Rich Rod and Michigan WILL BE FINE.

Okay, everyone settle down. The 2009 season is over for Michigan Football.

Long time fans, like myself, aren't quite used to not anticipating our bowl matchup. We're used to planning our exact location when we plan on being hungover and not moving for hours on end, on New Years Day. But, just like last years fate, we now have to patiently wait for 10 months before we can yell at our TVs and furiously argue with state fans about how we hate each other.

We're used to 8 or 9 win seasons, year after year (state fans call this 'arrogance', we call it tradition). We're used to having a very good team (not great), that competes for a Big Ten title every year. To sum it up, we're used to winning football games, plain and simple.

Then Rich Rodriguez comes in and "ruins" the tradition of UM Football, and loses a combined 16 games in two years of work.

This, most Michigan fans would say, is a problem. But I'm one of the optimistic few that think Michigan Football is going to be just fine. And actually, I'd bet that they will be better than fine, competing for Big Ten titles as soon as next year, and National Titles by the 2012 season.

Why so optimistic you say? I'll start with the facts. The 2009 roster was 70% Freshman and Sophomores. There were many Sophomores and a few Freshman to actually play a lot of downs in Big Ten games this year. (this obviously doesn't count the redshirt freshman players who are lifting and practicing every day during the season, and were part of RR's first complete recruiting class)

Next year, UM returns 9 of 11 starters on offense AND defense.

All of this equates to experience. And this is most crucial for a Rich Rodriguez coached team. He started off with players remaining from a traditional "pro-style" offensive system. The switch to a spread offense isn't going to be easy for players who have played their whole lives in a traditional offense. It takes time, coaching, and experience actually playing within the new system.

This season showed glimpses of how good this offense can be with the type of players necessary to run it. Even with multiple catastrophes throughout the season (TURNOVERS GALORE), they were one of the better offensive teams in the Big Ten. Tate Forcier obviously has the potential to be a good, possibly great quarterback for this team. He, along with the rest of the youngsters, will only get better. That makes me happy, because that offense is really fun to watch when it's 'on'.

Defense is another story. With three different coordinators in three years, there is obviously not much consistency on this side of the ball. The defense looked solid for parts of the season this year, but the second half was horrible. The only game they looked good (minus Delaware State...) was the ohio state game. If they give Robinson three years of coaching with this young team, they could be solid. I'll need to see some improvement next year first, but for now, I'll trust his experience.

All I know is this, the new staff is recruiting very well for their system, and I can see things getting better on the field. The only thing holding this team back is lack of experience, and they're going to get a lot of that next year. With more and more players graduating early and coming to UM in January, spring practices are very helpful for a young team like this. Another point to make with recruits, when they come to see a UM game, or watch one on TV, they're seeing playing time.

I'm calling for 8 wins in 2010, and continual Big Ten Championships afterward, with a few National Titles sprinkled in there (obv).

So, like an msu or a Lions fan, I'll leave you with this:

"There's always next year."

Greg Robinson in as New Wolverines Defensive Coordinator

Michigan Wolverines Head Football Coach Rich Rodriguez has hired in Greg Robinson as his new Defensive Coordinator to replace Scott Shafer.

Robinson was fired from his Head Coaching position at Syracuse University last fall after four years and a 10-37 record. Previous to his stint at Syracuse, Greg served as a Defensive Coordinator with the Texas Longhorns, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Denver Broncos.

Robinson's Texas defense ranked No. 18 nationally in scoring defense, and No. 23 in total defense. I think this will end up being a great hire for Michigan as he has proven experience in this position previously at a top program (Texas).

However, anything would be better then the poor job Schafer did with a fairly talented group on defense last year.

Shafer out as Defensive Coordinator at UofM

Scott Shafer, the now former Michigan defensive coordinator was blamed for the majority of Michigan's defensive woes this year and I'd say it was deserved. Given the amount of talent they possessed on that side of the ball it was remarkable how inadequate the defense looked at times.

