Michigan's Mitch McGary: "We're soft right now"

After a humbling 79-69 loss to Duke in the Big Ten/ACC challenge, Michigan's Mitch McGary said the team was frustrated with their performance at Cameron Indoor Stadium after being beaten by an undersized Duke team.  

McGary then told ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman that the Wolverines were "soft right now".

“We’re soft,” McGary said following the 79-69 loss that wasn’t quite as close as the score indicated. “We’re soft right now. That’s it.” 

The Wolverines dropped their third game this season and maybe frustration is starting to mount early in the season. They were outrebounded and out hustled by a Duke team that has been rather mediocre on the glass despite the team's star power. Also the disappearance of Glenn Robinson III didn't help matters either. GRIII scored 8 points, looked out of sync, and was a non factor against the Blue Devils. McGary finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds, but most of his damage was done with the outcome decided.

Sharp shooter Nik Stauskas had four points all from the free throw line as Duke concentrated their defensive effort on taking Stauskas out of the game. Sophomore Caris LeVert had 24 points in the losing effort but he showed toughness and heart throughout the night.

The problem is that the team is still looking for the guy to take over games like Trey Burke did last season. Burke was the unquestioned go to guy when the team needed someone to step up. They can't replicate what Burke was but others need to step up.

Stauskas is trying become that guy and LeVert to a certain extent. McGary is still trying to play himself into shape so I'll give him a mulligan. The biggest culprit to the team's 5-3 start might be Robinson. I thought he would be the one to try and take over when the team needed a scoring presence. Instead it looks like he has NBA dreams in his head and is content to take a backseat to Stauskas, LeVert, or McGary in crunch time. If Michigan is to be successful, Robinson needs to take it up a few notches.

“We were rattled and didn’t have the same poise we had last year,” McGary said.

That's true. While the team is young, they are battle tested and should respond better when the heat is on.

 “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” McGary said.

Rome wasn't built in a day and I look for John Beilein to get this team back on track. It better happen fast because second ranked Arizona is coming to Ann Arbor in two weeks. If the Wolverines can't get it together things could get a little ugly.

Rich Rodriguez lets out some steam about violations at Michigan

Arizona head football coach Rich Rodriguez still has Michigan on his mind.

Rodriguez had plenty to say when asked about NCAA violations against him during his 3-year tenure in Ann Arbor. During an interview with Seth Davis, Rodriguez called the violations that occurred on his watch at Michigan a "bunch of BS".

"I get mad when I think about that, to me -- and I don't mind saying it -- I thought it was a bunch of BS," Rodriguez said. "We got in trouble for, in the offseason, a strength coach putting a rubber ball on a stick for a get-off thing when (players) did their running. A rubber ball on a stick.

"Now think about that, I could have put a hat on a stick -- that was something I got in trouble for."

"Another thing we got in trouble for was letting some of the interns, or quality control guys, sit in the room while we watched film," Rodriguez added. "Not add any input, just sit there and learn -- young coaches wanting to be coaches -- and that's a violation.


"There's schools now that are hiring ex-NFL coaches and scouts to do that full-time for them. Yet I got a violation because of that."

Rodriguez was fired by Michigan after the 2010 season, following three turbulent years. He went 15-22 with the Wolverines and the program was cited for five major rules violations by the NCAA during his tenure. The program was placed on probation for three years.


Among the rules violations the NCAA Committee on Infractions found that Rodriguez “failed to monitor the duties and activities of the quality control staff members, the former graduate assistant coach and a student assistant coach, and the time limits for athletically related activities.”

In my opinion Rodriguez acts like he has an axe to grind when it comes to Michigan.

I'm probably one of the few that feel Rodriguez got a raw deal at Michigan. Fans and boosters wanted nothing to do with the guy and he was cut at the knees anytime he wanted something. Honestly, don't you think Michigan would've found a way to get Demar Dorsey on campus if Lloyd Carr was still around?

Otherwise, Rodriguez really needs to let it go. He talks about Michigan every time someone shoves a mic in his face. It's time to move on a try winning some games at Arizona.

Stoudamire leaving Memphis for Arizona

Memphis assistant Damon Stoudamire will be leaving to take an assistant coaching position at Arizona.

It'll be a homecoming of sorts for Stoudamire, who played at Arizona from 1991-1995 under former coach Lute Olsen. After spending 14 seasons in the NBA Stoudamire got into coaching.  He spent two seasons on the Grizz bench under Lionel Hollins. Stoudamire has been on Josh Pastner's staff the past two years at Memphis.

Stoudamire fills the vacancy left by the departure of James Whitford, who left Arizona to become the new head coach at Ball State. Prior to his two seasons at Memphis, Stoudamire was an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2009-11.

The hire will help Arizona but will hurt Memphis, especially in recruiting as he was well liked by the local AAU and high school coaches.

Memphis coach Josh Pastner now has two vacancies to fill on the sidelines before next season.

Pittsburgh blocking Rushel Shell's transfer options

University of Pittsburgh running back Rushel Shell announced that he would be leaving the football program and transferring elsewhere. No one knows what Shell's plans were but the school is blocking any potential transfer to Arizona State, Arizona, or any ACC school.

I understand blocking a move to an ACC school since the Panthers will be leaving the Big East to join the ACC. Normally any school on a future schedule would be blocked but Arizona or Arizona State don't fit the description. The reasons why they're blocked is because the coaches at the schools have Pittsburgh connections.

Arizona State boss Todd Graham left Pittsburgh for Tempe after one season in the Steel city. So there is some animosity there. Graham and his staff recruited Shell and it was reported that Shell was leaning towards the Sun Devils. 

Current Pitt coach Paul Chryst has to sign off on the transfer, but won't do it if it's to Arizona or Arizona State. Arizona has former Pitt coaches on their staff so that's the reasoning behind that.

I could understand if he wanted to transfer within the conference and he could come back to haunt you. I would block that, but i don't understand why he won't let him go play for the coach that recruited him. I know it's like poaching but coaches do it all the time when they leave a school and are recruiting a player and said player ends up at the coach's new school. You think John Wall was actually going to Kentucky before John Calipari got there? Me neither.

Coaches have the freedom to leave any time without anyone blocking their path, let the kid go to where he wants to play.  

Rodriguez says some players had a sense of entitlement during his time at Michigan

It's no secret that Rich Rodriguez still harbors some ill feelings about his time at Michigan. Who wouldn't after he was sabotaged as soon as he was named the coach. Granted, he should stop talking about his time in Ann Arbor and concentrate on the task he has in Tucson. It seems like every time he does an interview he talks about something that happened at Michigan.

During an interview with Matt Hayes of the Sporting News, Rodriguez told Hayes that he felt some of the players had at Michigan had a sense of entitlement. Once again another reason why he failed in his tenure at Michigan.

“We got total buy-in from the get-go here,” Rodriguez said. “From the players to the support staff to everybody that was touching the program. We had some guys committed at Michigan, but we had others that weren’t. Some guys felt a sense of entitlement. The name on the chest, and 'I’ve already arrived.'

“The Chad Hennes and the Jake Longs put the work in and succeeded before us, and guys behind them thought they were entitled to the same status but hadn’t proved anything.” 

Rodriguez just didn't fit what the old 'Michigan Men' wanted, therefore it was a bad marriage from the start. Only someone with a wealth of knowledge would know that. There are some that blame those horrible three years on Rodriguez. I refuse to do that. But Rodriguez needs to move on and let his Michigan experience stay in the past.

Rodriguez Might Get A Shot At Wolverines

Promises, promises. Alledgedly that's what newly hired Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez got from Arizona. The promise was that they would give him a shot to beat his former school, Michigan, by scheduling them in three years. I guess that's how much time Rodriguez will need to get the Wildcats on track.

This comes from Louisiana high school football coach J.T. Curtis.

”My understanding is, in talking to coach Rich Rodriguez, and I was involved in that just a little bit, is that it was a much closer decision than people realize between Tulane and Arizona,” Curtis said. “I know that might not sound right to you but I think Tulane did all they could do to give him an opportunity to come there and a chance to coach, and I think his expression to me was that he felt like he had a better chance to win the national championship at Arizona if he recruited properly. And they promised him they’d put Michigan on the schedule in three years,” Curtis said. “I’m telling you, it was a big deal.”


I don't know if Rodriguez wants that game by then. Brady Hoke has he Wolverines trending upwards so Rodriguez better get some players in a hurry if he wants a shot at Michigan.







  

Rodriguez Gets Frustrated Watching Michigan

Former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez found a landing spot in Tucson, coaching the Arizona Wildcats. That doesn't mean that he still doesn't have feelings about Michigan. Why, I don't know, but Rodriguez admitted that it's frustrating watching Michigan win at his press conference.

“It’s frustrating to watch them, I don’t mind telling you,” Rodriguez said, “because those are all my guys. But I’m proud of them because they’re doing so well.”


Rodriguez believed that the Wolverines would turn the corner this year so it comes as no surprise to him that they are 9-2 heading into the Ohio State game this week. I still think they had ways to go. Truth is Rodriguez never had a chance at Michigan. He had the knives in his back as soon as he hit Ann Arbor. Wins would've cured the ills but he didn't win enough. Another thing that killed Rodriguez was defense. If he really gave a damn about defense he might still be at Michigan.

He might have a chance at Arizona where the offenses in the Pac-12 put up video game numbers weekly. Everyone knows that offense is Rodriguez's specialty. If he can get the Wildcats to play some defense they could be formidable in the Pac-12. It might be a mirage, but Rodriguez might be able to succeed in the desert.