system but Meyer at UF won an NC with a drop back Qb who didn't fit his system.
RR didn't have the luxury of the defense that Meyer found at UF when he arrived. Mind you I'm not defending RR, he is after all the Michigan coach and thus a natural born enemy!
Re the skunk heads 1. They're due to make their proposal of self imposed sanctions next mon. I guess there is a possibility of no bowl game this season. BTW one of the infractions is lying to the NCAA a big no-no. 2. Here's an article on the grass is greener approach to RR http://detnews.com/article/20100514/OPINION03/5140394/Brian-Kelly-would-have-been-winner-at-U-M-or-MSU--too 3 And finally, in what appears to me to be an attempt at keeping the pressure on ND as far as joining the BT here's the latest weasle view of the ND/M scheduling agreement http://detnews.com/article/20100519/SPORTS0201/5190412/1131/sports0201/U-M-not-locked-into-Irish-series-but-would-like-it-to-continue
Mo: Our schedule for this year Sat., Sep. 4 vs. Connecticut Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Sep. 11 at Notre Dame South Bend, Ind. 3:30 p.m. ET Sat., Sep. 18 vs. Massachusetts Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Sep. 25 vs. Bowling Green Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Oct. 2 at Indiana * Bloomington, Ind. TBA Sat., Oct. 9 vs. Michigan State * Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Oct. 16 vs. Iowa (Homecoming) * Ann Arbor, Mich. 3:30 p.m. ET Sat., Oct. 30 at Penn State * State College, Pa. 8:00 p.m. ET Sat., Nov. 6 vs. Illinois * Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Nov. 13 at Purdue * West Lafayette, Ind. TBA Sat., Nov. 20 vs. Wisconsin * Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA Sat., Nov. 27 at Ohio State * Columbus, Ohio TBA Looking at it, we should have comfortable wins with BG and UMass and likely wins against Indiana and Illinois. I have a better chance being appointed to the Supreme Court that we have beating OSU in Columbus. We will be underdogs against Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, ND, and, in all likelihood, MSU. I consider UConn and Purdue to be toss up games. I would be stunned if we went 9-3 and suspect that when the seaon ends our record will be somewhere between 7-5 to 5-7.
gipper apparently Kevin White liked to leave a lot of loose ends. He had a deal with TCU for us to play them this year, but he never got to a contract and TCU bailed on us, then OU was hanging in the wind with an agreement in principle to play us but no contract, Swarbrick finally got that fixed. Now this deal with UM. I don't doubt that Swarbrick and the new UM AD will work out an actual contract, I never did understand a "20" year deal. Seems like something shorter would serve both parties better. Kevin White, what a guy....hated to fire Davie, was shocked that he had to fire Willingham, liked handshake deals for scheduling. It's a miracle we are not in worse shape than we are now.