#SayNoToRichRod Explained

I have received a ton of push back on social media asking me to explain my level of opposition to a potential Rich Rodriguez Hire. My responses, both there and in a variety of forum post comments, are fragmented. With a hire looming, I see this as my last opportunity to make my feelings known. I don't know or care if they hold any weight. I can't, in good conscious, blindly support a potential candidate that I know will be detrimental to the future of the football program purely based on faith in Whit Babcock as an administrator. Here are the reasons why I do not feel Rich Rodriguez is the right coach for the Virginia Tech Football program.

Offensive and Defensive Systems and Recruiting
Rodriguez is one of the early innovators of the spread-read option scheme. The system can generate big plays and, looking purely at the statistics, is a good offensive system. However, it requires a very specific type of personnel grouping, especially at the quarterback position. RichRod also uses almost exclusively a zone blocking system that looks to move players laterally. Much like Bud Foster's defense and Paul Johnson's offense, potential recruits ultimately get wise that the system won't teach them the fundamental skills needed to be successful in the National Football League. Opposing recruiters use the track record of putting guys in the NFL as a major talking point for players not to go play in their system. Others may disagree, and I have no direct evidence, but NOBODY can convince me that a major reason the level of defensive talent has dropped in Blacksburg is not in part because of the complete lack of defensive front seven players from VT moving on and being successful in the NFL. RichRod's best pupils were Steve Slaton and Pat White. Both were regarded as gimmick players in NFL talent evaluations and neither had productive NFL careers.

On defense, RichRod is completely in love with a 3-3-5 gimmick defense. The system had some success against teams with static, pro-style offenses because it created confusion and allowed unblocked defenders alleys to make plays. However, the same offense that RichRod was responsible for making popular, the spread option, negates many of the advantages of the 3-3-5 stack. Blitzing and stunting have to be minimized against the option. With teams in the division like UNC and Duke that use spread option schemes (plus GT's flexbone), it is a system that is doomed to fail. The 3-3-5 also doesn't attract NFL size and speed. The small front could end up getting mashed by teams committed to big sets like Pitt and BC.

For those of you who say "what if Bud stays?" I would suggest to you that you look at why Whit would want Bud to stay. 1) It is a PR win to appease the fan base who would be unhappy with a RichRod hire. 2) It would mean Whit would not be paying another coach not to coach. See the basketball program. 3) If things go poorly in Year 1-2 with RichRod, Bud is set up to be the fall guy. It is clear that RichRod believes his 3-3-5 would work. Why would he take the job and be forced to accept a D he doesn't buy into unless... you fill in the blank.

It is amazing to me that people who have complained for years about Frank Beamer's recruiting could turn around and be supportive of a potential Rich Rodriguez hire. Nothing about his preferred offensive or defensive system is attractive to recruits who want NFL futures. Even his top 15 classes at Michigan were below average hauls at a school with Michigan's national profile, tradition, and reach.

Not a Hot Name/Reputation

Rich Rodriguez is no longer a hot name in coaching circles. He wasn't able to keep top recruits in Arizona (hardly a place where traditional powers recruit) at home. A RichRod hire isn't going to generate excitement with players or fans.. He has a reputation as being incredibly difficult to play for and petulant (see players jumping ship from Michigan and his treatment of Arizona's QB after the bowl loss last year. He has burned bridges at his last two jobs, and seems to be orchestrating his exit from Arizona regardless of the status with the VT job. He received NCAA infractions at Michigan and West Virginia.

The Bottom Line

The biggest direct challenge that Whit faces with this hire is the huge amount of Hokie fan apathy associated with the end of the era. Ticket sales are down. The stadium has big chunks of empty seats for the first time in my memory. I can't speak to fundraising, but people sure seem tight with their money when Hokieclub events do raffles and blind auctions. Whit has to make a hire that causes a spike in these areas.

Large portions of the fanbase REVILE Rich Rodriguez. I don't care if it is justified or not, it is a fact that a lot of people will not be happy with the hire. I appreciate that French60Wasp, lowly peon who doesn't contribute much to the program doesn't matter in that math. However, if the big money and the new money (recent graduates) are not happy, Whit is shooting himself in the foot with a RichRod hire. It would take major success over an extended period of time to win back those folks.

There is nothing that Rich Rodriguez brings to the table that 1) improves recruiting and 2) improves fan base enthusiasm and fundraising. Those are the areas where the program has to improve in order to get back to the top of the ACC. Every candidate has unknowns and worry items. However, RichRod is a known quantity. You know what you are getting. You know his offense may work short term, but long term will reflect a drop in talent. You know that his defense will not work in the ACC. And, you know when it goes bad (or goes really well), he has no problem with jumping ship. #SAYNOTORICHROD

Thank you for the forum.
French60Wasp