There’s no shame in losing to Iowa, even at home. I just want to get that out of the way right now.
There is shame, however, in winning four Big Ten games (two against Indiana) in a little more than two seasons. That’s what Rich Rodriguez and Michigan are looking at right now. Needless to say, that’s not sitting well with Michigan fans.
And it shouldn’t. Rodriguez is in his third year at Michigan, and the same problems keep coming up. He has an offense that’s explosive, but prone to turnovers and breakdowns against good teams. A big part of that is the fact he’s had a first-year starter in each of his three years. As good as Denard Robinson has been this year, I think people forget that he’s a sophomore who didn’t start until Week 1 against UConn.
The real problem, however, is the defense. Oh, the defense. Part of it’s scheme, as Michigan has recruited for, and dedicated itself to the 3-3-5. I don’t think that defense is built for the Big Ten, which features mostly teams that want to run the ball down your throat and hit you with play-action passing. But even more than that is the general lack of talent and fundamentals on the field. Sure, injuries have hurt, especially in the secondary, but that shouldn’t excuse a linebacker’s inability to tackle someone.
Today’s loss to Iowa dropped Michigan to 5-2 on the year, which isn’t bad, especially considering who the losses came to. But unless something changes quickly, the losses are going to continue to pile up. I have a hard time seeing the Wolverines beating Ohio State (which would put Rodriguez at 0-6 against the Buckeyes and Michigan State, his two biggest rivals), which is three losses. Wisconsin at home is winnable, but would you put your money on the Wolverines? How about against an improved Illinois team? Or even at Purdue, which seems to have found new life lately?
Michigan could realistically be looking at 7-5, or even 6-6. There’s no way Rodriguez survives that. The Michigan fanbase would have Dave Brandon’s head on a silver platter if he did.
At 8-4, I think there’s a clear improvement, but with losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State at the end of the year, would there be a bad enough taste in Michigan’s mouth to go elsewhere?
A couple things need to be looked at here, though, before Michigan thinks of pulling the plug. For one, Rodriguez has recruited specifically for his style, especially on offense, and if the Wolverines brought in a pro-style coach, you would expect at least one more transition year. Second, the man Michigan covets more than anyone is Jim Harbaugh. Would he be receptive to leaving Stanford for his alma mater? Would he go elsewhere if Michigan isn’t hiring this offseason? Let’s not get into the meltdown that could occur if Michigan fires Rodriguez and Harbaugh says no.
Michigan has a bye week coming up, and it couldn’t come at a better time for the Wolverines on the field. Off it, however, this will be the only topic of conversation for two weeks.
