RichRod: Social media 'evening the playing field' between big, small schools
Don't let the high-octane offense and the unlimited jersey combinations fool you. Rich Rodriguez is an old-school guy.
You can imagine his reaction when NAU was referred to as a Div. I FCS team.
"I call it one-double-A," he said with a grin. "There are too many alphabet letters out there. We're one-A, they're one-double-A."
Bigger doesn't always mean better. Arizona Wildcats players watched last week as Jacksonville State led Auburn before falling apart at the end of regulation and losing in overtime. They know that Portland State beat Washington State mere weeks ago, and that both Kansas and Wyoming have been thumped by small colleges this season.
There's a reason for the rash of upsets dating back to Appalachian State's 2007 win over Michigan, an upset that — coincidentally — led to Rodriguez hiring as the Wolverines' head coach. Cheap, available technology is allowing players to create their own highlight films, and the rise of Facebook and Twitter allows them to reach out to programs that wouldn't have the time or resources to notice them otherwise. Technology and social media might help explain why NAU's roster includes players from Louisiana, Idaho, Texas, Michigan, Maryland, Tennessee, Oregon, Montana and Florida.
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"Social media is evening the playing field," he said. "My son (Rhett) is doing the same thing … you can get it out to any team in the country in a matter of minutes. It's helped schools that didn't have the budget to find players."
