Michigan Wolverines' Season Will Mercifully Come to an End on Saturday

They won't have to suffer much longer. We won't have to suffer much longer.

The end of the season can't get here soon enough for the Michigan Wolverines and what a season it has been.

At this point, the once promising 2009 campaign, can now only be looked upon with utter disgust. Disgust at the way it ended. Disgust at what could have been, and what now is.

Folks, Michigan has sunk to rock bottom. They are the worst team in the Big 10. When is the last time that could be said about the Wolverines? Possibly never?

That this team was once 4-0 seems like an impossibility. In fact I wouldn't believe you if you told me, had I not seen it myself.

From 4-0 they of course transitioned to 5-6, with the lone win in the Wolverines last seven games coming against FCS opponent, Delaware State.

The plummet can be attributed to a multitude of things.

1) Injuries

Starting center David Molk went down with a knee injury a few games into the season, which forced the entire offensive line to readjust. It began with miscues and bad snaps from center, and has morphed into good old fashioned inconsistency.

Wide reciever Martvaious Odoms has also been hampered for most of the season with a knee injury.

2) NCAA Investigation

The giant elephant in the room. The team got off to a 4-0 start on a defiant high when the investigations were announced, however that can only last for so long. It may be weighing on this team now, as the investigation heats up. It was recently announced that Michigan did not keep any time logs during the 2008 season.

3) Freshmen at quarterback

Tate Forcier certainly didn't appear to be the average freshman quarterback through the first half of the season. He led big time comebacks against Notre Dame and Indiana, and nearly accomplished the same feat against Michigan State and Iowa as well. Then he began to regress. His accuracy decreased, his turnovers increased.

Rich Rodriguez also appeared to lose some faith in the young Forcier as fellow freshman, Denard "Shoelace" Robinson got more and more playing time, often with disastrous results.

However it wouldn't be fair to place all the blame on the quarterback situation.

4) The defense

It's the worst defense Michigan has ever had, to put it bluntly. There are a few factors that go into this.

Greg Robinson is the third defensive coordinator in three years at Michigan. Although Robinson has a solid reputation as a defensive guru and has the Superbowl ring to prove it, he still has to undo the damage done by Schafer. At least, we hope that's all it is.

One of Michigan's prized secondary recruits, Boubacar Cissoko, was also kicked off the team midway through the season for violating team rules. That spiraled an already shaky secondary into utter chaos.

Other positions on the defense suffer from a lack of depth. The linebackers are in complete disarray with Obi Ezeh getting benched against Illinois in favor of a walk-on, and the tackles resembling a Swiss cheese line.

Brandon Graham and freshman Craig Roh seem to be the only bright spots here. Unfortuantely, Graham is a senior and won't be back in 2010.

Michigan has allowed 35 or more points, four games in a row, and at least 30 points in eight out of 11 games.

All of this seems to be getting to embattled coach, Rich Rodriguez. It is possible he is now losing his grip on his players.

Tate Forcier spoke out after the Wisconsin game, revealing that Denard Robinson took all the snaps with the first team offense leading up to the game, but Rodriguez started Forcier anyway, and played him for most of the game.

Where is the logic in that?

Is it any wonder then, that there are rumors circling of Forcier wanting to transfer out?

Now, the 5-6 Wolverines limp into the Ohio State game. A rivalry that has now lost most of its luster.

Michigan needs a victory in their final game just to become bowl eligible. Truthfully, they will be lucky to keep it within three touchdowns.

If Wisconsin can put up 45 points, and Illinois and Purdue can decimate you with over 300 yards rushing, what will Ohio State do?

I shudder to think, but I will watch with a wince on my face anyway.

There is no telling what next season will bring now. There is only uncertainty. What will the results of the NCAA investigation bring? Will Michigan's defense be shored up with the new recruiting class? Will more players transfer out? Who will start at Quarterback next year? Tate Forcier? Denard Robinson? Devin Gardner? Is Justin Turner the real deal? How about Will Campbell?

At any rate, Michigan should not accept anything less than a winning Big 10 record from Rodriguez next year. At bare minimum.

For now, this season cannot end soon enough. This team has been embarrassed, beaten, degraded, and decimated. They enter the Ohio State game with their tail between their legs and if there is any fight left in them at all, hopefully they will unleash it all on the Buckeyes.

Maybe, just maybe, this season can end with a glimmer of hope. One bright spot in an ocean of ugly. A momentum boost for 2010 and a small reason for hope.