So I have continued to be a supporter of Rich throughout his time at Zona. The bowl game really got to me as I thought we were just out coached in that game, nothing else. There were a numerous things throughout the game that made me think that but that is for a different post. It did get me thinking about Rich and his strengths and weaknesses as a coach.
I started where I always start which was to look at recruiting which has been talked about a lot. So what I wanted to look at was not the class ranking (according to Rivals) but look at in regards to regarded talent (again, using Rivals). What I did is reorganize the classes based on their average ranking and not their overall score. I did use the overall score to break any ties. Here is what I found when looking at Rich's career:
2018 (incomplete): Rivals Class Rank = 40, Talent Class Rank = 54
2017: Rivals Class Rank = 40, Talent Class Rank = 54
2016: Rivals Class Rank = 37, Talent Class Rank = 40
2015: Rivals Class Rank = 51, Talent Class Rank = 44
2014: Rivals Class Rank = 28, Talent Class Rank = 29
2013: Rivals Class Rank = 37, Talent Class Rank = 44
2012: Rivals Class Rank = 46, Talent Class Rank = 45
At Michigan
2010: Rivals Class Rank = 20, Talent Class Rank = 22
2009: Rivals Class Rank = 8, Talent Class Rank = 9
2008: Rivals Class Rank = 10, Talent Class Rank = 7
At West Virginia
2007: Rivals Class Rank = 23, Talent Class Rank = 30
2006: Rivals Class Rank = 53, Talent Class Rank = 43
2005: Rivals Class Rank = 31, Talent Class Rank = 50
2004: Rivals Class Rank = 47, Talent Class Rank = 47
2003: Rivals Class Rank = 46, Talent Class Rank = 51
2002: Rivals Class Rank = 36, Talent Class Rank = 64
Conclusion: Rich is an average recruiter. He seems to be able to recruit to the school he is at. He was considered a good recruiter at Michigan but prior to that didn't really have a reputation as a great recruiter.
That doesn't tell the whole story as we know. Rich's reputation is that he hates to lose and can be stubborn and that he must approve every recruit which is pretty normal. But I also remember the various comments over time that he "must" call the plays, has a certain defensive philosophy, etc. After considering the volume of those I thought about looking at this from a different perspective. Any truly successful person I have ever met usually has a pretty healthy ego but the ones that stand out to me that are above average have the ability to hire well but also empower their employees. Rich, as the head football coach, has to hire and empower his assistants so I thought I would look at his coaching tree when compared to other and here is what I found.
Starting with Nick Saban (the current bell weather for college football) and looking at how many years he coached and how many assistants have moved on to be head college or pro football coaches here are the numbers.
Nick Saban: 22 years as a Head Coach. 15 assistants have become head coaches, 12 are currently still head coaches.
I thought ok but lets compare Nick against Urban Meyer so we can see his closest competition.
Urban Meyer: 16 years as a Head Coach. 18 assistants have become head coaches, 10 are currently still head coaches.
With that as the top I then looked at the other current and one former PAC-12 coaches.
Mike Leach: 16 years as a Head Coach. 8 assistants have become head coaches, 5 are currently still head coaches.
Chris Peterson: 12 years as a Head Coach. 5 assistants have become head coaches, 4 are currently still head coaches.
David Shaw: 7 years as a Head Coach. 4 assistants have become head coaches, 3 are currently still head coaches.
Todd Graham: 12 years as a Head Coach. 7 assistants have become head coaches, 6 are currently still head coaches.
Finally I looked at Rich and where he is at:
Rich Rodriguez: 24 years as a Head Coach. 5 assistants have become head coaches, 1 is currently still a head coach.
Wow, that was startling to me. Mike Stoops was a head coach at Arizona for 7 years and had the same number of assistants become head coaches (5) but 4 of them are still active. Conclusion, Rich either doesn't hire hard charging coaches, doesn't support them to become head coaches on their own or doesn't empower them. To have only developed 5 head coaches in 24 years is astounding to me. What it says to me is that he doesn't empower his coaches and micromanages the hell out of everything. He will never get to that next level unless he can recruit coaching talent as well as on the field talent. Good coaches will make you a better recruiter. Empowering and holding your assistants accountable will only result in good things for him and the program in general.
Final conclusion. Rich needs to get the right people on the bus and let them be creative to ultimately be successful at Arizona. Based on past history, he won't do it and it as nothing to do with the players. From this data you can see that his not developing coaches (look at Saban's and Meyer's numbers - granted bigger programs but Meyer started at Bowling Green and coached at Utah). Of all the coaches I listed Rich has been a head coach the longest and has the least amount of assistants become head coaches with only 1 active. If you don't have the coaches you aren't going to develop the players.
After looking and thinking I hope that we are ultimately successful going forward and I think there is some hope player wise but I don't think that Rich will change enough to be successful. If you look at his history the majority of his wins as a coach (D-1 level) came at West Virginia when his offense was considered ground breaking. Since he went to Michigan he is a 0.504 winning percentage coach with a 0.385 winning percentage in conference. Rich is an average coach and with a weak non-conference schedule he will get you to a bowl each year but not much else. If Arizona wants better it needs to thank Rich for his time and move on. I think he is a good man and does things the right way but will not change and is done innovating. Sorry for the long post but this has been stewing in my brain for a while and am interested to hear everyone's thoughts on the information presented.
