The University of Michigan holds a special place in the history of college football.  The early history of college football in America literally revolves around the victors of the game who hailed from Ann Arbor.  From the "Point-a-Minute" juggernauts coached by Fielding Yost from 1901-1905, through the mid-century dynamos coached by Fritz Crisler and Bennie Oosterbaan, the Wolverines churned out victories across the nation and right on into the bowl season.   Many of the finest players in the history of the game made their mark at Michigan, including legends like Adolph "Germany" Schutlz, Tom Harmon, Dan Dierdorf, Anthony Carter, Reggie McKenzie, Ron Kramer, the afore-mentioned Bernie Oosterbaan (3 time all-American), Gerald Ford and even that Tommy-come-lately who quarterbacks for the New England Patriots.

  Their uniforms are a brilliant combination of maize and blue and their fight song ("Hail to the Victors") is arguably the best in the nation.  The university has a long and storied history of academic excellence, despite what many consider a recent decline based on political correctness and left-fringe moonbat political leanings.   Clearly the University of Michigan can recruiting favorably with  most of the other major schools in the country, excepting perhaps the glamourous warm-weather football factory at USC.

  So why has the University of Michigan won a grand total of 1 National Championship since 1948?   On the basis of the available evidence, it appears that they have been sorely out-coached.   Michigan's big problem in the modern football era, is that  the offenses have become more spread out and the game has relied more on speed and the skill positions.  Meanwhile, Michigan's  coaches have been stuck in the "3 yards and a cloud of dust" mentality that  was the stock in trade of the pre-war era Big 10.   Since the hiring of Bo Schembechler, the team has wallowed in mediocrity, with the occaisional burst of brilliance.  If the University of Michigan and its fans want to move forward and compete for national championships, they need to shake off the lingering ineptitude and dated mindset of the Schembechler era.

  I know Bo Schembechler remains beloved by legions of Wolverine fans.  My Dad was one of his biggest proponents.  But the simple fact of the matter is that Bo seldom won a big game.  Bo grew up in the shadow of his mentor, Woody Hayes, with both coaches serving ably at Miami of Ohio.  In Bo's playing days at the Miami of Ohio, he played under two of the greatest coaches in the history of football.  His first coach was Sid Gillman, offensive genius.   Apparently Bo forgot everything he ever learned from Gillman.   When Gillman left to coach the University of Cincinnati, the fiery Woody Hayes took over.   Bo chose to emulate the style and coaching demeanor of Hayes.

   When both became Big 10 coaches, the rivalry was on.  While they had very similar Big 10 coaching records (Woody was 152-38-7 while Bo went 143-24-1 with each winning 13 Big 10 Championships), their post season records speak volumes.   Woody won 5 National Championships.  Bo won 0.  Woody was 4-4 in the Rose Bowl and Bo 2-8.  Woody coached 29 1st round picks into the NFL, while Bo helped 13 players get drafted first.

    Coaching at the Big 10 level, or at any of the major colleges is a complicated endeavor.  It requires multiple skills, primarily recruiting and coaching skills.  The coach must convince the best players to come to play for him, then he has to provide them with the training and guidance to use their skills most effectively.   Of course, marketing, motivation, leadership  and administrative skills are involved as well, but it seems that Michigan's problem remains that they get out-recuited and when they aren't recruited, they are out-coached.  Woody coached 3 Heisman Trophy winners, Bo 0.   Woody produced 56 All-Americans, Bo 39.

   Both of the coaches that followed Bo are former Schembechler assistants.   I submit to you that the average University of Michigan fan doesn't consider a Big 10 Championship and a loss in a semi-major bowl game as an acceptable level of performance for this once great university.  Since 1969 Nebraska has won 5 national championships.  (Ok, so they are struggling now, but they will resume their rightful place in college football once they shake off the Callahan blues.)   Southern Cal has won 5 and looks ready to rip off a few more.    Texas has won 3.    The Sunshine State's schools ( Florida, Florida State and Miami) have won 10!  Oklahoma has won 4.  Michigan's name is always mentioned in the same breath with these schools, yet they have only been able to score 1 National Championship in the last 60 years.

  You want excellence?  Fielding Yost's Michigan teams from 1901 to 1905 had a combined record of 55-1-1!  They averaged 575.2 points per game for an average of  50.44 points per game. Of course no one expects anything like this kind of dominance, but this was where the legend was formed.  I would suggest that Michigan fans expect to be in contention for the National Championship every year.  Nothing less.

     Word to University of Michigan Athletics Administration:  I am sure you have deep connections with the Schembechler coaching tree.  Sever those.   There is a brilliant and hungry coach down I-23 from you that is a proven winner.  Jim Tressel has hung you out  to dry 6 times out of the last 7.  And HE has won a National Title.  How are you going to beat him?   Your university is rolling in dough and has plenty of money available to offer to a proven winner.  Is the Les Miles deal really dead?  It's hard to tell these days with guys like Nick Saban makng it impossible to believe anything proffered by a coach on the fence.  Find a guy that understands speed and how to open up the offensive side of the equation.   Supply him with  tall salaries to hire the finest group of offensive assistants in the land.  Its the least you can after providing Michigan fans with the same disappointing  approach year in and year out.   Please turn this last , pitiful Lloyd Carr debacle into a plus by finding the new Fielding Yost!