As U-M coaches depart for day, Rodriguez's future unsettled | detnews.com | The Detroit News

As U-M coaches depart for day, Rodriguez's future unsettled

Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon and embattled football coach Rich Rodriguez met for several hours this afternoon to discuss Rodriguez's future — a future that remains unsettled.

Several sources indicated the meeting concluded nearly four hours after it began at 2 p.m. and will continue Wednesday.

"He's not fired," a source close to Rodriguez said Tuesday night, shooting down multiple reports the coach had been terminated. "He's meeting again" Wednesday.

Fox 2 Detroit, citing unnamed sources, and the Detroit Free Press, without attribution, reported that the athletic director had decided to dismiss Rodriguez. Those closest to him, including his wife, Rita, his agent and assistant coaches, said they had not yet been informed of any decision.

Michigan also issued a statement late Tuesday saying nothing had been determined.

"Everything that is being reported is media speculation at this point," the statement from DaveAblauf, U-M associate athletic director said. "The definitive voice on this matter is Dave Brandon and he has not and will not speak publicly until a final decision has been made. I will let you know when Dave is prepared to comment."

A players meeting originally scheduled Tuesday for at Schembechler Hall, a meeting previously scheduled to prepare the players for a return to classes, has been moved to 4 p.m. Wednesday, several sources confirmed.

Rita Rodriguez and their two children walked past a group of reporters at Schembechler Hall this afternoon and said she does not know what has transpired in the meeting.

Brandon has said repeatedly throughout the season that he would evaluate Rodriguez, who just concluded his third season with the Wolverines going 15-22 during that span and coming off the program's worst-ever bowl loss (52-14 to Mississippi State), after the bowl.

Brandon said Saturday night he planned to return to Ann Arbor, wrap up his evaluation and meet with Rodriguez.

"I will have more to say on this matter the latter part of the week," Brandon said.

At least three Michigan coaches were on the road recruiting Tuesday. Others said they were preparing to set out recruiting on Wednesday, pending the outcome of Rodriguez's meeting with Brandon.

"Everyone is sitting on hold right now," one source said Tuesday afternoon.

Rodriguez was hired as Michigan's 18th head coach on Dec. 17, 2007 by then-athletic director Bill Martin after a successful run at his alma mater, West Virginia. In his seven seasons with WVU, Rodriguez went 60-26 and led the Mountaineers to six bowl games, including the Fiesta Bowl his final season.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez's tenure at Michigan got off to a rocky start. He lost his debut 25-23 to Utah at Michigan Stadium and the Wolverines finished the 2008 season 3-9 -- their first losing season since 1967. In 2009, they started 4-0 but lost seven of their last eight to finish 5-7. This season, they started 5-0 but finished 7-6, including a 52-14 loss to Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl -- their first bowl appearance since 2008.

Off the field it wasn't any better for Rodriguez. In February of 2010, Michigan revealed the NCAA's Notice of Allegations following an investigation into the program. It included five potential major violations regarding practice time and the role of football staff members. Michigan officials admitted to four of the five allegations during a hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in Seattle. In November, the NCAA ruled that Michigan committed major violations but that they did not result in substantial harm to student-athletes. The NCAA increased U-M's self-imposed probation to three years, but cleared Rodriguez of the allegation he failed to foster an atmosphere of compliance with NCAA rules.

And then in December, at the team's season-ending banquet, Rodriguez choked up during his speech. He received both support and ridicule for playing Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" during the address.