Rich Rodriguez And The NCAA: Will It Be An Ongoing Distraction In 2010?

The 2010 football season is getting closer, and it seems that the dark clouds have already begun to assemble over Ann Arbor.

At least many in the media over the past week would want the fans to think that way.

If anyone has been following the program throughout the off season, then they would know that Coach Rich Rodriguez would be facing the NCAA Committee on Infractions in August.

In fact, most Michigan fans knew this was part of the process and have been focused more upon the Sept. 4 opener with Connecticut.

The recent news, however, pertaining to the allegations surrounding the program at West Virginia has brought Rodriguez into the national spotlight once again.

The news and the speculations swirling over Rodriguez's compliance management at West Virginia from 2004 through 2008 has some in the media already spelling his doom  as a head coach.

In fact, one columnist out of Arkansas stated, " it's only a matter of time before Rodriguez finds himself without a head coaching job."  

At this point, Michigan fans have got to be wondering how much this will affect the upcoming season.

So far, Michigan, under the leadership of David Brandon, appears to have done an excellent job of addressing the concerns and correcting them.

As for the team, it is doubtful that this will affect the Wolverines on the field this season.

The players and the coaching staff know what is at stake this season and they want to win.

According to senior lineman Stephen Schilling, "Rodriguez has done an excellent job at insulating the team from the outside distractions." (Detroit Free Press)

The Wolverines open up camp tonight and winning this year will be the only items on the minds of the players and coaches.

Although negative headlines are not good for any program, the fact is that Rodriguez is no longer at West Virginia and he will answer to those allegations.

He is the head coach at the University of Michigan right now, and Michigan has addressed the problem.

If Rodriguez loses his head coaching job after this season it will be because of losing and not because his teams practiced a bit longer than what is allowed. 

In fact, ask yourself whether or not these allegations would have ever been printed in the Detroit Free Press two years ago had Michigan won nine or more games in 2008 and 2009?