Several people have said they'll wait until some point midway through the '07 season to decide what the Wolverines are, but that's not necessary.

Heading into last season, all the talk in Columbus centered around the Buckeyes losing almost all of their defensive starters from a team that walloped Notre Dame in the '06 Fiesta Bowl. Well, for 12 games, at least, that group of no-named Buckeye defenders played well enough to help their team secure a spot in the 2007 National Title Game.

Michigan is in the same boat. The team's four best defensive players-Leon Hall, Alan Branch, LaMarr Woodley and David Harris-were among the first 50 players chosen during April's NFL Draft. Five of the seven UM players taken in the draft play on the defensive side of the ball. In total, the Wolverines lost 10 defensive standouts to either graduation or the NFL.

A group of unfamiliar names will be asked to step up this fall. It'd be easy to say they'll tak their lumps throughout the campaign, if it weren't for a few key items.

The schedule

I won't discuss Michigan opening with Appalachian State or the Wolverines scheduling Eastern Michigan halfway through the season. Even though I don't like either of those teams being on a top team's schedule, you have to play what you're given.

That's two Ws right there, with both games set to be played at the Big House. Six of the Wolverines other 10 games are in Ann Arbor, too, meaning Michigan only has to travel outside the Ann Arbor city limits four times this season-at Northwestern Sept. 29, at Illinois Oct. 20, at Michigan State Nov. 3, and at Wisconsin Nov. 10.

That's three road tilts against teams that will most likely finish at the bottom of the Big Ten and a tussle at Camp Randle that could have conference championship implications.

I'd say a rivalry game in East Lansing late in the season could be tough, but can you name me five starters for the Spartans? And the game at Wisconsin would be a question mark, as well, if it were played earlier in the season-like when the Wolverines lost a heartbreaker in Madison in 2005.

Home games against Oregon (Sept. 8), Penn State (Sept. 22), and Purdue (Oct. 13) should test Michigan's mettle; as will the season finale Nov. 17 against the hated Buckeyes. However, homefield advantage should play a role in the Wolverines coming out of those games unscathed.

The offense

At the beginning of each college basketball season, there's a list put out of the 50 players who could win the Player of the Year award. If there were a college football equivalent of that, three Michigan players-Michael Hart, Chad Henne, and Mario Manningham-would make the top 15 of that list.

The Wolverines are loaded on the offensive side of the ball, returning almost every major cog on a team that outscored opponents 29-16 in 2006. Imagine what that margin would be if head coach Lloyd Carr would open up the playbook every once in a while!

It'd be extremely difficult for Hart to outdo his 1562 yards, 14 scores and 4.9 yards per carry from a year ago; but, with Michigan turning out offensive linemen like a factory, it's possible.

Henne will look to end his career in Ann Arbor with a ####, and his first bowl win. The signal caller also has a good shot at improving on his 2,508 yards, 22 TD, eight pick performance from '06, too.

Manningham, who only appeared in 10 games last season, is sure to best his 703 yards, nine TD performance from last season. And sophomore-to-be Greg Matthews should make his name known this season, making for a potent 1-2 punch on the outside.

Those two things alone make it extremely possible that Michigan could mark the 10-year anniversary of its last national title with another trip to a title game.

If Hart or Henne sustain injury, however, all bets are off. Huge improvements need to be made in the secondary, as well, since the squad was out gained by an average of 225-195 through the air in 2006 and yielded 132 first downs through the air to its 118.

So, Wolverine fans can start making plans to migrate to the Bayou this holiday season. But, as a Spartan alum, if none of the things mentioned above happen, I'll be FAR from upset.

After a topsy-turvy college career at Michigan State, and three uneventful stops in the NFL, quarterback Jeff Smoker may have found his niche.

Smoker was named Arena Football League Rookie of the Month for April 2007 after he completed 95-of-158 passes for 1,277 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions during his first full month as a starting quarterback in the AFL. Smoker led all rookies in passing yards, ranked second in touchdowns, and ranked third in passer rating (100.6) during the month that saw his Nashville Kats post a 2-3 record. His best performance of the month came in an April 14 win as he completed 18-of-28 passes for 235 yards and six touchdowns in a 62-36 victory over the Arizona Rattlers.

