Michigan's Rich Rodriguez: Team chemistry strong for Wolverines

Rich Rodriguez

Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez opened the 2009 college football preseason at the annual Big Ten Media Day in Chicago on Monday by declaring, “I really don’t want to talk about last year.”

Who can blame him?

In his first year as Michigan’s leader the Wolverines went 3-9, Michigan’s first losing season in 40 years and the first time the school failed to go to a bowl game in 33 seasons. Michigan, the winningest team in college football history, had its worst season in more than 100 years.

One of the first things Rodriguez said in front of the assembled media at the Hyatt Regency Hotel was, “we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Rodriguez said going through last year’s “struggles” helped his coaching staff and players get ready to win this year.

“I never make predictions on the won-loss record but I will say this,” he said. “We know what we have to do to turn it around. As long as we can stay healthy, I think we’re on our way.”

Rodriguez feels the No. 1 strength of his squad right now is team chemistry.

“Since we had spring practice four-five months ago I’ve seen our team really bond and merge,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been great to see.”

At this time of the year all of the college coaches everywhere see great things for their teams but Rodriguez seems determined.

Rodriguez recognizes that Michigan’s anemic offense must improve. He acknowledged that incoming freshman Tate Forcier showed “take charge ability” during Michigan’s spring game but the coach said it “worries him to death” to give the quarterback starting reigns to a true freshman --- any true freshman.

Forcier is expected to battle with another incoming freshman, Dennard Robinson and returner Nick Sheridan for the starting role.

But Rodriguez talked about only one other player, punter Zoltan Mesko, named an All-America by Playboy magazine.

“He’s a gifted athlete and more than just a punter,” said Rodriguez. “He keeps wanting me to put in more plays where he rolls out.”

Mesko is one of three Michigan players in attendance at the media day and Tuesday’s sold-out luncheon. The others are offensive lineman Mark Ortmann and safety Steve Brown.

Rodriguez said the addition of former Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson as Michigan’s new defensive coordinator has been a smooth transition. He said the changes from last year’s schemes run by Scott Shafer, will be “subtle.”

“Greg’s big improvement has been in his line of communication with the players and the rest of the staff,” Rodriguez said. “He’s done a great job.”

Rodriguez said he remains an advocate of the spread offense, the one he’s been running for the last 10 years.

“When you say spread you mean a lot of different things,” said Rodriguez. “Used to be you never ran off the spread, now some teams do it more than they pass. I don’t think defenses have caught up to the spread necessarily, but they can prepare for it easier now since so many teams run it.”

“The most important thing for us this year will be our execution on offense,” the coach said. “If we play the way we are capable it will be a good season.”

Michigan returns 10 starters on offense and five on defense. The league announced that Ohio State, winner of at least a piece of four straight Big Ten titles was the winner of the preseason media poll. Penn State was No. 2 and Michigan State was No. 3. The rest of the poll results were not announced.

Ohio State’s Terrell Pryor was the preseason offensive player of the year and Greg Jones of Michigan State was defensive player of the year.