20/20 Foresight For 2009 Michigan Wolverine Football

After a demoralizing 38-13 loss to Illinois, things around Ann Arbor look pretty bleak.  Michigan football is no longer resurgent, instead feeling stagnant. The moribund feeling of 2008 is creeping into the hearts and minds of many Wolverine faithful. The dreams and expectations of being a factor in the Big Ten are dissipating.

However, should the Wolverine fan base really have expected to be a factor in the Big Ten? Did the Big Blue faithful get too excited about Tate Forcier and Rich Rodriguez's improved offense? Was the hiring of a successful defensive coordinator going to improve a suspect defense? Are the 2009 Michigan Wolverines really that good?

As good as a 4-0 start feels, it was very nearly 2-2. Michigan beat Notre Dame with the assistance of poor coaching decisions by Charlie Weiss. Indiana took Michigan down to the wire. 

Indiana?

The cliche goes, "hindsight is 20/20." However, for the 2009 Wolverines, it appears foresight is 20/20. Consider the following predictions for the 2009 Michigan Wolverines:

 - NationalChamps.net predicted a 5-7 season, stating, "Just getting bowl-eligible is going to be a major hurdle".

 - Scout.com stated that "...a bowl game would be a terrific step for a program."

 - ESPN.com predicted an eighth-place finish and a possible bowl game (Motor City).

Sure, predictions are just one person's opinion and there were several others who felt Michigan would be a conference contender. However, most Wolverine fans would have admitted they would have been fine with a .500 season, which is about where this squad will end up regardless of the outcome of the last three games of the season.

Is there hope for the future? Of course. Michigan has been relying on a freshman quarterback to drive the offense.  The offensive line is improved from 2008, although losing David Molk has proved devastating. Defensively, everyone knows that Greg Robinson knows defense and there is improving young talent on this side of the football. 

Do questions still swirl around the future of Michigan football? Again, of course. While Forcier and the offense have performed well at times, they also have had moments that resemble the 2008 model: slow and unimaginative. Turnovers still plague this unit. 

Defensively, the 3-4 rover-type defense Robinson and Rodriguez installed this year has not stopped anyone. The secondary has remained a wreck (outside of Donovan Warren) for two years now, with little signs of improvement. 

Ultimately, the highs and lows of the 2009 Michigan football season are the earmarks of a younger, developing squad.  As bad as being stopped four times from the one-yard line feels, frankly, it is symbolic of the Wolverines' expectations entering 2009: closer to the goal, but not quite yet.