Raleigh, N.C. – Michigan fans evidently needed to see a little bit more from Rich Rodriguez this year than a 7-5 season and a trip to the Gator Bowl. Just 32% want him to return as the team’s coach in 2011 with 35% explicitly wanting him to be replaced and 33% unsure on the issue.
Those numbers represent a decline of support for Rodriguez. A May PPP poll found that 51% of Michigan fans wanted to see Rodriguez continue as coach while only 20% hoped to see him removed. Since that time support for him continuing has declined by 19 points while support for him leaving has increased by 15 points.
Michigan fans generally just don’t like Rodriguez. Only 20% have a favorable opinion of him to 38% who view him in a negative light. The 20% who view him favorably is identical to what it was in May but the unfavorable rating is up 12 points from 26% in that earlier poll. A fair number of fans who were on the fence about Rodriguez have now moved into the negative column.
To put Rodriguez’s numbers into perspective, North Carolina Coach Butch Davis sported a positive 41/20 approval spread on an October poll and 57% of the school’s fans wanted him to continue compared to only 14% who wanted him fired. Obviously the expectations are higher at Michigan, but Davis’ far superior numbers came despite his team posting the same record as the Wolverines this year and during the middle of an NCAA investigation that could land the program on probation.
While Michigan fans are pretty divided on whether Rodriguez should stay or if he should go, there’s a pretty broad consensus on who the school should target to replace him if he is indeed fired. 64% would like Jim Harbaugh to be the next coach compared to 23% who pick Les Miles and only 3% who want Brady Hoke.
“Rich Rodriguez is unpopular with the Michigan fan base and has little support to remain as football coach,” said Tom Jensen, Director of Public Policy Polling. “Meanwhile any concern Michigan fans might have had about Harbaugh’s comments about the school’s academic standards a few years ago have been assuaged by Stanford’s winning ways on the football field.”
PPP surveyed 1,224 Michigan voters, including 393 who identified themselves as Michigan fans, from December 3rd to 6th. The survey’s overall margin of error is +/-2.8% and the margin of error for those describing themselves as Michigan fans is +/-4.9%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you consider yourself to be a Michigan or
Michigan State fan, or are you not a fan of
either school?
Michigan ………………………………………………… 33%
Michigan State ………………………………………… 34%
Not a fan of either school ………………………….. 32%
Q2 (Michigan fans only) Do you have a favorable
or unfavorable opinion of Rich Rodriguez?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 20%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 42%
Q3 (Michigan fans only) Would you like to see Rich
Rodriguez continue to be Michigan’s football
coach next season or would you like to see him
replaced?
Would like to see him continue ………………….. 32%
Would like to see him replaced ………………….. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 33%
Q4 (Michigan fans only) If Rich Rodriguez was
replaced who would you most like to see as
Michigan’s football coach next season: Jim
Harbaugh, Brady Hoke, or Les Miles?
Jim Harbaugh …………………………………………. 64%
Brady Hoke…………………………………………….. 3%
Les Miles………………………………………………… 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q5 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 45%
Conservative…………………………………………… 38%
Q6 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 49%
Man……………………………………………………….. 51%
Q7 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 35%
Republican……………………………………………… 35%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 29%
Q8 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 82%
African-American …………………………………….. 14%
Other……………………………………………………… 4%
Q9 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 7%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 31%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 43%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 19%
