R&B Sling the Blue (Sept. 25, Bowling Green)

ROGER GARFIELD: You called me Saturday just after the game and asked, “Have you ever felt more furious after a win?” I don’t recall many more frustrating afternoons where we came out on top. An escape. That’s what that was.

BRANDON FALK: Well, let’s put it in a nutshell: Offense looks great, defense looks terrible.

RG: Didn’t we say that last week?

BF: This is the offense everybody thought we’d see from Rich Rod when he came over. I think it’s fair to say the offense has arrived.

RG: Keep in mind they did play UMASS. But the offense was appreciated, and much-needed. And fun to watch. That spurt just before halftime -- the two Denard-to-Stonum touchdowns when things were looking bleak -- made it feel like we can throw far more than 42 up there on the big board. It may come this week.

BF: Recapping, I thought the O-line played well, opening up some room for Mike Shaw and others to have a big day -- 284 yards rushing as a team. Talking personnel, Mark Huyge is in a fight with Taylor Lewan for the starting spot at left tackle. They put Lewan in for 20 snaps last game, and he was just leveling guys. Regardless, the O-line looked great, Mike Shaw looked great.

RG: And we would have had a whole rack of additional yards if UMass hadn’t hogged the ball for 37 minutes of the game. But you’re right, it’s great to see Shaw emerge, for the sake of confidence as much as anything else. He’s no Brandon Minor or Anthony Thomas -- he won’t bruise you -- but he’s elusive and reliable. He’s the only ball carrier not to fumble so far, I believe. We haven’t seen too many guys take the ball, though.

BF: Rod wants to play more backs. He said they want to get Mike Cox, who’s a redshirt sophomore, and freshman Stephen Hopkins -- they want to get those guys in the game, but they don’t know the playbook yet.

RG: I like the rotation of Denard and Shaw, Shaw and Denard.

BF: I would like to see Hopkins. I don’t think he’s at a Brandon Minor level, but he could be at some point. Man, don’t you just wish that we had a healthy B. Minor for one more year with this offense -- the way it looks now?

RG: B. Minor wasn’t just a good back for this system -- he was a good back, period. But Shaw looks solid. Vincent Smith, on the other hand, hasn’t done much. He’s fast, but when your tendency is to run into the line and get stalled, speed matters nada. I’d like to see him get fewer touches.

BF: He’s a bit of an overachiever. His breakaway speed isn’t that much faster than Shaw’s. I don’t even think he’s as fast as Shaw. He’s a small guy; he’s an average to above average back. I think that’s just what he is.

RG: With the amount of carries Denard gets, I don’t see the need to mix it up with a whole lot of backs, especially when Shaw seems durable and would benefit from the chance to get in a rhythm. I did like the end around to Kelvin Grady. Reminded me of Lloyd. For as conservative as that man was, he always loved mixing in at least one reverse per game -- usually to a guy like Braylon or Calvin Bell or David Terrell.

BF: I’d like to see one of the running backs separate themselves to the point that there’s no question who you want in the game. It looks like Mike Shaw is that guy. Now, Fitzgerald Toussaint is pretty close to returning from an injury. I’d like to see what he has to offer.

RG: Fitz T is a pretty big fella -- 5-10, 200 -- who could bring the boom like some of our locomotives of yesteryear.

BF: I think I speak for a lot of Michigan fans who are still holding on to the Anthony Thomases and the guys who really lowered the shoulder -- those big power backs.

RG: Even in Rod’s offense, there’s a time and place when you get in that red zone, or you need to kill the clock, where you need that. Let’s hope we take care of our needs for Bowling Green this Saturday in the first half. But after Saturday, I’m counting no chicks before they hatch. There are so many areas that have made me cringe continually through three weeks. Special teams is still looking shaky.

BF: Oh boy. That’s ... jeez. First of all, you’ve got to take Jeremy Gallon off punt return. That’s three games, and he has two fumbles.

RG: Let’s call them egregious fumbles.

BF: Both of them. He missed one that was about two feet too high for him to get, and he missed one that was about 10 feet in front of him that he had to dive for. You might as well have Tate back there; you’re not using him for anything else.

RG: There’s an idea. But I don’t see him running away from too many guys.

BF: Put anybody back there. Put Vince Smith back there. Anybody who’s not gonna fumble.

RG: Last year it was Junior Hemingway. We may see him. Martavious would be fine. Or how about Grady? He’s a bit more expendable than the other wideouts, and I like what I see from him so far. He’s shifty.

BF: Terrence Robinson is another option. He’s got a little scoot to him. He looked good in the UConn game.

RG: The whole receiving corps has really impressed me. Steady. Catching most of balls thrown their way, blocking downfield. Other than Denard and the O-line, that’s our biggest strength.

