The State of Michigan Football

The State of Michigan Football.

I was looking back at some old blog entries and this was the title of one of them.  I wrote that one after the Gator Bowl and what ended up being Rich Rod’s last game as coach.  The time that followed led to much excitement about the upcoming season.  Michigan didn’t get the coaches they wanted, but ended up with a guy that seemed to fulfil all the requirements.  The Wolverines then won 11 games the next season and the Sugar Bowl.  Then each season to follow it has gotten worse.  Other than 2 wins against Notre Dame, 1 win against Michigan State, 1 win against Ohio State, and a lucky win against Virginia Tech there has not been much to brag about. 

As it turns Brady Hoke hasn’t been able to do anything since Rich Rod’s players have left campus.   Now Rich Rod is coaching an Arizona team that is still ranked while Michigan is barely holding on.  With four games left in the season against Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, and Northwestern, Michigan needs to win 3 of them to become bowl eligible.  In my opinion they will be lucky to win 1 of those games.

Michigan has already lost to Notre Dame this season in a blowout.  The last game for the foreseeable future and they don’t even put points on the board.  They were blown out by Michigan State again.  They were also blown out by Minnesota.  They mishandled a situation with their quarterback in a game where he clearly was concussed on a play.  Now today the Athletic Director steps down.  This is the beginning of yet another year of what will likely be a lot of turnover in the Michigan football program.  Brady Hoke will likely be fired at the end of the season.

The problem is while some exciting names have been thrown around in the last few months, why would any of them want to take the job.  Les Miles is not leaving LSU until he is forced out.  Let’s be honest I hope we are playing much better by the time that is likely to happen.  Jim Harbaugh is still the head coach of an NFL team with playoff hopes.  A team he has taken to the NFC championship all three years he has been there and one Super Bowl.  Why would he leave unless he was forced out?  That won’t happen until the NFL season is over.  That means Michigan would also have to wait until December or January to even make a move like that.  Plus, Michigan has offered the job to both of these men before and they have turned it down.  Why would this time be different?  I have heard John Harbaugh, again he is the head football coach for the Ravens a team that regularly makes the playoffs and has won a Super Bowl in the last two years.  I don’t see him leaving.  Lastly people keep throwing out John Gruden.  I believe he has also been offered the job.  He has been offered almost every job opening in college and the NFL since joining ESPN.  He has said no to all offers.  Even if most are only rumored.  Why would he choose now to leave the booth to coach?  Who does that leave to coach this program into the future?

I hope Michigan takes its time making these decisions.   As a fan I can’t take watching this team win 6, 7, 8 or even 9 games a season.  A program like Michigan should be contending for the B1G title every year.  If they are doing that they should also be contending for National Championships.  Somebody please bring back the glory that once was Michigan football.  The program that made icons out of people like Charles Woodson, Tom Brady, Desmond Howard, and so many that came before them.