Lloyd Carr says he is not sick, not retiring and, is not becoming athletic director.
Carr held a press conference at Crisler Arena before Saturday’s basketball game against Notre Dame to dispel the numerous rumors that he would be leaving his post as Michigan football coach after the season.
“I’ll make this short,” Carr said. “I’m not sick, and I’m not retiring.”
Carr called the press conference to assure recruits that he indeed will be around if they decide to come to Ann Arbor. The time between a team’s final regular-season game and its bowl game is a crucial period for recruiting in college football, and Michigan hosted a number of recruits this weekend.
Rumors about Carr’s status had increased since Michigan’s loss to Ohio State, and Carr said that two recruits told him this past week that they had heard them.
Carr said he decided to hold a press conference because he felt the rumors had come to a point where he had to say something. He said that he had not addressed the team about the issues but planned on doing so during yesterday’s practice.
The rumors had, for the most part, centered on Carr’s health and his desire to eventually become athletic director. According to Carr, many of the rumors came from within the national “coaching fraternity,” with coaches using them against Michigan for recruiting. Carr said that he knew who some of the coaches were, but would not disclose their names.
Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp wrote in October that there were questions about Carr’s health and that there was a contingency plan in place for associate head coach Fred Jackson to take over the team in the event of an emergency.
Speculation of Carr’s retirement has also been a hot-button topic on Internet message boards over the past month.
But Carr said that he has no health problems, has no desire to become athletic director and no timetable regarding his departure.
“As long as my health is good and my desire to do this job doesn’t wavier, then I intend to coach,” Carr said.
Carr later joked that he would not coach for more than 20 more years.
In 10 years as Michigan’s head coach, Carr has compiled a 95-27 record, a national championship and five Big Ten titles.
Carr has led the Wolverines to a bowl game every year as Michigan’s head coach and set a school record with four straight bowl wins from 1998-2001.