BF: That’s one of the most noticeable differences in this offense: The emphasis on downfield blocking, especially by the receivers. Hemingway, Stonum, Odoms and Roundtree -- they’re all doing their jobs.

RG: And their only real deficiency is their height. I think they make up for it with speed and YAC. Now, defensively. F. Where do you even start?

BF: I think you’ve got to start with Greg Robinson.

RG: Has he been evicted from his southeastern Michigan home yet?

BF: Man. If it doesn’t turn around, he’s on his way. Put it this way: If you’re Dave Brandon, the AD, your focus has to shift from Rich Rod’s job to the D coordinator’s. He’s got to have a strong hand in that. You’ve got to realize Michigan has had its problems under Rod. The sanctions are going to come down soon. Hopefully the NCAA accepts what we’ve put on the table. But this much is clear: Rodriguez can recruit, and he can field an offense. That’s half the battle. It’s clear that his offense is a National Championship-caliber, Big Ten Championship-caliber offense.

RG: Ooo. I wouldn’t go there just yet, simply because we haven’t beaten anybody. I don’t see the Huskies, Irish or Minutemen having seasons they feel great about. Let’s just agree that our offense is better than our defense.

BF: Schematically, Robinson got out-coached Saturday. When you look at the 11 athletes that are on the field for us against the 11 that are on the field for them, they’re not stronger; they’re not faster; they’re not bigger; they’re not better. There’s no excuse for the defense to be that out of position. That’s coaching.

RG: But let’s not pretend that our personnel is the ‘85 Bears and Robinson is preventing them from succeeding. We have some serious lack of artillery in certain areas.

BF: Well, sure. When your secondary and your corners lose contain and they (UMass) get outside as many times as they did, it’s bad. The personnel is still problematic.

RG: Our defensive backs look like high schoolers half the time. And our linebackers. You’re telling me Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton are seniors? They were horrible. How can you be a senior at Michigan and not lay out for that QB at the goal line? That was an inexcusable lack of effort by Mouton. Imagine what Larry Foote would’ve done to that poor kid.

BF: He should’ve hit the ground with his helmet off. He should’ve been absolutely murdered on that play. That play is a microcosm of the difficulties. Now, if you’re looking for a silver lining, the biggest play the defense gave up all day was 19 yards.

RG: So what? UMass had the ball for like two-thirds of the game, and that was by design. They ate up the clock, and we let them.

BF: What bothers me are the 12-yard cushions we give opposing receivers. If you’re going to give up a 12-yard cushion and you’re not going to get consistent pressure on the quarterback, you’re doing your entire unit a disservice. You’re better off running a bump and run and rushing more guys.

RG: I think we should just blitz more. The 3-3-5 makes me sick. Why play five DBs when they’re your worst players? Give me a 5-2, or a 4-3, or any scheme where we can have another lineman or backer or head hunter out there who can get to the quarterback. I love the way Mike Martin, Craig Roh and most of the line is playing, but those guys need to be told “SIC!” more often. You don’t think they’d love to be sent on aggressive blitzes 20 times a game, and with some extra company? If we get burned deep, we get burned deep. But at least we get the ball back. That’s really our best defense.

BF: With the LBs, I give a pass to Mouton. He did enough in the first two games for me to turn my head. But Obi Ezeh, in my opinion, does not deserve to keep his job right now. He is slow-footed, he misreads plays, he’s just a non-factor at that position.

RG: Isn’t that a surprise? Because he looked so good as a sophomore. Really, I thought he was one of our best players in the 3-9 season.

BF: Kenny Demens deserves to play. That’s Ezeh’s backup. Generally, though, I don’t get some of these personnel decisions that are made. It just doesn’t add up.

RG: Well maybe we’ll be able criticize or praise Les Miles at that D coordinator position next year.

BF: I really think we need LSU to lose.

RG: Boo Tigers.

BF: My faith in Greg Robinson is in the cellar right now.

RG: How about your faith in Denard Robinson?

BF: Couldn’t be higher.

RG: He had what could’ve been perceived as a lackluster game for him, and he still had exemplary numbers: 10-for-14 for 241 yards and two TDs through the air; 17 carries for 104 and a rushing TD. I like this young man.

BF: God, he looks great, man. His decision-making, his accuracy. Complete command.

RG: I don’t see any reason to play Tate or Devin early in a game as long as Denard stays healthy.

BF: I agree with that. He hasn’t taken many monster hits, and there’s really no point in speculating on that stuff. It can happen to anybody on any play. I do want to see Devin Gardner play. I do because Denard isn’t going to be the Michigan quarterback forever.