I started where I always start which was to look at recruiting which has been talked about a lot. So what I wanted to look at was not the class ranking (according to Rivals) but look at in regards to regarded talent (again, using Rivals). What I did is reorganize the classes based on their average ranking and not their overall score. I did use the overall score to break any ties. Here is what I found when looking at Rich's career:
2018 (incomplete): Rivals Class Rank = 40, Talent Class Rank = 54
2017: Rivals Class Rank = 40, Talent Class Rank = 54
2016: Rivals Class Rank = 37, Talent Class Rank = 40
2015: Rivals Class Rank = 51, Talent Class Rank = 44
2014: Rivals Class Rank = 28, Talent Class Rank = 29
2013: Rivals Class Rank = 37, Talent Class Rank = 44
2012: Rivals Class Rank = 46, Talent Class Rank = 45
At Michigan
2010: Rivals Class Rank = 20, Talent Class Rank = 22
2009: Rivals Class Rank = 8, Talent Class Rank = 9
2008: Rivals Class Rank = 10, Talent Class Rank = 7
At West Virginia
2007: Rivals Class Rank = 23, Talent Class Rank = 30
2006: Rivals Class Rank = 53, Talent Class Rank = 43
2005: Rivals Class Rank = 31, Talent Class Rank = 50
2004: Rivals Class Rank = 47, Talent Class Rank = 47
2003: Rivals Class Rank = 46, Talent Class Rank = 51
2002: Rivals Class Rank = 36, Talent Class Rank = 64
Conclusion: Rich is an average recruiter. He seems to be able to recruit to the school he is at. He was considered a good recruiter at Michigan but prior to that didn't really have a reputation as a great recruiter.
That doesn't tell the whole story as we know. Rich's reputation is that he hates to lose and can be stubborn and that he must approve every recruit which is pretty normal. But I also remember the various comments over time that he "must" call the plays, has a certain defensive philosophy, etc. After considering the volume of those I thought about looking at this from a different perspective. Any truly successful person I have ever met usually has a pretty healthy ego but the ones that stand out to me that are above average have the ability to hire well but also empower their employees. Rich, as the head football coach, has to hire and empower his assistants so I thought I would look at his coaching tree when compared to other and here is what I found.
Starting with Nick Saban (the current bell weather for college football) and looking at how many years he coached and how many assistants have moved on to be head college or pro football coaches here are the numbers.
Nick Saban: 22 years as a Head Coach. 15 assistants have become head coaches, 12 are currently still head coaches.
I thought ok but lets compare Nick against Urban Meyer so we can see his closest competition.
Urban Meyer: 16 years as a Head Coach. 18 assistants have become head coaches, 10 are currently still head coaches.
With that as the top I then looked at the other current and one former PAC-12 coaches.
Mike Leach: 16 years as a Head Coach. 8 assistants have become head coaches, 5 are currently still head coaches.
Chris Peterson: 12 years as a Head Coach. 5 assistants have become head coaches, 4 are currently still head coaches.
David Shaw: 7 years as a Head Coach. 4 assistants have become head coaches, 3 are currently still head coaches.
Todd Graham: 12 years as a Head Coach. 7 assistants have become head coaches, 6 are currently still head coaches.
Finally I looked at Rich and where he is at:
Rich Rodriguez: 24 years as a Head Coach. 5 assistants have become head coaches, 1 is currently still a head coach.
Wow, that was startling to me. Mike Stoops was a head coach at Arizona for 7 years and had the same number of assistants become head coaches (5) but 4 of them are still active. Conclusion, Rich either doesn't hire hard charging coaches, doesn't support them to become head coaches on their own or doesn't empower them. To have only developed 5 head coaches in 24 years is astounding to me. What it says to me is that he doesn't empower his coaches and micromanages the hell out of everything. He will never get to that next level unless he can recruit coaching talent as well as on the field talent. Good coaches will make you a better recruiter. Empowering and holding your assistants accountable will only result in good things for him and the program in general.
Final conclusion. Rich needs to get the right people on the bus and let them be creative to ultimately be successful at Arizona. Based on past history, he won't do it and it as nothing to do with the players. From this data you can see that his not developing coaches (look at Saban's and Meyer's numbers - granted bigger programs but Meyer started at Bowling Green and coached at Utah). Of all the coaches I listed Rich has been a head coach the longest and has the least amount of assistants become head coaches with only 1 active. If you don't have the coaches you aren't going to develop the players.
After looking and thinking I hope that we are ultimately successful going forward and I think there is some hope player wise but I don't think that Rich will change enough to be successful. If you look at his history the majority of his wins as a coach (D-1 level) came at West Virginia when his offense was considered ground breaking. Since he went to Michigan he is a 0.504 winning percentage coach with a 0.385 winning percentage in conference. Rich is an average coach and with a weak non-conference schedule he will get you to a bowl each year but not much else. If Arizona wants better it needs to thank Rich for his time and move on. I think he is a good man and does things the right way but will not change and is done innovating. Sorry for the long post but this has been stewing in my brain for a while and am interested to hear everyone's thoughts on the information presented.
