Lloyd Carr retired as coach at Michigan following the 2007 season and another loss to Ohio State. Tressel had compiled a 6–1 record against Carr's Michigan teams, leaving Carr with a 6–7 career record against Ohio State. In December 2007, Michigan hired West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez to take over the football program. Rodriguez, known for his expertise in the spread offense, represented a significant departure from the Wolverines' traditional power running style. Furthermore, both Carr and his predecessor Gary Moeller had been apprenticed by the now-legendary Schembechler, and Rodriguez's hiring marked the first time in 40 years that a Michigan football team would not be coached by a member of the "Woody Hayes coaching tree".