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Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has enough to deal with on the field. The Wolverines were an embarrassing 3-9 last season, including a home loss to Toledo. In advance of the 2009 season opener this weekend, the last thing Rodriguez needed was a huge distraction.That's what he got, anyway. Rodriguez spent close to 15 minutes of his press conference Monday -- one designed initially to talk about the game Saturday against Western Michigan -- defending himself and his staff against allegations of wrongdoing brought up by current and former players.
"I want to tell everybody that I'm proud of the way our players have worked," Rodriguez said. "The last seven, eight months, they've given a tremendous commitment to this university."
Rodriguez said multiple times that his program was clean, that they "know the rules and comply by the rules."
Several current and former players disagree, accusing Rodriguez of requiring more work of them than is allowed by the NCAA. It's a case that could be difficult to prove, especially if other players come out and say that the requirements in terms of time spent at the football complex don't go beyond the limits.
Rodriguez was emphatic numerous times in defending strength and conditioning director Mike Barwis, saying he is "a great asset to the university." Speaking of his staff, Rodriguez says they would "do anything our players want them to do to help them achieve their goals."
The coach spoke highly of his team's academic achievement, saying they've struck a great balance between that side of university life and the work that they've done to prepare for football season.
Rodriguez got quite emotional a few times during his remarks.
"I guess the thing that bothered me the most about things that were recently written or said," Rodriguez said, hanging his head at the podium for a moment to collect himself, "was the perception that was out there that we did not care as much for players welfare.
"That is disheartening. To say that is misleading and inaccurate and goes against everything I have ever believed in coaching."
Rodriguez said his staff would never "tell a young man to miss a class or a study session to do anything athletically."
In the end, Rodriguez says he and his staff have done things the right way, have always done things the right way, and will continue to do so.
"This coaching staff cares very deeply about the players ... always have always will. We know the rules. We go by the rules. All we're trying to do is make our great fans ... make them proud. We will continue to do that. The former players who know how this program was built, they understand that. And so do the 120 men on our football team."
The university says they are launching a full investigation into the reports.
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