The State of Michigan Football

It’s been five days since Dave Brandon fired Rich Rod.  The Michigan faithful wait patiently.  Or at least they try to.

I believe Dave Brandon far too smart and calculating to not know what he is doing.  In fact, I believe he's had a plan, and back-up plan, and back-up plan to the back-up plan in place for some time.  And it goes something like this: Jim Harbaugh, then Les Miles, then Brady Hoke.  

I can't help but to notice that he's going about this transaction in the exact opposite manner than Bill Martin - almost as if to unwind the past.  He allowed both Harbaugh or Miles to finish their bowl games before having their names come into play.  Imagine a new coach coming to Ann Arbor without controversy, nay saying, or second-guessing.  The next coach comes to Michigan in a dignified manner, as opposed to the way Martin enabled RichRod to slip out of West Virginia in the middle of the night. Such a strategy could even be construed to be the Michigan Way of doing things.

Why is Michigan football in its present state?

Bill Martin never had a post-Lloyd Carr plan in place.  The program should have been grooming Carr’s successor for years.  The AD was seemingly caught off guard when Carr resigned.  Not being a football man, he then made the situation worse by not considering all the ramifications of the Rodriguez hire.

Michigan football can expect a quick turnaround – with the right coach at the helm.  Jim Harbaugh reversed Stanford’s fortunes in two years.  Gene Chizik took two years to put Auburn in position to win the National Championship.  Bo Pelini has reversed Nebraska’s Bill Callahan fiasco in just three years.  So too can it be for Michigan when it brings in the right man.

I believe Miles or Hoke can get the job done.  Either will a good choice.  We have a lot of great young players.  Defense must be a priority again.  The next coach must lead a crusade in returning Michigan to greatness.  Brandon understands that he needs to unite the faithful and bring back the pride.  It’s far from gone, just a little rumpled.