Rich Rodriguez:

On Notre Dame: Players understand the rivalry. We’re fortunate to have many. This one is always first. There is a section of the state that always asks about this rivalry first. They have a new coach and I’m sure their riding that wave of emotion.

Playing At ND: They’re very passionate about football. Its a very intimate setting. It seems like it always rains. The grass is usually high, it will be interesting because we have very similar interesting styles offensively.

Playing Against Bryan Kelly: He was at Cincinnati, I was at West Virginia. He has had great success and they recruit nationally. They have a lot of talent in South Bend and they’ve recruited very well. In the past few years they’ve beaten us for a few recruits.

On Denard vs. UConn: I was really pleased with Denard’s play. He made a few mistakes, but he graded really high. His composure and vision of the field were really good. I was really pleased with how he took care of the football, ran north and south and took command of the game.

Playing a Road Game: The biggest obstacle is the noise. We’ll crank it up this week in practice. Last week, we were really crisp and didn’t have any procedure penalties or bad snaps. Our offense used a lot of signals.

Preparing for Next Week: We made a lot of turnovers last time vs. Notre Dame. We need to take care of the football. Face the adversity well. They will have big plays and we will need a few big plays to win next week.

On Tate Forcier: I would prefer to talk about Denard’s performance and how he plays rather than another guys disappointment. Its a team game and all our guys understand it. Sometimes television will sensationalize something, but I’m not concerned with it, I’m focused on preparing for next week.

More...

I was coming into this wondeful weekend feeling rather confident.  I knew Michigan had a great chance to make a statement, and I didn't believe UCONN would be able to hang in the game.  I based my thoughts on the fact I spent weeks prior to the game gaining an understanding of how UCONN's fans felt, and often entered into many discussions where many expressed their opinion.  I watched videos from last year of UCONN, and I saw where they were lacking.  I knew, as no fault to their coach, they wouldn't show up to play at a high level.  I have a good amount of respect for their coach, but their players just seemed to have a hangover from last season.  It's unfortunate because they had such a trying season last year, and they had a lot of look forward to this year.  Nevertheless, someone had to win, and I am ecstatic Michigan did.  I am sure we all saw where Michigan is lacking, but I saw in the 2nd half what I had never seen last year from their defensive coach.  Greg Robinson came out with a strong gameplan to keep Michigan ahead, and it actually worked.  UCONN could have scored a few times, but everything went in Michigan's favor.  It won't happen every game, but at least the team now has film to see where they need to improve.  I am excited to see how our team fairs this coming week, and how they will respond to the issues they had against UCONN.  Floyd, who lit up Michigan before being hurt last season, will have to be dealt with again, and the secondary will need to step up in a big way to ensure he doesn't make any big plays, and Armando Allen Jr. doesn't get any long runs.  The pressure Michigan created from their line was tremendous on many plays, and I believe they will get better every game.  Yesterday took me back to the Ron English era when our defense was in the top 5-15, and frustrated numerous quarterbacks, and I have faith our defense will show consistently they are ready to play. More...

Finally. We're here. We can put all the negativity and "drama" as Rich Rodriguez calls it behind us, and begin another season anew. At least until the first loss, and the rumor mill spirals out of control. 
So much uncertainty surrounds the 2010 Wolverines. From the unproven talent in the secondary, to starters at the RB and QB positions. One thing is certain, we will find out a lot about the future of Michigan Football on Saturday.

When this game was announced as the "Re-dedication" game of the beautifully updated Big House, many, myself included, scoffed at the inclusion of UConn to our schedule. At that point, they were barely half a decade removed from Div 1-AA play, and hardly looked poised to make this game more than a tune up for ND.

Boy how things have changed. UM is embattled in a slide to a combined 8-16 record since, and UConn is winning bowl games against USC (South Carolina mind you lol).

Randy Edsall brings a very experienced team, littered with talent on both sides of the ball. ND transfer Zach Fraser leads the offense along with tailback Jordan Todman, and 4/5 of their offensive line from 2009.  While their leading receiver graduated, several candidates with extensive playing experience from last year return, along with big TE Ryan Griffin, who could give Michigan's LB and inexperienced secondary fits.

Key for Michigan will be in stopping the run. Like most games Michigan will be in this year, limiting carries to 2-3 yards, and forcing a more predictable 2nd and 3rd down call will be crucial. Due to lack of experience in the  secondary, expect to see more cover 2 and 3, and opponents dink and dunk to combat it. One advantage Michigan "SHOULD" have is overall team speed. Providing they take proper angles and converge on the ball, they can be ok. I fully expect UConn to put up 25+ points, as well as many teams on this years schedule. Not saying this defense won't eventually be dependable, but proof will be in the pudding so to speak. If injuries don't take its toll, the defense on the field in October and November could be much closer to the middle of the pack in the Big Ten, than where it stands today. There is no doubt there is talent in the secondary, but quite unproven and inexperienced. 

