Every year, there is a shakeup of some kind. This year, we have the conference realignment and the resignation and/or firings of high-profile coaches.
We all know the story behind the realignment, Colorado to the PAC-12, Nebraska to the Big Ten, TCU to the Big East, Boise to the Mountain West...but it's the realignment of coaches that is grabbing some attention.
As Mizzou fans, we won't forget the San Diego State game for quite some time. It was a spectacular finish at Faurot by the Tigers, and coming on the heels of an 8-5 season, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI have fired their 3-year coach Rich Rodriguez. "Rich Rod", formerly of West Virginia, went a dismal 16-21 in his three years at Michigan, after going to four straight bowl games with West Virginia of the Big East. He coached great quarterbacks such as Pat White, the first to have a 200 pass, 200 rush game and Michigan's Denard Robinson, who became the first to have back to back 200/200 games, and the first quarterback in FBS history to have a 1500 pass, 1500 rush in the same season. He also went over 2000 passing yards. Back to the original thought: San Diego State. The reason I mention the Aztecs is Michigan's athletic director Dave Brandon is considering Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke as Rodriguez's replacement.
What has Hoke done at SDSU that is different than what Rich Rod has done in Ann Arbor? One word: win. He only lost by three to Mizzou, on a last-minute TD that has become known as the Moe Miracle. He gave the Rose Bowl champs a run for their money, losing by five to the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs. His pistol offense was adopted from conference foe Nevada, who Missouri beat last year, and the same Nevada that ended Boise State's run in the top-5.
I am a Mizzou fan first and foremost, but my #2 team is Michigan, so this means a great deal to me, and it could mean a lot to the rest of the NCAA.
