Michigan Must Pull the Plug on Rich Rodriguez Before It's Too Late

We have seen top programs become irrelevant.  Maybe you recognize the programs formerly known as Nebraska, Notre Dame, Miami, and Florida State—just a few of the programs who for the most part have experienced a fall from grace.

Could Michigan be next?

One losing season could be considered a hiccup and may not cause much concern.  Consecutive losing seasons could spell doom for the Big Ten's most revered program.

Michigan is going to have a losing season.  Let's not delude ourselves.  Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State will beat Michigan.  That will give them at least seven losses.  They may lose all of their remaining games.

This team looks beaten.  This team looks ready to quit.  And the coaching staff doesn't seem to have many answers.

The most common response from the coaching staff when asked about the problems with the anemic offense is, "I don't know what's wrong with the offense."

This is a great program.  Make no mistake.  These players expected to be a part of a great program.  These changes were supposed to make them elite.  These changes were supposed to bring championships.

We've been told, "Be patient, it's a new system, a new offense."  The problem is you don't have to worry about the fans' patience.  You need to worry about the players' patience.

Many of these players have experienced success in the past.  What they did in the past was successful.  This is not working.  Once you lose the players, you have lost.

Rich Rodriguez is a good coach.  He was very successful at West Virginia.  Sometimes, though, a coach has to have the right fit.

Rodriguez may have had that at West Virginia.  It takes a different type of coach to win at West Virginia than it does to win at Michigan.  This isn't a knock on West Virginia—it's just different.

Tyrone Willingham was not a good fit at Notre Dame.  John L. Smith was not a good fit at Michigan State.  Ron Zook was not a good fit at Florida.  All of these coaches have had other successes, but they just didn't fit one or more of the stops on their resumes.

Rodriguez also has other factors working against him.  He is not a "Michigan Man," which means he will have very little support in the community and in traditional recruiting hotbeds.

He has already alienated some of the other Big Ten programs with his questionable recruiting tactics.  He hasn't really embraced tradition and has already put his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion with regard to program traditions.

The players he recruited at West Virginia are not the same players he will recruit at Michigan.

Right now the University of Michigan recruits itself.  It is arguably one of the top five programs of all time.  It won't recruit itself forever.

The spread has never been successful in the Big Ten for any extended period of time.   Purdue, Northwestern, and Michigan State all showed one or two good seasons with it, but they couldn't sustain greatness.  Rodriguez's spread will be no different.     

The University of Michigan should act quickly.  Next season will not be any easier.  Rodriguez may lose more players that were recruited by Carr.  Some of his own recruits or those who chose to stay, like a Sam McGuffie, may start to doubt him.

The players he brings in next year will still be "learning a new system."  Two losing seasons could be detrimental.

Even if Rodriguez recovers to have a great season in season number three, what happens if he loses four games in season four?

He won't survive it.

The University of Michigan won't survive it.