Big 10 Media Days: Coach Rod Press Conf.

Discipline problems

The Detroit News reported in its Friday, July 24, 2009 edition that Wolverine CB Boubacar Cissoko was arrested last month on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. According to the News, the incident occurred June 6 when Cissoko was a passenger in a car that was pulled over by Detroit police for speeding on Belle Isle. Cissoko faces a pre-trial hearing on August 24, 2009 and he has reportedly already been disciplined by Coach Rodriguez.

On Saturday, July 25, 2009, the Detroit Free Press reported that QB/slot receiver Justin Feagin has been dismissed from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules. No further information regarding the nature of the violation was provided but will likely be discovered in the coming days. Feagin's departure will not have much, if any, impact on the field as he was going to be relegated to the bench at slot receiver. He was originally recruited last year as a dual-threat QB/slot receiver but he was never able to establish himself at either position. Regardless, it is regrettable when the coach has to dismiss a player from the team.

Go Blue!

Five Questions that should be asked of Coach Rod at the Big 10 Media Days

The Big 10 Football Media Days are generally an exercise in futility as the coaches spout rote answers ("one game at a time"; "we'll have to see how things shake out in practice", etc.) to the same tired questions. Here are five (5) questions that should be asked of Coach Rod:

1.) Last year your team exhibited a lack of sideline discipline during the 1st quarter of the Ohio State game and, consequently, looked chaotic in the final game of the year in front of a nationally televised audience. What, if anything, have you done to make sure that there is not a repeat performance this season of the disarray seen on the sideline during the OSU game?

Follow-up: Are you going to allow S&C Associate Director Chris Allen (who instigated the OSU sideline debacle) back on the sidelines this season?

2.) Last season you primarily spent your time in practice on the offensive side of the ball while Defensive Coordinator Scott Shafer handled the defense. With a new Defensive Coordinator (Greg Robinson-former Syracuse Head Coach) in charge of the defense, how much time- percentage wise- do you plan on spending with the defense in Fall Practice?

Follow-up: How much autonomy will DC Greg Robinson have with how he runs the defense?

3.) Coach Rod you instituted the "Victors Walk" last year and allowed the players to be dressed in team issued sweats as they arrived to the stadium as opposed to the 39-year tradition started by Bo of requiring the players to be clad in a coat-and-tie while representing the University. Why did you choose to relax the dress code?

4.) A quick strategy question. What is the optimum- in terms of percentage of plays- in the breakdown of run vs. pass plays that you would like to see your offense achieve?

5.) You have a sign on the locker room door that exits into the hallway leading to the tunnel with the message "No Mercy". Can you give specific examples of plays on the field that exemplify what you are looking for when you say you want the players to show "No Mercy"?

Go Blue!

Big 10 Media Days and other pre-season news

The Big 10 Media Days kickoff next week in Chicago and the Big Ten Network (BTN) will be broadcasting wall-to-wall coverage of the events. On Monday, July 27, 2009 @ 11:45 a.m. ET, Coach Rod is slotted to give his 15-minute press statement. The three Wolverine players scheduled to accompnay Coach Rod in Chicago are seniors Mark Ortmann, Zoltan Mesko and Stevie Brown. Not quite the star power of the player contingent that attended in 2007 which was comprised of Chad Henne, Jake Long and Mike Hart and saw Hart film a TV commerical for the Big Ten Conference.

In other pre-season TV coverage news, the BTN will be at Michigan's Fall Practice on August 14, 2009 and air a 90-minute practice special at 10:00 p.m. ET that night. Also, on August 26, 2009, the BTN will air a 30-minute 2009 Michigan Football Season Preview Show. Set your DVRs accordingly. Go Blue!