Michigan now a 'Big House' divided

Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

Ann Arbor -- In-fighting and dissension among the group of "Michigan Men," who helped lead the Wolverines football program to national prominence, never have been part of the equation.

There never was any mud-slinging, no visible dissension, no public airing of laundry.

Not until recently.

"We've always perceived Michigan as this tower-in-the-sky type of thing, but we're like everyone else," former Michigan linebacker Ron Simpkins said. "We've never been through this. Other programs have gone through this ... but we've never experienced it.

"Change is good sometimes."

It would be extreme to describe the family of "Michigan Men" as deeply fractured or dysfunctional these days, nearly two years since Rich Rodriguez, the first "outsider" since 1969, was hired to lead the Wolverines.

But unquestionably, there's a disconnect in the family.

It's been simmering since the search to replace Lloyd Carr, who retired following the 2007 season after 13 years as head coach.

There was a large number of Michigan Men who wanted former player and assistant and current LSU coach Les Miles to take over, thereby keeping alive the Bo Schembechler lineage -- "disciples" Gary Moeller and Carr followed Schembechler.

Now, there's a perception those Miles backers never will be happy with Rodriguez.

It didn't help Rodriguez's cause that his first team went 3-9 a year ago, Michigan's bowl streak ended after 33 straight appearances, players transferred -- as often is the case in coaching transitions -- and then just before this season, an internal investigation was launched to review alleged misconduct regarding the NCAA rule regulating weekly practice hours.

Then there's Carr, an associate athletic director who keeps an office in Weidenbach Hall within the same campus that includes Schembechler Hall, the football building. Carr draws a $337,493 salary working as a fund-raiser, giving numerous speeches and, as his contract indicates, "other duties as determined by the athletic director."

Carr's reluctance to do interviews since Rodriguez's hire has drawn the ire of some fans -- and former players -- who wonder why he hasn't vocally supported the new coach and his staff. His silence, to some, is baffling.

'We don't need that'

Most former Michigan players, while acknowledging there are some differences of opinion regarding the current program, did not want to talk publicly about what many consider a division in the family.

"Michigan doesn't do that stuff out in the public," said former offensive guard Dick Caldarazzo (1968-69).

Some do, though, and have spoken publicly about the apparent division in support of Rodriguez and the current program.

"There is a divide right now," Andy Mignery, a former quarterback/tight end (2001-03) said last Monday on Ann-Arbor based WTKA radio. "You've got some people on this side of the fence, some people at the other side of the fence. At the end of the day ... they've just got to let it relax in my mind if you're a true blue Michigan man, if you bleed maize and blue, you're going to put your energy into wanting this program to succeed.

"So the people that are bringing different stuff to the whole scene here and trying to smear this or do that in a negative light, screw you. ... We don't need that. We need collectively as a Michigan group, as a Michigan family to collectively want this program, and put that pride and energy and the backing and support to want this program to succeed. If you for a second have any hesitation (for) what I just said, you're not a Michigan man, and you're not a Michigan true blue Wolverine. Period."

Former Michigan quarterback Rick Leach, who did not return a call for an interview request, has become close to Rodriguez since his arrival. He has spoken positively about Rodriguez since the beginning and hasn't been shy about calling the local radio station to back the coach.

In fact, early last week, after Michigan played at Iowa, Leach called WTKA to voice his concern about a newspaper item that indicated Carr was in the press box at Iowa. There were no details about where Carr sat or who invited him, but Leach took exception.

"Who's ticket did he go on, who's private box was he sitting and who's university staff was in the box with him?" Leach said. "As far as I'm concerned, I love our coach (Rodriguez), I love what they're trying to do. Our ex-coach flipped a huge middle finger right in our current coach's face. So ask people to investigate that."

Carr declined a request to be interviewed.

Leach's comments made the rounds and appeared last week in USA Today. The first sentence of the article read: "No school may be more paranoid than Michigan."

A day after Leach's comments, former Michigan tight end Aaron Shea called to defend Carr, saying he was "disturbed about how (Leach) called out Coach Carr."

"There's not a bigger Michigan Man that I know than Lloyd Carr and look who he learned from -- Bo," Shea said on WTKA. "Bo coached Rick Leach, and for him to call (out) Lloyd Carr really, frankly, pisses me off."

'At least we have some fight'

This type of public jousting has made many in the Michigan family cringe.

"What is the purpose?" said former player Mike Jolly, now the athletic director of the Troy School District.

Simpkins laughed about it, saying his teammates and the men who played later under Schembechler are all "fiery" guys. He said he gets text messages every day from teammates who want to discuss the state of the program.

"Venting all day," Simpkins said, laughing. "That's what we do, we complain. I don't know any football players who don't complain. They all whine and complain. I kind of like this friction. At least we have some fight and life. It's exciting to me. I'm waiting to see who says something next."

Some former players, though, said they believe Michigan has become a national laughingstock because of the apparent in-fighting. They worry about perception and don't like that Simpkins just might be right -- Michigan has lost whatever they believed was unique about the program and now is just like any other.

Mostly, though, they dispute any suggestion that, to use Rodriguez's theme for Michigan this season, they are not "all in" for Michigan football. They dispute that anyone's loyalty to the program should ever be questioned, and that includes those who fiercely support Rodriguez and those who may remain disappointed Miles was not hired.

"If Rich wins, God bless him," Caldarazzo said. "If he does it the right way, God bless him. If he brings the kids along and they get their degrees and if they come back in 10 years and talk about how much they love him, that's great.

"If there is any divisiveness, it's created by the guys overly vociferous for Rich. We don't have to have pep rallies every day -- we're for him."

Power lunch

Rodriguez said during his weekly radio show that he had lunch Thursday with Carr and athletic director Bill Martin.

Martin announced on Wednesday he will officially retire Sept. 4, 2010.

"We got to talk a little football, and Lloyd had great success against Penn State, so we talked about some things there," Rodriguez said.

The Wolverines face No. 13 Penn State on Saturday.

Rodriguez also said cornerback Boubacar Cissoko, who was suspended before the Iowa game but has continued to practice with the team, has had a good week and could play but would not start against the Nittany Lions.

"If he does what he needs to do (Friday), he’ll be ready to go in action Saturday," Rodriguez said.

angelique.chengelis@ detnews.com