Like most kids growing up, I awoke every year on December 25 before the sun came up, eagerly anticipating the video games and educational toys “Santa” had brought. Playstations, laptop computers, and the yearly installment of Madden kept me up all those Christmas Eves. As a 24-year-old Michigan football fan, my Christmas comes every year around the beginning of September. This year was no different, even following two seasons that will forever be known numerically: 3-9 and 5-7.
The past two seasons have been the worst since 1960. This is a fact. Forget me, my parents were still in grade school the last time Michigan suffered through back to back losing seasons. To illustrate, I wrote this last November:
I really hate to be the "delusional Michigan fan" here, but fuck it...
I'm sick of watching Rich Rodriguez panic any time we start losing. "I know our running game has been shredding Illinois all game, but we're losing by one and only have 25 minutes left to score, let's pass with our true freshman who is unable to make it to the second step of his progression before pulling the ball down and running around in circles."
I'm sick of him only hiring his friends. Tell me how we have a linebacker who's in his third year as a starter and still can't drop into a zone properly, and still doesn't understand that as the middle linebacker, your job is to make tackles, not take on blockers. At least Chris Graham (my all-time least favorite Michigan player, who coincidentally is working as a bouncer for the old Touchdown's) would get to the ball-carrier before missing the tackle. Ezeh just stands stationary and either gets completely blocked out of the play or starts moving a full second after the ball is snapped and comes out of his daze just in time to watch the RB run past him for 50 yards on a 2nd and 20.
I'm sick of people unwilling to lay any of the blame for our porous defense on him because he's "just an offensive guy." He's the head fucking coach, it's his job to oversee the whole team. It's not good enough to give Rodriguez a pass for our CBs lining up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage (almost singlehandedly losing the Michigan State game for us) and kill Greg Robinson. You're the head motherfucking coach. You have eyes. Do something.
I'm sick of him playing "effort" guys over guys with talent, and of him overreacting to a single busted play to the tune of playing Jordan Kovacs as our deep safety. We moved Brandon Smith to LB because he couldn't run, and you're telling me that Kovacs can? Get the fuck out of here. Just because they're not your guys, doesn't mean they can't play.
I don't necessarily think Greg Robinson should be fired, but I'd love for someone (Rodriguez) to tell him to do things differently. Our guys have certain (fixed, it seems) skill sets. Jordan Kovacs is a smart player who knows where he should be but can't ever get there. Obi Ezeh cannot make decisions, can't drop into a zone deeper than three yards and can't make one on one tackles. Mike Williams is unable to walk and think at the same time.
So why is Kovacs the deep safety, and why do we put Obi on a RB one on one or ask him to drop 15 yards into a zone? With the exception of Brandon Graham (who is great), Donovan Warren (who's been just okay), and maybe Stevie Brown, our players are terrible. But recognize that, and do something different. Play press coverage and blitz all day. Play a freshman who will make a debilitating mistake due to inexperience, not because he's functionally retarded like Mike Williams.
My main issue is this: On what planet will the defense be better next year? We lose Graham and Brown for sure, Warren perhaps, and return the proverbial pu pu platter. We have the 17th rated recruiting class filled with offensive players and rush linebackers and have missed on every MLB prospect out there. We have no safeties coming in to replace the worst position group since I've been alive. Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton, the worst combination of LBs since Bump Elliot, are shoo-ins to start, and if not them a 210 pound walkon who wore #10 in a game this year. Can the offense put up 40 points per game with a QB who thinks he's playing rugby?
It took us eight years to lose 13 Big Ten games (the amount Rodriguez has lost in two). At what point is enough enough? Especially when he continues to mess up clock management, play calling, and the development of half of the fucking team?
Fuck. If we were able to get Jim Harbaugh or Les Miles in here next year, fuck it, I'm in. Restore order.
On September 4, 2010, I walked into Michigan’s newly renovated stadium, complimentary water bottle in hand, with 3-9 and 5-7 behind me, ready to watch Michigan.
Let’s fucking go.
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