The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/402034
title. The Wolverines have gone through two coaching changes since Lloyd Carr retired following the 2007 campaign, following 13 seasons as Michigan's leader. The first proved disastrous, record-wise, with Rich Rodriguez accumulating a 15-22 mark in Ann Arbor. Brady Hoke's 11-2 first season in 2011 was promis- ing, but a major rebuild from a ros- ter redesigned for a spread offense proved daunting. Entering their Oct. 25 battle with Michigan State, the Wolverines stood 10-10 over their last 20 games, and 53-43 overall and 28-31 in the Big Ten following the 2006 season, an ongoing shock to the system of a fan base that grew accustomed to Big Ten championships. Michigan captured 21 of them from 1969-2004, and to avoid going a de- cade without a title would require a near miracle from a crew that was 3-4 heading to East Lansing. Former Michigan offensive line- man Doug Skene boasts five Big Ten championship rings. He wore the winged helmet from 1988-92, mak- ing it to four Rose Bowls. Former Michigan safety Marcus Ray, now a Big Ten Network analyst, sports a pair of Big Ten rings, with a national championship bauble from 1997 to top it off. Both closely follow the fortunes of the Wolverines and have wit- nessed the struggle since those heady days in mid-November, 2006. They weighed in, at length, on Michigan's battle to get back to being competi- tive at the top of the conference con- flagration. Neither sees an easy road. WHERE IT STANDS Ask either of them to gauge the state of Michigan football right now, and there's a significant pause, a gathering of thoughts. It's not that simple. Ray talks about a certain level of upheaval, including factors both on the field in reshaping Michigan's ap- proach and off the playing surface, MICHIGAN'S RECORD OVER THE LAST SEVEN-PLUS SEASONS Overall Big Ten Season Record Record Bowl Game 2007 9-4 6-2 Capital One, beat Florida, 41-35 2008 3-9 2-6 None 2009 5-7 1-7 None 2010 7-6 3-5 Gator, lost to Mississippi State, 52-14 2011 11-2 6-2 Sugar, beat Virginia Tech, 23-20 (OT) 2012 8-5 6-2 Outback, lost to South Carolina, 33-28 2013 7-6 3-5 Buffalo Wild Wings, lost to Kansas St., 31-14 2014* 3-4 1-2 Totals* 53-43 28-31 2-3 * Entering Michigan State game, Oct. 25