UM: To bowl or not to bowl?

I vividly remember a conversation I had with my mother when I was about to undertake my first job. She said...and I'm now paraphrasing..."Just do the best you can...with a great attitude...and let the chips fall where they may". She concluded with a line I will never forget...."Son...everyone has a pen".


What she was relaying with that last line was not to be intimidated to voice my opinion...to stick up for what's right...even if I'm speaking to a person of authority. In a nutshell she was implying that everyone has to answer to somebody.


With my adolescent quick whit I fired back..."But what about the owner?"


Without searching for an answer she replied..."They have a boss too..."


The customer.


As it is in Corporate America, so it is with major collegiate athletics.


Last Friday, a day before their annual homecoming game, Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon resigned.


While attempting to avoid a shameless plug, the first person I heard call out the Athletic Director was my co host Michael Jasso (][V][ichigan ][V][ike's College Picks...week 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=844AVy-3yuI).


Um...that was almost six weeks ago. And in between that show and Brandon's resignation, the students started voicing their displeasure. So much so that there was a real fear of a student boycott of homecoming. Well...we obviously saw that wasn't a necessary action to take, because they got their wish.


Ok ok...you were right again Momma....


But I digress.


On the field, the Wolverines responded with one of their most complete and dominate performances of the season, rolling Indiana 34-10 last Saturday afternoon. And in the process...Michigan looked like...Michigan. The Wolverines' defense smothered the nation's top running back, while doling out their own physical running game.

As good as the win felt...it does not erase, absolve, or save head coach Brady Hoke's job. That's a forgone conclusion. What is does is raise a tough question that new interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett must answer....regardless of whether or not Hoke gets to finish out the season.


To bowl or not to bowl?

Michigan (4-5) needs to win two of their last three to qualify for a bowl game this year. The last one being on the road...in the horseshoe...against Ohio State. So, it would behoove the Wolverines to win the next two (at Northwestern, vs Maryland).


But at what cost? To represent the block ][V][ in the Energizer Bunny Bowl against the 5th place Big 12 or 7th place SEC team?


Or should Michigan start their overhaul now, and put in the young players that will contribute next year?


Sophomore wide receiver Amara Darboh has star written all over him. He's a tough physical receiver that's already proving to have superglue on his gloves. He hauled in 9 catches for 107 yards and a td last week in his coming out party. He also has a knack of moving the chains with tough catches on third down.


Another young player who had a Homecoming coming out party was sophomore running back Drake Johnson, who ran for 122 yards and 2 tds. And it wasn't just the numbers, it was his violent style of running. That fella was running like he was tired of being buried on the depth chart. A very promising duo heading into next spring.


But at qb?


Embattled starter, and senior qb Devin Gardner has regressed right before our very eyes. It's well documented. But should being a senior give him the "right of passage" to finish out the season? After all, he technically gives the Wolverines their best chance to get to six wins.


Or does the new AD call for a change, to let one of the qb's that will be a part of team #136 finish out the season? By doing so Michigan would be waiving the preverbal white flag on any attempt to run the table. But they would also get a better assessment of their qb situation heading into next season.


Who should an AD try to please if he's wanting to remove the "interim" tag from his job title? The senior class that's endured so much under the Hoke regime? Or the new coaching staff in waiting?


One thing's for sure...the students on campus will let him know if they do not agree.


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