More...

Rich Rodriguez:

On The Gameplan vs. UConn: We’ll figure it out over the next few days … It will be a feel thing. Not a set amount of plays for players at positions.

Question directed at RR asking him about using 3 QB’s in a game and being able to score a lot: RR purposely answered that they have played with 2 QB’s before.

Where Denard Robinson has shown the most growth: Knowledge of what we have to do offensively. He will get so much better in the next three months.

On Gardner redshirting: When we recruit, we’re not in the business of making promises. We tell recruits they will play when they are ready and earn it. He’s still learning our offense. If he’s ready to play mentally and physically then he’ll play. We’re at the point not that young guys are going to play. Two or three years from now, hopefully we won’t be at this point.

Darryl Stonum:

Preparation for UConn: We all feel good and that we have a good grasp of the system. We’re prepared and ready to go.

On Leadership: Given that we have a lo t of freshmen on the outside receivers. I feel like I need to step up and become a leader. To be a better leader I’ve worked hard in the weight room & I tried to work as hard as I could in camp.

On The QB’s: All three quarterbacks are great. Devin came in early and learned the offense. Besides how hard the ball comes and where it comes, they all grasp it pretty well. Devin has the fastest ball. He’s a Brett Favre type.

On His New Contacts: I can see a lot clearer and it helps me focus on the ball a lot clearer.

On The New Big House: I’m pretty sure it will be a lot louder, but it will still be 100 yards of grass.

Received any hard hits from Carvin Johnson: Maybe not from Carvin, but from Marvin. He’s a pretty big hitter.

More...

By: Andy Andersen, Senior Writer

For the morning media session, media day consisted of breakfast, a press conference with Coach Rodriguez, the chance to split into groups and ask questions of, and listen to, the position coaches, and to meet and interview players. For the public, the event consists of a chance to meet players in the afternoon and obtain autographs.

Certainly the media was there in force, as was the public. It was harder to determine attendance this year as the autograph tables were not on the field as in the past but at a stadium concourse, but judging from the parking there was good attendance.

Team pictures were taken in the stadium, and it afforded me my first chance to see the new turf, the new block M at the center of the field, and the recently installed railings on the east side of the stadium. This is going to be a blessing, as hopefully it will help maintain two way traffic in the aisles at times, and definitely helps fans on that long climb up the stairs on egress. We asked several sitting next to the railings if they interfered with line of sight, and the answer was no.

Continue Reading @ UMGoBlue.com

YouTube user InRichRodWeTrust has given us a video he plans to release next week as a Limited Time UMGoBlog.com Exclusive:

2010 Previews & Predictions

The Lindy’s 2010 College Football Preview Edition (On newsstands now) predicts Michigan to finish 6-6 and 6th in the Big Ten. The preview ranks the Wolverines as the 47th overall team (for the second year in a row) in the country, playing in the Dallas Football Classic against Iowa State.

Summary:

For the first time, Michigan won’t have a first year quarterback running Rich Rodriguez’s system. For the Wolverines to adequately replace Brandon Graham they need big seasons from Obi Ezeh & Jonas Mouton. Rodriguez’s future may hang with how much the defense grasps its new 3-3-5 scheme.

Lindy’s rates Stephen Schilling as the 6th best Guard in the country while also earning the nod as the Michigan’s only 1st Team All Big Ten selection. Making the 2nd team was David Molk, Obi Ezeh and Jordan Kovacs.

Recruiting:

For the entire Big Ten, Marvin Robinson is the “Newcomer of the Year.” Lindy’s said, “he has the size, and more important the strength to play right away with the big boys.”

Michigan checks in with the 20th class nationally and 2nd in the conference. The preview also ranks the conference’s recruits individually. Cullen Christian was 6th, Devin Gardner 11th; Demar Dorsey was 15th.

A few weeks ago Amani Toomer bashed Rich Rodriguez on ESPN’s NFL Today Podcast; the blog blew up in the process with fans on both sides of the issue. Last week it was a different story as Former Wolverine Ty Law backed Rich Rodriguez on the same show:

“I don’t know what’s going on in Ann Arbor but you know I do agree with them not firing him right now. Because you have to give him a chance to get his recruits, some of his guys in. Because he was basically playing with Lloyd Carr’s recruits. Lets give him a chance and see what he can do when he gets his guys in. But the clock is ticking so we’re looking forward to him making major changes to put us in the win column because we can’t keep losing to Ohio State.”

His thoughts on the spread offense and Rich Rodriguez’s W/L Record: “Not at all, its definitely different. It’s going to be magnified even more because he’s not winning. If he would come there and still bringing some wins to the table, we wouldn’t talk about it. Big Ten Football is smackmouth, grind it out, run the ball, throw it on occasion. But its all about being physical, it gets cold and windy, so its that good old fashioned football up in the Big Ten. He plays the type of system you might see more down south. Where they can spread it out and throw it around. Its not typical Big Ten football.”

