Michigan Fan Comes Out of Hiding

It's been a shocking two weeks for me, and likely for most other Michigan fans out there. We're not used to this kind of thing.

I knew it was going to be a down year, as most times a program goes through such a complete overhaul, there are some growing pains. This program's overhaul was one of epic proportions.

Even if they weren't learning new offenses and defenses, keep in mind that this team lost five offensive starters from last season, three of which were star-level players. But then consider that they also had a completely new coaching staff teaching them entirely new offenses and defenses, and bad things were sure to happen.

And two freshman QBs fighting for the starting job? Yeah. Not good.

So, like many others, I was ready for a disappointing year: You know, six wins, barely keeping the bowl streak alive, struggling at home against MSU, but still handling the teams they were supposed to beat...

Who would have thought we'd be killing for that scenario?

Watching Michigan lose the heartbreaker to Purdue Saturday, I couldn't help but shake my head—not in amazement that they were losing to the Boilermakers, but in amazement that I wasn't shocked about it. And this loss was following up a loss to a MSU, which followed up losing to a poor MAC team? At home?

And so, for the first time in my life, I'm resigned to the fact that my Wolverines are, at best, a mediocre football program.

Just in recent memory: App. State, OSU's dominance, losing at home to MSU, and likely no better than three wins this year...let that all fester for a second.

Last year's bowl win over Florida was nice, and the comeback against Wisconsin helped, but there's a nasty taste in the mouths of most Michigan fans these days, and no amount of Listerine can get rid of it. The only remedy is time, unfortunately.

So we look to next year. Will it be any better? Can it get any worse? They'll boast a new QB who fits the system in Tate Forcier, which should help. But now the choice is between a below-average Threet and an unproven freshman in Forcier. And can a QB named "Tate" really lead a storied program back to glory?

With a full year under the new offensive and defensive systems, many of the struggles should take care of themselves. But if this team can't show signs of life by the start of the 2009 Big Ten (11) season, the questions will move from personnel to the man leading them.

Rich Rodriguez is already feeling heat from many longtime supporters of the program, but he's being given time to make things right. But this is Michigan. Ann Arbor is home to the leaders and best.

If the Wolverines look like the same group of confused and incompetent players after three games next season, it'll be time for RichRod to answer the criticism himself.

For the sake of the program, let's hope that doesn't happen.