Rodriguez to Michigan: Good Hire or Not?

Michigan has finally gained positive yards in the Ohio State game.

What do I mean by that? Speed!

This has been one department that OSU has had an advantage in over Michigan in their perrenial rivalry.

Today, Rich Rodriguez has accepted the head coaching job at UM. He said he will bring his spread offense to the Wolverines.

There are a ton of positives coming out this hire. Let's look at a few:

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1. Speed

As I said before, Rich Rod is gonna bring speed to a Michigan team that has really lacked this attribute since Braylon Edwards was left school.

Now, Rodriguez is not gonna run a 4.3 forty—but it doesn't matter, because he will get some guys that will in recruiting. Already, he has gained interest from the nation's top quarterback prospect in Terrelle Pryor, who has Vince Young's body with Pat White's speed. 

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2. Passing Game

I know West Virginia doesn't put the ball in the air much, but they have never traditionally been a passing team. With every coaching change there has to be some kind of change or wrinkle made in the playbook.

Michigan has long been known for having an offense ranking at or near the top of the Big Ten in receptions and yards. Michigan's offense has been in a slump by the Wolverine's standards. The Wolverines haven't seen their team have a total offense in the top 25 since 2003.

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3. Recruiting

It should be a heck of a lot easier to bring people to Michigan than it was to West Virginia.  Nothing against Morgantown, but there is a much stronger tradition in Ann Arbor. Ohio State has done a great job recruiting in recent years, but now Michigan should be able to contend with the Buckeyes again in the Big Ten race.

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"1. Defense"

"I know WVU had a top 5 defense this past year, but it hasn't always been that way, and the only high-powered offense they faced was in Louisville. Rodriguez has to make sure he has a defensive coordinator that can keep Michigan's defense alive. His best bet is to not let Ron English get away."

"2. Current Players' Adjustment"

"I said before, this will be a good offense. But before Rich Rod gets his own players in to run his system, he is gonna have to adjust to the guys he has now. Ryan Mallett will obviously not be able to run the spread option—but if Rodriguez picks up a quarterback who can, will he dump Mallett? This is one thing to watch during spring practice."

I don't think there were many negatives in this hire, just a couple of questions. Most of these should be answered during the spring and in recruiting season.

Overall, this is a great hire for the Wolverines. Rich Rod will have to make some adjustments in dealing with the players and being in a more competitive conference, but I see this being a win-win situation for both parties.