Wolverine Wednesday: Where do we go from here?

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

Michigan has lost 3 games in a row this year and is 0-1 in what has been known as the "winnable stretch".  Michigan plays a much improved Illinois team this weekend 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 is like 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 or Fire Greg Robinson or both.

In my mind, Greg 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 that 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 that can fix the defense.

On the other hand, you say that Rich is the head coach making $3M a year and has been through 2 DC's in the last 3 years.   Since he is the CEO of Michigan Football and since 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 6 weeks after the meeting in early August.  We are in November and still 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 RR without paying his buyout.   Rich can't afford losses against Illinois and Purdue along with an NCAA announcement and keep his job.  Which will hurt recruiting and many other things.

If David does cut RR loose, let me go on the record by saying he better have a coach all but signed up.  I don't want another Bill Martin fishing trip like he went on 3 years ago.   BTW, it shouldn't be Les Miles, he has done more to lose the Michigan job that 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 they let RR 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 RR.   Not an easy decision, is it?

RR will be coaching for his Michigan coaching career the next 2 weeks.  It will be interesting to see what happens.  The news about JT Floyd's ankle doesn't help.