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Success Of U-M Players In NFL Justifying Carr Ouster
While the jury is still out on whether Rich Rodriguez is the answer as Michigan’s football coach, the success of the Wolverines’ players from Lloyd Carr’s last few teams in the NFL does justify the coaching change.
This is just Chad Henne’s second year in the league, but it looks like he is going to be a front line NFL quarterback. I don’t think Chad Pennington is going to get his job back in Miami anytime soon. Not only was Henne really good Monday night against the Jets, but Jake Long was just this menacing, mauling, brawling presence for the Dolphins. What a terrific player. And Braylon Edwards performed remarkably well for the Jets under the circumstances.
Throw in Mario Manningham averaging 18 yards per catch, and being the 12th leading receiver in the NFL for the Giants - and any number of U-M players performing well around the league - and it’s understood the Wolverines underachieved Carr’s last few seasons.
Random Thoughts
- I do feel like the best four teams are in baseball’s league championship series. I think the Phillies will beat the Dodgers and the Yankees will down the Angels. I say the ALCS goes six games and the NLCS five.
- The Red Wings have scored three goals in every one of their four games so far this season. Neither Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg has scored a goal. Especially with Johan Franzen out, they need to get going.
- Is the Yankees’ bullpen an impenetrable wall or what?
My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press: http://tinyurl.com/yzmmfbf
This is just Chad Henne’s second year in the league, but it looks like he is going to be a front line NFL quarterback. I don’t think Chad Pennington is going to get his job back in Miami anytime soon. Not only was Henne really good Monday night against the Jets, but Jake Long was just this menacing, mauling, brawling presence for the Dolphins. What a terrific player. And Braylon Edwards performed remarkably well for the Jets under the circumstances.
Throw in Mario Manningham averaging 18 yards per catch, and being the 12th leading receiver in the NFL for the Giants - and any number of U-M players performing well around the league - and it’s understood the Wolverines underachieved Carr’s last few seasons.
Random Thoughts
- I do feel like the best four teams are in baseball’s league championship series. I think the Phillies will beat the Dodgers and the Yankees will down the Angels. I say the ALCS goes six games and the NLCS five.
- The Red Wings have scored three goals in every one of their four games so far this season. Neither Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg has scored a goal. Especially with Johan Franzen out, they need to get going.
- Is the Yankees’ bullpen an impenetrable wall or what?
My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press: http://tinyurl.com/yzmmfbf
Labels: Chad Henne Jake Long Braylon Edwards Mario Manningham Pavel Datsyuk Henrik Zetterberg
posted by Pat Caputo at
1:01 PM
8 Comments:
Carr was not "ousted." He retired. There was no administration pressure for him to resign, as both Mary Sue Coleman and Bill Martin only speak glowingly of the man. I don't disagree that the latter teams underachieved, although I'd point out that he had an 11-win regular season in 2006.
Jimmy Shi,
The handwriting was on the wall. He was going to be out. The 11-win season in 2006 was trumped by the way it ended. 2007 was a monumental disappointment.
Caputo
He'd given every indication he was going to be out after 2007, i.e., the extra contract year for the assistants. And again, there was no administrative pressure for him to leave. No doubt it was a monumental disappointment. But no one seriously connected to the program believed he was staying longer than '07 anyway. The only major change was what influence he might have had on the new hire.
Pat,
Michigan may have underacheived due to the talent they had, but they always had some of the best talent in the nation. Loyd Carr's greatest trait was that he was an outstanding recruiter. If not the best recruiter, he was definitely in the top 5. That is a big part of college sports - getting the best players to join your team. He may not have been the best X's and O's coach, but he was the best at getting the right players to join his team. I just don't understand how people can say that someone isn't a good coach because their great recruits only play well, and not great, when recruiting is a huge part of coaching. I honestly can't stand college football, due to the lopsided nature of the majority of the games, but I can give credit where it is due. Loyd Carr was an outstanding recruiter, and I doubt Rich Rodriquez will ever measure up in that category.
-Marty
Pat,
I think you are being overly harsh on Lloyd. First, was he really ousted? I have never seen that reported. To dismiss the succes of the 2006 season is unfair, considering U-M lost a hard fought game to OSU, on the road, though they were handled rather easily by USC in the Rose Bowl. While 2007 was disappointing and included an unthinkable loss to App State, injuries played a major factor in losses to Wisconsin and OSU at the end. The team did rebound nicely, with a healthy Henne and Hart, by beating Florida in Orlando. He lost 6 games over his last two seasons and 3 were to teams with more NFL talent. Is that really a team that underachieved enough to get an extremely consistent coach ousted? I don't see it.
Deano,
Come on. He didn't have the choice after the Appy State loss and the blowout to Oregon. That was pretty clear. He did do a good job of holding his team together that season, but the Ohio State game was totally embarrassing. My point isn't to belittle Lloyd. Just point he wasn't getting the most out of what is turning out to be exceptional talent.
Caputo
Marty,
Seems to me, in retrospect, Carr was kind of behind the curve with schemes. Talent wasn't an issue. Top 10 recruting class every, not Top 10 teams every year.
Caputo
Jimmy Shi,
I know what I know about that. Lloyd wasn't going to be back. Guess we can agree to disagree.
Caputo
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