RG: Don’t say that. DON’T SAY THAT!

BF: Gardner needs to get in there.

RG: Well, we need to blow out Bowling Green so we can see Devin, because that’s going to be our last “easy game.” I even hesitate to say that.

BF: Indiana could be a street fight.

RG: Indiana could be a rout, for them, if our defense plays like it did last week.

BF: Well, there is a brief bit of good news on the recruiting front: Demetrius Hart, an Orlando running back, took an official visit to Auburn. He loved it. It’s down to Auburn and Michigan. That would be the final piece of the puzzle on offense. He’s got the whole package. Alabama and Florida also want him, by the way. But just to envision that offense with he and Denard running it? He’s a home run hitter, and that will help Denard -- especially considering we still may need to outscore some teams for another couple years.

RG: What do you want to see Saturday?

BF: I want to see some murderous play from the linebacker position. It’d be nice if the defense this week could resemble some of those defenses of old. When we were growing up, defense was exciting to watch. Lamarr Woodley, Prescott Burgess, Marlin Jackson, Charles Woodson.

RG: Sam Sword. Shante Orr. Victor Hobson. Jarrett Irons. Yes.

BF: It’s a totally different feel now. It’s anxiety.

RG: You’re not going to snap a finger and just conjure up the 1997 Michigan defense. But you hope a better defense shows up before long. And you hope it doesn’t take three more years, the amount of time it took Rod’s offense to form solidly.

BF: I think a lot of it rests with the coaches. Why is Jordan Kovacs the best player on our defense?

RG: We’ve discussed this. The kid is a blue-chip guy, a hard worker with a high football IQ and a nose for the ball. All the white cliches.

BF: I just want to see some shots at it this week. Send Cam Gordon on a free safety blitz. Pull some stunts. Overload one side of the line. Try something on defense instead of playing so cautious and so conservative. We see where that’s gotten us. Do something different.

RG: But keep winning. Predictions time. What say you?

BF: I’ll go 42-13, Michigan.

RG: OK. I’m going to try for a more realistic crystal ball gaze this week: Heroes 51, Villains 30. Bowling Green doesn’t scare me. But our defense does.

BF: I want one hit this week that’s gonna make me spill my beverage. That’s my goal.

RG: I want 4-0. Go Blue.

BF: Go Blue.

Roger Garfield and Brandon Falk are curious Michigan football fans who wonder whether Bowling Green’s offensive attack will befuddle the Wolverine defenders enough to force Greg Robinson out of town before September ends. They expect the Falcons to fail, but they aren’t putting anything past Greg Robinson. He’s pretty atrocious at what he does. They can be reached at rlouisgar@gmail.com and hbrandonfalk@gmail.com.

R&B Sling the Blue (Sept. 18, Massachusetts)

ROGER GARFIELD: Since last Saturday I’ve been giddy every time I think about Michigan football. How have you felt about the Wolverines over the past seven days?

BRANDON FALK: I feel as though it’s better to learn form a win than a loss. I’m encouraged by the offense. The defense still makes me nervous. Any big-time recruit who plays free safety should probably know that he can play from Day 1 when he gets on campus next year. But hey, 2-0? We can’t complain.

RG: I have a few mini-complaints that mostly concern play calling and basic strategy, but those can sit on the shelf for a month or so. We indeed are 2-0, and it’s a beautiful thing. The ‘Nard Dog, Denard Robinson, is the talk of college football. We’re playing with a swagger that has been absent for quite some time. And we beat the Domers. Always a delightful feeling.

BF: Those are the kinds of games we lost the last two years. We found a way to lose them. It’s nice that we’re finding a way to win them.

RG: Looking at the schedule, it’s set up favorably now to where we could be anywhere from four to seven games into the fall with no blemishes. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Today we’ve got the Minutemen. I’d like to see a big first half from Denard, then a big second half of him drinking water and walking up and down the sideline perusing the crowd for hot girls. Also, a good defensive day would be excellent.

BF: Seriously, how about Cam Gordon, man? Take a good line on the ball. Jeez. He was singlehandedly responsible for two touchdowns against Notre Dame.

RG: Some venom. Yeah, you’re right, he was pretty, pretty bad. I liked Thomas Gordon, though -- No. 15. He was everywhere.

BF: He’s playing incredibly well. You know he’s not a starter -- he’s only playing because Carvin Johnson is hurt. He’s playing like Jordan Kovacs.

RG: Man, I like Kovacs, but he is SLOW. It’s like he’s running through quicksand with 20-pound weights on his ankles and a Jersey Shore grenade on his shoulders. But the dude makes plays. He has a nose for the ball.

