Michigan Football: How Wolverines Failed to Meet Expectations in 2014

Instead of sitting comfortably at 8-2 or 7-3, Michigan is stuck in a rut at 5-5 (3-3 Big Ten), fighting for bowl eligibility and searching for a little respect before closing an incredibly disappointing, yet familiar, season under coach Brady Hoke.

But it wasn’t supposed to be this way for Team 135—not by a long shot. With another star-studded recruiting class entering the mix, the 2014 Wolverines were thought to be Hoke’s best yet.

Finally, after three years, his offensive line was going to materialize. Finally, after a year-and-a-half of starting, quarterback Devin Gardner was going to live up to his potential and reach new heights with the offense.

Neither happened; instead, the fifth-year senior has struggled more than ever behind an offensive line that has never looked worse.

Back in August, the possibilities were endless. Today, finishing with a victory over Maryland before taking a beating from Ohio State is all the Wolverines have left.

How did this come to be?

Failure to Develop Gardner

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

It’s been seven years since the Wolverines had a steady pocket passer. That drought was supposed to end this season, as offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier galloped his way from Alabama to Ann Arbor to fix the Wolverines signal-caller.

It was an airtight plan. Nussmeier had the Tide pedigree, not to mention an NFL resume and a list of successful quarterbacks from which to reference and compare. Gardner wasn't going to be AJ McCarron, but he was certainly going to stand tall behind his line and fire darts to all kinds of receivers.

Nope.

This year has been the opposite.

Frequently running for his life, he continuously completes passes to the other team, all the while putting Michigan further and further behind the competition. It’s harsh criticism, sure, but it’s just: Gardner has cost more than he’s gained. He’s regressed into a one-dimensional, one-read quarterback who is easily rattled and thrown out of rhythm.

He's never had full command of everything and everyone within the offense. 

Eighty of his 139 completions are to two receivers—Devin Funchess (50) and Amara Darboh (30). On top of that, he’s thrown for a meager 1,557 yards, eight touchdowns (none on the road) and a career-high 13 interceptions (eight on the road).

That stat line is a mere fraction of the 3,000-yard, 25-touchdown season many thought was within his reach.

It's not just this season; it’s this past year too. The failure to properly develop Gardner, who’s been injured in one way or another for two years, has been the biggest knock of the Hoke administration. If you have no quarterback, you get no points. 

Gardner’s curtain call wasn’t supposed to be so rough. This was supposed be the year it all came together for him and for Michigan, which has fallen short of expectations with the league's No. 12-ranked scoring offense (20.7 PPG) and No. 14-ranked total offense (322.6 YPG). 

No O-Line

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

This season has been the worst-case scenario for a line that lost left tackle Taylor Lewan and right tackle Michael Schofield to the NFL. Really, 2013 was bad enough with them in the lineup. Without them, it's been O-line 101. 

Darrell Funk coaches the position group, yet he's seldom mentioned in the discussion. It's always Hoke who's being blamed for a horrible offensive front. Now that Dave Brandon has resigned from his post as athletic director, expect everyone's job to be put under the microscope. 

There are a lot of holes in Funk's body of work. Just look at the game film. 

Had the Wolverines taken the expected developmental leaps up front, this season could have been very different, which is easy to say. But "what-ifs" are part of the routine these days, so ask away. 

Another "Blah" Year of the RB

David Banks/Getty Images

Frustration from the fanbase mounts each time Michigan runs in circles. Just like in years past, the Wolverines never got into gear on the ground. Derrick Green was almost there, but he was lost for the remainder of the year with a broken clavicle. 

This past Saturday, De'Veon Smith ran for a career-high 122 yards. His three-yard touchdown helped his team slip past Northwestern 10-9—"slip by" or "put down," whichever you prefer. Aesthetically, it was brutal. But it was arguably the sophomore's finest overall showing yet. 

It was against the lowly Wildcats, though. And other than during Week 1's romp over Appalachian State, he hasn't sniffed 100 yards, turning in anywhere from five to 50 in eight games. 

The week prior, Drake Johnson, also a sophomore, rushed for a career-high 121 yards and two touchdowns during Team 135's 34-10 homecoming win over Indiana, another Big Ten bottom-dweller. 

The names have changed, but the story's been the same since 2012. 

No Breaks Lead to Tough Breaks

In 2013, the Wolverines lost four games by a combined 11 points, giving reason to believe they were indeed a shade better than their record suggested. A bounce here, another there, maybe a few fewer injuries, and who knows? If not for bad luck, they could have won 10 games. 

A year ago, the defensive backs finished with 17 picks, the second-most in the Big Ten. This season could be viewed in the same way, but instead of using losses and combined points, use lost opportunities and lack of generated turnovers.

Michigan has five interceptions through 10 games, coming in at No. 13 in the B1G. What if Blake Countess, Jourdan Lewis and Ray Taylor snagged a few more? 

What if the Wolverines weren't last with a minus-13 turnover margin? They had four versus Notre Dame and lost 31-0, four versus Utah and lost 26-10, one versus Rutgers and lost 26-24, and three versus Michigan State, which had two itself, and lost 35-11. 

Hindsight's always 20/20.

An interception or a fumble recovery wasn't going to beat the Irish or the Spartans, but the fact remains that many of the Wolverines' wounds have been self-inflicted. It's fair to look back and think of what 2014 could have been. 

Most teams play one opponent Saturday, but Michigan has had to battle itself and the team across the line of scrimmage for the past three years. 

"

He’d prefer a blindfold. RT @BTNBrentYarina: BREAKING: Brady Hoke caught with a headset on. pic.twitter.com/exFY3YBryK

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 8, 2014"

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.