By: MARK SNYDER (Detroit Free Press) — The most-asked question among the Michigan fan base the past month: What will it take for the Wolverines to turn around the terrible losses of the past two years?

“Having a better team,” coach Rich Rodriguez said today. “We’ll win more of these games and other games when we have a better team than the team we’re playing.”

Later, he was asked for more specifics about a timetable, Rodriguez cited having just one full recruiting class during his tenure. Those players are freshmen now, just 19 years old. He said things would change when those players “are 20 or 21.”

The rest of his news conference was split between questions about his personal situation guiding the program, how he’s dealing with issues and Ohio State, this week’s opponent.

He took particular exception, though, when asked about what he has learned about the rivalry. He said he knows as much as any coach could.

“Everybody is concerned, talking to me about the rivalry,” said Rodriguez, who said his fondest memory of the rivalry was the epic U-M upset in 1969. “I’ve said this 100 times: The first day I got the job, somebody gave me a ‘Beat Ohio State’ button, and I still have it on my desk. I hadn’t even had my first press conference yet. If you follow college football, you understand the rivalry.

“Just because I did not coach here before, I did not play here, I’m not from the state of Michigan does not mean I don’t understand the rivalry. I understand the rivalry as well as any coach could possibly understand it. I’ve only played in it in one game. Trust me, I understand the importance for the rivalry. I understand it from before I took the job, I understand it after I took the job. I understand the importance of it. You coach as hard as you can. I’m going to give you a……

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