Hello Wolverines.
Yes, I'm one of your own. Not a native son, I doodled around in High School and ended up attending a local Junior College and a school with no intercollegiate sports, but an adopted son. Whether or not you claim me is up to you.
I am a Wolverine fan. I have been since High School when I saw Bo Schembechler roaming the sidelines in his shades and big, burly offensive linemen plowing gigantic holes for running backs to gash through. A High School acquaintance of mine, who today would probably have no memory of me, attended there and the bond was sealed. Jarrett Irons was one of the great Michigan linebackers of all time, and I had a couple of high-school classes with him.
Prior to adopting Michigan as my team I sort-of rooted for who my parents did. I was a (sort-of) Sooner fan because me father rooted for them and I was a (sort-of) Oklahoma State fan because my grandfather went there and played basketball for them under Iba. (Back when they were Oklahoma A&M).
I then dabbled in UH fandom, when I attended a university in their system, but I never could 100% get behind the Coogs because of my love for the Maize and Blue. Add to that the fact that UH fans are..what's the word?.....interesting sorts, and I fell out of the pattern of rooting for them as quick as I fell in. As a sports free agent I settled back in with Michigan, knowing this was the pattern when UH went to the Big House and got walloped 50-3. My UH fan friends were despondent, I was giddy.
All of this was before Appalachian State.
During that game I was sitting in an Austin bar watching everything unfold on TV. I won't rehash it, we know what happened. Then a UT-Austin fan sitting next to me started screaming at me that I should "find a real team to root for" before he was ushered out of the bar by the biggest bouncer I have ever seen. The bartender apologized and gave me a free whiskey for my sorrows.
I married an Ohio State fan. Which makes me somewhat odd among Michigan fans in that I don't hate Ohio State, I don't like them but I begrudgingly respect them, but instead reserve my rival vitriol for Sparty. In fact, I've had way more intelligent (and friendly) sports conversations with Buckeye fans than I have with Sparty fans. I even get along with them.
Read into all of the above what you will. I think my fan bonafides are solid but your mileage may vary. But pulling for the Wolverines is one of the reasons writing this open letter was so difficult. It's much easier to pen an even-headed letter to a fan base when you're not a fan yourself. When you are a fan, you need to ensure that the fog of disappointment has fully cleared.
So, here we are. Year 3 of the Harbaugh era and things are not progressing exactly as we hoped. Granted, the first year was pure job. Harbaugh took a team that got progressively worse under Brady Hoke and went 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl win. Next year he matched that record but lost the Orange Bowl. Now this year, and we're sitting at 8-4 with a bowl coming that probably won't be what we want, and there's still the issue of losing all but one game in three seasons to Michigan State and Ohio State.
Now is not the time to panic. Now is certainly the time to take a few things into consideration however.
1. Year Four for Harbaugh will be key.
Don't listen to the Paul Finebaum's of the world, Harbaugh is doing just fine as Michigan's coach. Finebaum is a troll who's sole goal is to see the SEC dominate the football landscape. Harbaugh leaving Michigan would be bad for the B1G. that said, if Coach Harbaugh doesn't improve on his 3rd and 4th place division finishes in year 4 it will be time to show some concern.
We're not paying Harbaugh to finish behind Ohio State, Michigan State or Penn State, we're paying him to beat them, if not routinely then a majority of the time. So what's happened so far is discouraging, but it's not a crisis.....yet.
2. We need a quarterback.
I would argue that Michigan's skill position players are as good as they ever were. On defense they might even be better. But the glaring hole for this team is the signal caller, and we're not sure if what's on the roster is the long-term fix.
I think we know what we have in Peters, but the unknown is Dylan McCafferey. IF McCafferey is the quarterback we all think he is things will be OK. If he's not? Then Peters had better develop because with Speight transferring to another school it's all in on the youth movement.
3. Recruit. Speed.
Harbaugh needs to continue along his path of recruiting fast, athletic players and big-guys on the lines. It really is that simple. He's rated high in the mythical recruiting rankings so far and he needs to keep that up and show results on the field.
I'm a believer in Harbaugh, even after year three. I saw the holes in Rich Rod's game early, and I was never a huge fan of Brady Hoke, but Jim is one of ours, he's a Michigan Man through and through, a native son, not an adopted scoundrel like myself.
So, my advice to the Big Blue Nation is this: Don't panic.
The program is in MUCH better shape now than it was 3 years ago, and it's infinitely better than it was 10 years ago, when Appalachian State happened.
What people forget however is that the Michigan team that lost to App State went on to finish 9-4 and win the Capitol One Bowl.
Their opponent?
The Tim Tebow led Florida Gators.
Go Blue!!
Sincerely,
Cory
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