The (tenuous) Michigan connection

Everything comes back to Bo Schembechler. It always does. Michigan Head Coach Bo Schembechler had Don Nehlen as an assistant coach on the Wolverines staff from 1977-1979. Following this three-year stint under Bo, Nehlen became the Head Coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers where he served for the next 21 years (1980-2000). Nehlen became to WVU Football what Bo Schembechler is to Michigan Football. Nehlen was greatly influenced by his three years on Bo's staff and Coach Nehlen molded his Mountaineer program to mirror the Michigan way of doing things. During Coach Nehlen's tenure, Rich Rodriguez played defensive back from 1982-1984. Thus, Coach Rod has a connection (however tenuous), to the Michigan Football tradition. Go Blue!