Of all the university-related sports blogs, it occurs to me that Michigan has some of the best. You’ll remember it was the very good mgoblog that first reported Lloyd Carr’s retirement. Well, blog brethren Maize n Brew chimes in today on the coaching search, which has not gone entirely as planned, and it gives WVU’s Rich Rodriguez a 35 % chance of getting the gig.

Verdict –He has to be one of the first coaches getting a call from Martin, at least I hope so. I don’t think he’s going to leave WVU, but he’s a winning, young coach who would put Michigan in a position to compete for a national title just about every year. Problem is he turned down another legendary program to stay at West Virginia. I’d put him at 35% chance of coming to Ann Arbor.

As the title suggests, I don’t see it happening and not just because Rich seems to be clear of the coaching carousel this season. And not because LSU’s Les Miles is still a top candidate. Rather, I just cannot see Rodriguez and John Beilein together again. Forget the fact Beilein’s transition is sputtering alongand that the other WVU export Rodriguez now has the Pitt loss attached to his resume and his hiring likely wouldn’t excite the masses.

Instead, remember that when those two shared space at WVU, they were like Felix and Oscar, only without the friendliness. One of the reasons Beilein left (allegedly) was because his program could not get the preferential treatment Rodriguez’s football program received. Of course, football is priority 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 at Michigan, but he was said to be very satisfied with the situation he was entering and of his place in the pecking order.    

One can only wonder how Beilein reacted to the news his replacement, Bob Huggins, had already staged a successful campaign for a new practice facility. Imagine the response if he were to learn of a reunion with Rodriguez!