The Morning After

Its the 2nd day, and the first full day of the "Rich Rod" era. Is it bad that I was having a tough time with the keystrokes that are needed to spell out "Rodriguez"? Is this a sign? Or am I just a bad typer? Probably the latter.

Either way, Rich Rodriguez is the new head ball coach at the University of Michigan. The month long (soul) search is over. Les Miles can keep his fat contract at L$U. Whatever his name is can stay at Rutgers. And the Michigan Wolverines can try to reinvent themselves.

By hiring a coach like Rich Rodriguez, that's exactly what Michigan is doing.

He's made a living with the vaunted spread offense. A spread attack that usually features a dynamic running QB, fast running backs, and a receiver corp that tends to block more than catch the ball. His teams have featured fast, no-huddle attacks...just like some of the teams that have given Michigan fits over the past couple years.

But that doesn't mean that his style of football will translate perfectly into the Michigan mold. We can hire all the dynamic coaches in the country. They can bring their different styles into the Big House and change all they want. But what remains the same is...this is still the Big Ten, and this is still Michigan.

The idea that Rich Rod is going to waltz into town, land his 5-star blue chip QB, and win 4 straight national titles is just crazy.

We may very well turn into a QB scrambling spread offense, but its not going to be next year. And...to prove I'm not just blowing smoke...here's a bold prediction: Ryan Mallet is going to start next year, and two years after that.

Ryan Mallet, even with his struggles this year in the pocket...will turn out to be the greatest parting gift Lloyd Carr will ever give this team. Say what you will about the old coach...he could recruit with the best of them, and Mallet is the best example of that. I see him becoming a more flexible, mobile, and much more confident passer who will be able to control a game better. Chad Henne was a great QB for Michigan. If Ryan Mallet can develop Henne's style of controlling a football game and combine that with his throwing ability...we may have a Tim Tebow look-alike...but with a much better arm.

You can bring in all the amazing QB recruits in the world...when you have a 6'6" sophomore QB with big game experience and a rocket arm...you just don't waste that.

Of course, I'm no coach. Rich Rodriguez is. He has the most amazing opportunity a college coach could ask for, and time will tell. But there's no doubt that no matter what, this maize and blue fan will be cheering his ass off next year.

Go Blue!