Despite the 2-3 record, this measure of success has to be bittersweet for the Manheim, PA native.

The accomplishment signals that Smoker may have vanquished the demons he encountered during his college days. Smoker had a well-publicized bout with substance abuse during his junior year in East Lansing. He was suspended for the last five games of the team’s 4-8 campaign, and it was unknown if he would ever step foot in Spartan Stadium, or any other arena, ever again.

Then-MSU head coach John L. Smith decided to reinstate Smoker after holding him out of spring practice in 2003. That turned out to be a good choice.

As a senior, Smoker became the first quarterback in school history to reach the 3,000-yard passing milestone in a season, finishing 2003 with a 62 percent completion rate, 3,395 yards and 21 touchdowns (both school records). During the Spartans’ 7-5 season, Smoker also ran for three scores on 63 carries, was a second-team All-Big 10 selection and was named team MVP. He also led the Big Ten conference in passing (261.2 yards per game) and in total offense (252.2 ypg). That year, Smoker broke his own single-season record for total offense of 2,512 yards when he registered 3,279 yards in his final season at State. 

Smoker ended his college career as the most decorated quarterback in Spartan history, setting Spartans records with a 60 percent completion rate — 685-1,150 — for 8,932 yards, 61 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He also set the MSU all-time record with 8,714 yards in total offense.  

Yes, his suspension came from a self-inflicted problem, but an intervention, help from family and friends, a vote of confidence from Smith and some hard work aided Smoker on his road back. 

Smoker’s NFL career was an uneventful one, as he was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round (201st overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft, spending two season with the club. He also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

Although it can’t possibly be on par with being named NFL Rookie of the Month, Smoker’s recent accolade has to show him he has somewhat of a budding football career. Different people take different paths to get to where they eventually aspire to be.  

Sure, Smoker could have been an NFL first-round pick, but who’s to say all the money he would have received with that deal would not have caused his problems to resurface.

If he is lucky enough to make it to the Big Show, his highs and lows will make him appreciate the experience that much more. 

Maybe Smoker’s story will inspire one of his old teammates -- you know, the one who caught a number of Smoker’s TD strikes -- to let old habits go, too.      

I was eating lunch when I heard a rumor out of East Lansing that Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo is a realistic candidate for the position left vacant by John L. Smith.

I was listening to Izzo’s weekly press conference when it dawned on me: he isn’t bullsh%tt*ng.

Only in East Lansing.

Only in the place where I spent the best times of my life could one sorry program affect a thriving one.

Only in the place that’s home to the school I’ll be paying until I die could a college basketball deity commit career suicide by taking over what I have deemed a cursed program.

Think about it. I’m not saying it will, but what if all this comes to pass? What happens to our sick ’07 recruiting class? Where do Durrell, Kalin and Chris go if the guy who ate their mom’s sweet potato pie decides he’d rather roam a sideline than a baseline?

I text messaged my best friend from State right after I heard the “news.” He called me maybe five minutes later. That was the quietest phone conversation we’ve had in the seven years we’ve known each other. Utter disbelief.

I’ve been through the Izzo to the Hawks and Izzo to the Pistons rumors. I always knew there was nothing to those because coach eats, sleeps and breathes MSU. Hell, he named his son after guys on his national championship team.

But that’s what makes this so scary. It’s his love for State that could bring him to believe he can do for Lou Anna what he (indirectly) did for M. Peter.

Who knows. This could work. Izzo could lead the football team to a string of 8 and 9-win seasons and New Year’s Day bowl appearances. Tom Crean, Marquette University head basketball coach and Izzo disciple, could come in and pick up where his Yoda left off.

But where would I draw that optimism after what has transpired the last five seasons?

We’ve had more arrests, suspensions and slaps than wins.