Before coming to Michigan, Shafer had credentials. He worked his way through a variety of Big Ten and Mid-American Conference programs on the usual career path a Midwestern coordinator might follow. He became known for aggressive defenses that scored high in sacks and turnovers. His Northern Illinois defense led the nation in interceptions during a 10-win season in 2003.

Once arriving in Ann Arbor though, he turned this defense into a complete and utter disaster.The defensive failures were well-documented. It was absolutely unbelievable how a team like Michigan who always prided itself on defense, suddenly couldn't stop a low ranking MAC team like Toledo.

The question now is was this a case of JUST a bad coordinator or is there a larger problem at hand with this team? Coach Rodriguez will get another chance to make this hire, but if he doesn't get this hire right, his days will be numbered.

Michigan Wolverines: Season Review

The Michigan Wolverines football team finished the 2008 season with its worst record in school history, 3-9. What word bests describes this year? Abysmal? Frustrating? Ridiculous? I'm not sure what the right word would be. What I am sure of is Rich Rodriguez's leash just got a lot shorter, he no longer has the luxury of slowly ushering in his systems.

If Michigan is going to be competitive next year, the Quarterback situation has to do a 180 in the talent department. Threet and Sheridan were not only a bad fit for this system, but didn't look like the right Quarterbacks for any system! Their passes were often wobbly, thrown way too far, thrown way too short and at times did not even come close to hitting a receiver. Incoming Freshman QB's Tate Forcier and Shandrovik Beaver HAVE to be 1 and 2 on the depth chart for next year. If Threet or Sheridan are even sniffing playing time in 2009 then the Wolverines are in deep trouble.

Next, Rich Rodriguez needs to take a long hard look at his coaching staff and decide if they are worthy of being part of a top notch collegiate football program, particularly his defensive coaches. While the offense didn't have anywhere near the talent they needed to execute Rich Rod's plans, this defense had talent. Tim Jamison, Terrance Taylor, Donovan Warren, Obi Ezeh, Will Johnson, Morgan Trent... there is absolutely no excuse for this not being a top 15 defense, instead they finished somewhere around 50th. The only pass I will give the defense is that the offense was so bad that it left the defense on the field for far too long in far too many games.

Do I have faith Coach Rodriguez will turn this ship around? Yes, I do. Will it be next year? No, but there better be a dramatic improvement in his second year and if they aren't competing for a Big Ten title in year 3 expect to see Rich leaving Ann Arbor. Coach Rodriguez's basketball coaching counterpart John Beilein is seemingly turning around his program after a dismal first year, lets hope Rodriguez will do the same.

DGF Poll: How Much Time Does Rich Rod have?

The hot topic on local sports radio in the last several weeks has been just how much longer do you give Head Coach of the Michigan Wolverines Rich Rodriguez? The Wolverines in recent history have never had a "down year" until this one and has many of the Wolverine faithful already calling for his head.

In the latest DGF poll, the readers have spoken... you said that Rich Rodriguez deserves at least two more years. I would tend to agree with that. This is a team that lost all of its offensive playmakers to the draft and are installing a brand new system with players that aren't built to play in it.

Let's not jump off the bandwagon yet Michigan fans, this guy has been a undisputed success everywhere he's coached. Its going to take a couple years, but the Wolverines will be back on top sooner then later.

Rich Rodriguez vs Mike Martz

The word out of U of M training camp is of course the noticeable differences in the offensive sets from Lloyd Carr to Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez has empty backfields, two tailbacks in the backfield, running backs lining up as receivers and receivers lining up as running backs. It all sounds very fun and exciting given Michigan's past monotonous ground and pound offense. However, I just can't help but worry that this will all end much like the fate of Mike Martz's tenure in Detroit.

As a life long Michigan fan, I hope this of course turns out better then the Mike Martz era in Detroit. And I know Rodriguez has proven himself at multiple schools and has more of a commitment to the run then that of Martz....but it just all sounds too similar to the excitement that Martz generated when he rode into town his first year as a Lion and I am keeping my hopes low for the moment.

The one thing I do know is that U of M's new offense will be tested in Week 1 against a team that is no joke in the Utah Utes.