Off Tackle Empire Exclusive Interview with Michigan Head Coach Rich Rodriguez
by Graham Filler on Aug 31, 2010 5:00 AM CDT
in Michigan
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
When Jon Franz and I started this blog, our goal was simple: Give football fans analysis or discussion about Big Ten football that they couldn't get anywhere else. At our best, we accomplished this through editorializing about the many aspects of Midwestern football. Today, we take Off Tackle into uncharted waters in the form of an exclusive interview with University of Michigan Head Coach, Rich Rodriguez. Earlier this year, I pitched the idea of an X's and O's discussion to Coach Rodriguez. He agreed to do it and eventually our schedules matched up - I hope you enjoy the result of my interview.
Some highlights include:
- Mike Martin's new nickname... "The Manster" (1:30)
- Development of the Spread offense...(3:34)
- Decision making by the QB: Spread v. Pro Style...(5:20)
- Coach Rod wants his linemen to be able to move, but they don't have to be a certain size. "I like all the Jake Longs I can take"...(6:00)
- "More people getting drafted (into the NFL) from spread offenses than any other offense"...(6:30)
- How to beat the zone read...(7:01)
- How to hit the hole when there's zone blocking...(10:00)
- The power of Michigan football, seen through human relationships...(11:45)
- What Coach looks for in a quarterback: "...like a point guard that can shoot the three"...(17:10)
- Rich on Big Ten expansion...(18:30)
- Recruiting is all about establishing relationships...(19:15)
- What Rich loves about game day in Ann Arbor...(20:30)
Some other notes of interest and a thank you:
- I am very, very impressed the way Rich broke down film for me. Very methodical - you can tell he knows what he wants from each play.
- There may be some discussion of why I didn't ask Coach about lawsuits and sanctions, etc. I've never been really interested in that aspect, frankly. I'm the guy who watches offensive line play the whole game or who discusses throwing angles. Plus that topic has been beaten to death.
- Some of the video was shot in HD, some wasn't. But I enjoyed the sit down so much that I refused to cut anything for time purposes. This in turn caused me to have a HUGE file that had to be compressed, thus hurting the video quality. Lesson - I'm a blogger, not a tech guy. You're not watching this to see my "three times broken" nose in HD anyways.
- MAC users, you may want to use Safari instead of other browsers. Just a suggestion I heard.
- My thanks to Coach Rodriguez for taking time out of his schedule to talk football. I very much appreciated this opportunity to sit down with him.
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Nicely done Graham!
Unreal stuff!
"We're talking about unchecked aggression here, Dude."
Off Tackle Empire
The Daily Gopher
Congrats again Graham
Outstanding work. Wish I could hit the Rec button more than once, but then again, I’d probably wear it out. Great, great stuff.
Maize n Brew
Because Football is Better with Beer
by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 31, 2010 7:19 AM CDT reply actions
Why should one conference have to use a completely different browser?
MAC users, you may want to use Safari instead of other browsers.
I know, I know. Great scoop!
It runs faster
on SEC computers.
Maize n Brew
Because Football is Better with Beer
by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 31, 2010 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
is overrated.
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
The various schools of the Big Ten should let Ohio State and Michigan know in no uncertain terms that dissent will NOT be tolerated.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 1, 2010 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Alienware runs everything faster.
But since all computer games are made for Alienware nowadays, they aren’t able to hold up on my HP. It’s not fun at all.
My kingdom for a spellchecker. Or Devin Harris. Hopefully both.
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
The various schools of the Big Ten should let Ohio State and Michigan know in no uncertain terms that dissent will NOT be tolerated.
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 31, 2010 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Every time someone asks Rodriguez or Zook about Big Ten expansion
I keep thinking that they will no longer be coaching when the conference goes to 12.
Reality has a little-known Northwestern bias
NU prez knows how to get PUMPED
Your thoughts would be correct
More frequently than an alcoholic diabetic, Ohio State pisses excellence, week in and week out
Thanks!
New reader – just wanted to say thanks for a great interview! It’s nice to get coach’s perspective without hearing about quarterback controversies and NCAA investigations. Go Blue!
by brushdude on Aug 31, 2010 11:47 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Really well done. Which one is you, on the left or right?
by txhawkeye on Aug 31, 2010 11:47 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
both
i am the walrus
Off Tackle Empire
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Graham Filler on Aug 31, 2010 10:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Fantastic job Graham
After watching that, I’m even more convinced that Coach Rodriguez will be successful at Michigan if he can get a fair shake. He comes across as very personable on camera, I assume you felt the same about him in person?
That is sooooo not funny - Maize N Brew Dave
extremely
He was more than accomodating, he really enjoys coaching, you can tell. It had been a long day for him and he showed me a lot of respect.
Off Tackle Empire
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Graham Filler on Aug 31, 2010 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions
It's been a long three years for Rich Rodriguez...
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
The various schools of the Big Ten should let Ohio State and Michigan know in no uncertain terms that dissent will NOT be tolerated.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Aug 31, 2010 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions
Did you buy any snake-oil Graham?
More frequently than an alcoholic diabetic, Ohio State pisses excellence, week in and week out
It was smeared liberally on the doorknob...
and Graham got it all over his hands when he left the room.
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
The various schools of the Big Ten should let Ohio State and Michigan know in no uncertain terms that dissent will NOT be tolerated.
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 1, 2010 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions
Great. Great.
Great Review. Despite not being a Michigan fan, it is awesome to get the inside view. Don’t know who you had to @$#2 to get this, but it’s great.
thanks
Not to be overly excited about the whole thing, but damn was it fun to just talk football with Rich.
Off Tackle Empire
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Graham Filler on Aug 31, 2010 6:01 PM CDT up reply actions
nice
that was fan-frickin-tastic! always great to get the inside scoop, and serious kudos to the coach for agreeing to this interview with a blogger (a BLOGGER!!!).
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