Wolverine Wednesday: Where Do We Go From Here?

Is there a light at the end of this tunnel?  That is Michigan's biggest question right now.

Michigan has lost three games in a row this year and is 0-1 in what has been known as the "winnable stretch."  This weekend, Michigan plays a much-improved Illinois team that has beat the Wolverines twice in a row.  There isn't a team in the nation that needs a win more then the Wolverines.  A win would equal a bowl game, and more importantly 14-15 days of practice. 

If you think about it, this team has missed out on 30 days of practice the last two years by missing a bowl game in consecutive years.  That's equivalent to one fall camp.  You can't miss that much time with a young team.  It's a competitive disadvantage.

So now what? Fire Rich Rodriguez. Fire Greg Robinson. Or both.

In my mind, Robinson is gone either way.  He has done nothing this year to improve the defense or even make them competitive.  Nobody was expecting this defense to be the Baltimore Ravens, but we hoped to see improvement during the year.  We have seen regression.

Now the RR decision.  On one hand you can say Michigan's offense is explosive and rated very high in the nation.  That is Rich's expertise and he deserves one more year to find a person who can fix the defense.

On the other hand, you can say that Rich is the head coach making $3 million a year and has been through two DC's in the last three years.  Since he is the CEO of Michigan football and this defense is ultimately his responsibility, he should be fired. 

One thing most people are not thinking about is the NCAA.  What is taking so long on that decision?  Many people expected a decision six weeks after the meeting in early August.  We are in November and still have heard nothing.  With all the "good" luck Michigan has been having lately, don't you just expect to hear something from the NCAA in the next couple of weeks?  Or how about the week of the Ohio State game?  Wouldn't that be perfect timing?

Also, don't forget that if the NCAA comes down hard on the Michigan football program, David Brandon can fire Rodriguez without paying his buyout.  Rich can't lose to Illinois and Purdue along with an NCAA announcement and keep his job, which will hurt recruiting and many other things.

If Brandon does cut Rodriguez loose, he better have a coach all but signed up.  I don't want another Bill Martin fishing trip like he went on three years ago.  By the way, it shouldn't be Les Miles; he has done more to lose the Michigan job than earn it the last few years.  LSU fans would pack up his house and move him to Ann Arbor for free.  

The name that keeps coming up is Jim Harbaugh. If he is the one, I want him announced as the Michigan head coach the day after it lets Rodriguez go.  Michigan can not "mail in" this recruiting class. It just can't afford to. 

If they hire Jim, expect some more down years since he plays a power pro style offense, or just the opposite of Rodriguez.  Not an easy decision, is it?

Rodriguez will be coaching for his Michigan career over the next two weeks.  It will be interesting to see what happens.  The news about JT Floyd's ankle doesn't help.