Over at Black Show Diaries, Run Up The Score has a post reviewing Michigan and sums it up by saying:

“Prone to sudden outbursts of frustration and futility, yet there's a lurking sense that they'll be back and annoying us sooner than later.  Their success makes them even more unbearable.  Enjoy the quiet time while it lasts.”

Scout.com Recruiting Expert Evan Daniels recently said the following after witnessing Darius Morris workout:

“The biggest thing I noticed with Darius was how much physically bigger and stronger he looks. I got to talk to him a bit, and he's really excited about Michigan's season."

Big House Bob compares the tenures of Randy Shannon (Miami FL) and Rich Rodriguez.

Joseph Gunther, Minnesota Wild Blogger, breaks down the game of former Wolverine Andrew Ebbett.

The Mathlete, MGoBlog.com, breaks down what a great offense is and where Michigan is at.

CrazyHead posted some printable pictures of Denard Robinson & Tate Forcier for future NCAA Football 11 Fans.

Rip_City, SportsJabber.net, has a pretty good article entitled, Michigan: Time To Win Is Now

Ryan LaMarre was the first Michigan player selected in the MLB Draft: 2nd Round, 62nd Overall by the Cincinnati Reds. LaMarre batted .419 last year for the Wolverines.

Eleven Warriors ranks the best defensive lines in the Big Ten.

No question, they cheated, whether intentionally or not.  In the 131 years of Michigan Football, its never happened. And they'll be punished accordingly.

What doesn't get punished and goes unchecked is the journalistic malpractice that was exhibited by the Detroit media (I don't need to point you in the right direction).  Slanderous statements of player mistreatment, 11 hour practices, practicing double the allowable time, by unnamed sources, every last one, without so much as a query to UM until the 11th hour. Asking true freshmen at media day how hard it was, and when they said they'd never worked harder, weaving it so delicately into their agenda driven drivel. All proven to be completely false by a joint investigation of a 3rd party and the NCAA. Think they'll issue an apology? Not a chance. Because the real malpractice wasn't in the articles of slander, but the lack of control by the editorial staff at these papers. In the end, Rich Rodriguez will prove whether he's the right fit for here or not. Certainly not a writer(s) who has a bias and feels Rich Rodriguez doesn't belong here. It may be proven he's not right for UM, but it won't be by them. It will be proven on the field and in the classroom where it deserves to be. Sure mistakes were made, but nothing in the NCAA findings lead me to believe intentionally. The NCAA Rule book makes Tolstoy's War and Peace look like a flyer you brush off your windshield while out shopping. And guess what, its all up to interpretation. Unlike excessive player benefits, improper recruiting and academic fraud, where UM got caught was in semantics.

I guess we know why Lloyd Carr closed off the media so greatly. There are so many great journalists, you never know when you'll run into one with an agenda or wants to make a name for themselves.

Official Press (Tele)Conference is at 11AM Today

Mary Sue Coleman: “As we have said all along, we take full responsibility for knowing and following NCAA rules, and we will address concerns, quickly and head on. We believe the sanctions we have imposed fit the nature of the violations.”

David Brandon: “We have made every effort to be as transparent as possible — to do this in the light of day. We’ve made some mistakes as a program — we know that. We also have learned from this experience, we’ve made some necessary improvements, and now we are eager to move forward.”

Tidbits from U of M Official Response:

- Although media reports in August of 2009 brought to light the issue of potential countable athletically related activities (CARA) violations, the University had already identified the shortcomings in the Spring of 2009 and was remedying it by July of 2009.

- University is satisfied that initial reports of serious student-athlete abuse were incorrect, if not flat-out wrong.

- After stating statistics in relation to the size of other BCS team’s coaching staffs - “The University mentions this information not as an “everybody does it” defense but instead to make clear that the proliferation of non-coaching staff devoted to football is today the overwhelming norm among FBS institutions. Neither the University nor head football coach Rich Rodriguez invented the use of non-coaching sport specific staff members in the sport of football.”

- The University Compliance Service Office (CSO) asked Scott Draper, Assistant Athletics Director for Football for written job descriptions for the quality control staff in the summer of 2008. CSO staff members stated they did not learn of the activities of quality control staff now at issue until late August 2009. … Had the off-season activities of the quality control personnel been shared in advance with the CSO, the violations likely would have been avoided. … The CSO did not notify Rodriguez directly of this failure and request his assistance … The CSO’s failure to communicate in person with Rodriguez played a role in these violations.

More...

YouTube user InRichRodWeTrust has given us a video he plans to release next week as a Limited Time UMGoBlog.com Exclusive: