http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/SPORTS0201/805210347/1131
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Rodriguez changes captain picks
Different ones will be selected each week of season; nobody will wear No. 1 in the fall.
Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News
ANN ARBOR -- Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is not planning to revamp everything at his new job. No, he's not pushing for night games or changes to the uniforms, but he does intend to change the way captains are named.
Rodriguez said Tuesday during an informal lunch gathering with media that it's his philosophy to not select permanent captains before a season.
"I want to see them lead throughout the year and then pick the permanent captains at the end," Rodriguez said. "Sometimes you pick a permanent captain, and he winds up not being one of your best leaders, and you're stuck with him."
The Wolverines will have game-by-game senior captains, and then at the end of the year, the players will vote for permanent captains. As an added twist, Michigan will have honorary captains, former U-M players, for every game.
"We'll have one or two or so former players who can come back and the fans can recognize them," Rodriguez said.
In previous years, the Michigan players have voted before the season for captains.
Coach takes blame for jersey flap
Rodriguez, pleading ignorance, said he will take the blame for assigning the No. 1 jersey to a non-receiver.
Former Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, who wore the jersey and endowed a scholarship, was on a radio show a few weeks ago and said he was upset to learn that Rodriguez had given the jersey to an incoming defensive back.
Edwards and Rodriguez met briefly last Saturday night at Crisler Arena during a charity dinner and the issue has been amicably resolved.
"I was getting ready to go on the road, I was giving (U-M equipment manger) Jon (Falk) the roster and had a skill number open, and that kid didn't even ask for No. 1," Rodriguez said. "I said, 'That one's open.' I just assigned the number. I know we have several that are retired, and I knew them because they weren't on the list. The other ones, I just assigned them and moved on.
"Our guys that help me with that all tried to take the blame, but heck, I'm the one that put it out there without knowing the details."
Edwards said last Saturday that he believes the No. 1 jersey is an important Michigan tradition.
"Yeah, it's important," Edwards said. "It's important because it's tradition. You don't break tradition. I don't care who you are or what school it is, you don't break tradition. It could be Michigan or Ball State. It could be Michigan or Toledo. You don't break tradition.
"You could come in here and completely revamp everything, change the coaching staff, you could change the uniforms, change a lot of stuff, but you don't change tradition. The No. 1 is one of our oldest, most storied traditions here -- don't change it."
Said Rodriguez: "I'm better educated now. I talked to Braylon about it a little bit, told him I wasn't aware of the situation with the jersey and we'll get all that fixed. If I can fix all problems as easily as I fixed that one, we're in a good place."
For the record, no one will wear No. 1 this season, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez: I'm telling the truth
All of the issues involving Rodriguez's previous employment at West Virginia and his $4 million buyout have yet to be resolved. He recently was deposed for nearly eight hours.
"If you just read through everything and be objective about everything about the whole situation, I'm telling the truth," Rodriguez said.
"I'm telling the truth. A lot of stuff that has been out there is not the truth. I've spoken about that and responded about that, responded about the fundraiser (his former West Virginia colleague Larry Aschebrook ).
"His affidavit is full of lies. It's unbelievable to read it and believe that somebody would say that under oath. For me to say that's OK, it ain't OK. It's not OK to lie. It's certainly not OK to lie under oath. Not only did it affect me, to lie about me, but to lie about guys on my staff.
"I do take it very personally when somebody tries to ruin the reputation of my staff and myself."
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