Fans and alumni have had more heartbreaks than New York from “Flavor of Love.”

Seriously, I have no idea why Izzo would not just tell reporters, “I’m the head coach of the MSU basketball team and nothing else.” Why give writers, talking head and radio hosts more subject matter?

I’ve heard in the past that he wants to coach (high school) football when he’s done with hoops, but how can someone with as much experience as me take on a Big Ten football program. A STRUGGLING one at that.

You can’t deny Izzo’s track record, though. Four Final Fours. Three National Coach of the Year Awards and a national title.

But that’s in a completely different arena.

Please, coach, be as much a part of the search as it warrants. Hop on planes, trains or anything else to make sure we get the best guy for the job. Because that guy isn’t you.

Sure, you could light a fire under anybody and make them play until they couldn’t walk anymore. But what about the X’s and O’s part?

Hopefully, when it all comes down to it, Izzo picks the triangle and 2 over the cover 2.

It was announced at 12:33 p.m. today that legendary University of Michigan head coach Glenn "Bo" Schembechler passed away at the age of 77 while taping a weekly show with a Detroit sports anchor.

Last month, the 77-year-old Schembechler, born April 1, 1929, had a pacemaker and defibrillator installed after he had dizziness and other symptoms while taping the show.

This make tomorrow's hugely hyped contest between Ohio State and Bo's Wolverines not as important as it was 15 minutes ago.

Schembechler was a living legend in Ann Arbor. When he arrived at UM after coaching at his alma mater, Miami, Ohio, in 1969, he took the campus by storm by amassing an 8-3 record and taking his squad to the Rose Bowl. That would put the rest of the college football world on notice because while at Michigan, Schembechler became one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. He won a school-record 194 games, lost only 48, and tied five for a winning percentage of .796. His Michigan teams won or shared 13 Big Ten titles and made 10 Rose Bowl appearances.

Schembechler led the Wolverines to 17 bowl games in 21 years, placing him ninth in all-time bowl appearances, while never posting a losing record. He was voted national Coach of the Year during his first season as a Wolverine.

I'm sure he would have been on his way to Cloumbus to take in tomorrow's game with the hopes that his team could pull out a win and have a shot at a possible national title.

I'm not sure what kind of an affect this will have on the roster or the coaching staff, though. If this were a Disney film, Chad Henne would complete 75 percent of his passes, Mike Hart would rush for 175 yards and LaMarr Woodley would have six sacks. But I don't know what this is going to do to the group.

I'm going to put my Spartan allegiance aside and say that this is a big loss for college football. And, honestly, this has me pulling for the Maize and Blue now. It's a bigger loss for the Michigan family, though.

One of the things I first read about Bo took place when he served as Michigan athletic director from 1988-1990. Just prior to the start of the 1989 NCAA basketball tournament, head coach Bill Frieder announced that he would be taking the vacant head position at Arizona State University. Bo fired Frieder almost right on the spot, saying, "A Michigan man is gonna coach Michigan." The squad went on to take its only basketball title.

I know a lot of people say they bleed a certain color. But I'm sure that whenever he fell, whenever he got a paper cut, Maize and Blue blood dripped from his body.

Yea, I know I said I'm a Spartan through and through. And I stand by that. But how bad it is that this had to happen the day before the biggest game in the biggest rivalry in ALL of sports?

Ohio State-Michigan.

1 vs. 2 for the first time in the 103-year history of this match-up.

Winner take all.

His school against his most hated rival.

He'll still be watching. And, hey, maybe him and Woody Hayes can watch together now and exchange a few pleasantries.

Disclaimer: I graduated from Michigan State. You know, the first power conference school to fire its head coach this season. So I could give 28 @&*!# about Michigan or Ohio State. However, I do realize the ginormousness of their impending battle on Nov. 18, so I took the liberty of sending an e-mail to both head coaches before their games this week against Northwestern (OSU) and Indiana (UM).

To: Lcarr@umich.edu, Jtressel@osu.edu

From: Jason Davis

Subject: Don't screw up