Toledo Blade: Article by Joe Vardon

Rodriguez: UM played 'soft' against Illinois

By JOE VARDON
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

ANN ARBOR – Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez issued one of the ultimate indictments of a struggling football team today when he said his Wolverines played “soft” Saturday against Illinois.

Rodriguez said the film study over UM’s 45-20 loss to the Illini showed the Wolverines lacking aggression on defense, offense, and special teams – one of the worst things a coach can say about his team.

“You can run full speed and still be soft,” Rodriguez said during his weekly press conference, explaining the difference between lacking effort and lacking toughness.

“There comes a point in time when you have to play physical. You can’t catch people, you can’t allow them to block you. You’ve got to want to block them.
“When you don’t, to me, it’s not like they’re not trying. Sometimes they don’t even realize it.”

Rodriguez then delivered another grim assessment of the Wolverines.
“Unless we become a tougher football team mentally and physically, we’re going to have a lot of problems,” Rodriguez said.

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