Uh...Michigan Does Have a Defense, Correct?

What was that? Seriously. What was that?

Today I saw a Purdue offense that really isn't very good, that was playing with a backup quarterback, that had the same 2-6 record as Michigan, drop 48 points on the Wolverines.

Before this season started, the Wolverines defense was widely regarded as arguably the best in the Big 10 and one of the top units in the nation. In four of the last five games (and really, Toledo shouldn't even count) Michigan has given up 48 points to Purdue, 35 points to Michigan State, 46 points to Penn State, and 45 points to Illinois.

This defense really hasn't been on their game all year and if you really want a reason for the Wolverines dreadful 2-7 record, look no further than the defense.

I think Rich Rodriguez stressed sufficiently enough that the defense was going to have to carry the team in a season in which there were freshman starters at quarterback, running back, receiver, and offensive line. Apparently the players didn't listen, or they just don't care, or they've folded under pressure, or they've completely tuned out Rodriguez.

The offense might be making strides, and they might not be. Today was the first time the Michigan offense scored over 30 points on the season. They actually scored 42 points and barely missed pulling off a hail Mary at the end which would have won the game if the extra point was made. If the defense was even half good today, Michigan would have won handily.

Instead Michigan will now hear for the rest of the season about the streaks that ended today. The 40 year streak of non-losing season is over. The 33 year streak of bowl games is over.

Michigan hasn't hit rock bottom quite yet. The school has never lost eight or more games in a season, but that seems all but inevitable now. It can't get worse after that though, even if Michigan finishes 2-10.

Back to what I was saying about the Wolverines defense. If they folded under the pressure of having to step it up, then that's a major failure. It shows NFL scouts that the juniors and seniors are not NFL starting material and it shows their lack of heart.

If its not caring, that gives a lot of insight and would explain why this season was doomed from the start. If the seniors on this team never bought into Rodriguez and Schafer's system from the start, they couldn't exactly transfer. They were stuck here, and they might have been extremely unhappy about it.

If its tuning out Rodriguez, then the team has real problems that will last beyond this season. If the team has tuned their coach out before his first season is already over, this ship is sunk and it won't recover.

I will give Rodriguez the benefit of the doubt for now, but it is tentative. In Rodriguez's first season at West Virginia, he turned in a 3-8 record. The following season, he went 9-4.

However, I don't think Michigan fans are going to be satisfied with just a 9-4 season next year. After all, many fans were disappointed with four loss seasons every other year from Lloyd Carr.

Particularly after a season when two streaks that have stood for longer than current Michigan students have been alive have been ended, Rodriguez really needs to get Michigan into a BCS bowl next season or his credibility is destroyed.

Will Michigan even make it to 3-8 this year? They are on a five game losing streak right now and Minnesota and Northwestern aren't exactly pushovers this season.

Beating Ohio State is really the only thing the team has left to play for. I'm not sure the last time Michigan lost to all four of their rivals (Notre Dame, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Ohio State) in the same season. So hopefully the team can at least save some face and keep the little brown jug or beat the hated Buckeyes.

No matter how you put it though. This is a sad sad day in the history of Michigan Wolverines football.

When people look back at this season they will see all the freshmen that started on offense and give them a mulligan there. They'll see all the defensive standouts though and wonder what happened.

With that much defensive talent, this team should have been better. There is no doubt about it. Michigan should have been better.