BF: I read an article about Kovacs that was interesting. The coaches were saying how he’s not a long-term fix for us. “We gotta get somebody in that position with speed. We gotta find someone more athletic. We gotta get someone who can play there.” And you never do, because he never gets beaten out for the spot.

RG: And he’s a walk-on. Great story. I think his work ethic is rubbing off on the rest of the defensive unit. Let’s hope they return the favor and bless him with an extra 0.1 on his 40 time or something.

BF: You know what’s bothering me? Our running backs have got to get more production.

RG: Ehh, you can’t lose sleep over that. Our rushing stats are not exactly lacking. Denard simply monopolizes the ball.

BF: I’d still like to see those guys get more carries and Denard get less. Let’s get Stevie Hopkins 10-15 trips today.

RG: Denard needs less wear and tear. Today will be a good chance for him to sit back after he throws up his 300 yards rushing on 13 carries. Then, your boy Stevie should get a few carries. You know, I thought there was a chance it would be close with these Minutemen this afternoon, but then I saw the comments that player made about the Big House being “the little house on the prairie.” If I’m that guy’s coach, I leave him in Amherst. Don’t rile a sleeping giant.

BF: Your best hope at coming into Ann Arbor is that Michigan is going to overlook you. The last thing you want to do is drum up a little motivation.

RG: Well, let’s cue the michigan band and have them drum up the Victors about 42, 43 times today, shall we? Michigan 70, UMass 15.

BF: I say 50-14, Michigan.

RG: I wouldn’t mind seeing Devin Gardner for the entire second half. And I wonder if Tate Forcier will play, because if he is the clear No. 3 on this team, perhaps Rich Rod will save his eligibility by not playing him -- and encourage him to transfer. For Tate’s own good.

BF: Nodody who supports Michigan football should want Tate Forcier to transfer. We need him. As much as people are high on Denard, Denard is one hit away from being out of the game. Then you’ve got Devin, but what if Devin doesn’t perform? We need Tate. He’s a good football player. Lest we remind each other of the day of Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet. We don’t want to go back there.

RG: Well put. Although Threet is now starring for the Sun Devils of Arizona State. Don’t ask me how. Good for him.

BF: Go Blue.

RG: Go Blue. We shall dissect the program and the college football landscape more in a few days. For now, let’s enjoy a rout.

Roger Garfield and Brandon Falk are loyal Michigan football fans who believe this team can soon develop into a national title contender again. In the meantime, they will sit back and enjoy the ride, commenting hopefully and accurately as it progresses, with Mr. Robinson manning the controls. They can be reached at rlouisgar@gmail.com and hbrandonfalk@gmail.com.

R&B Sling the Blue (Sept. 11, at Notre Dame)

ROGER GARFIELD: All right: Three adjectives to describe Michigan’s win Saturday over UConn, go.

BRANDON FALK: Impressive, luck-ridden, fast. Boys in Blue played well, don't get me wrong, but UConn left some points on the field. We'll need to clean some things up to escape South Bend with a W on Saturday.

RG: I'll say enjoyable, assuring, and small. Enjoyable for the obvious reasons -- the sheer glee that Denard Robinson brought to every fan as he went wild. And because we hadn’t seen a nice home win in a long time. Assuring because I felt we could be AWFUL this season, and it appears now that we'll at least be competitive. Small because while it was a big win for confidence, it’s insignificant on the schedule and in the context of this long, trying season that lies ahead.

BF: Your last point is telling. Let us not forget we began undefeated a year ago in the non-conference portion of the schedule, and we all know how the season turned out. Last week was huge for confidence, as well as recruiting. And assuming we drop this game to the Irish, we have to assume we can take care of UMass and Bowling Green in the two games afterwards to begin conference play 3-1. Remember the days when Michigan fans weren't nervous to play FCS opponents or MAC schools? I think those days are back, to be sure.

RG: Saturday's outcome assures me of that, yes. But we still don't know how good or bad UConn is. My guess is they're better than they showed Saturday. And Michigan's ceiling is also much higher. Whether the Wolverines can keep improving at a steady rate remains to be seen. Let's hope they don't get worse and worse each week, like they did after October arrived last year.

BF: Lets dive right into this Saturday's game against the Irish, shall we? I guess I'll begin with some red flags I saw last week, and some encouraging signs that give me hope for a W.

RG: Kick that baby off.

BF: One could argue that a defense is only as good as the number of points it allows, and by that standard, the D last week was pretty good. I still have questions about the secondary. Jordan Kovacs, while a sure tackler, has sub-par athleticism and it will be tested this week. True freshman Carvin Johnson, who grabbed a starting safety/linebacker hybrid position in the opener last week, is out this week with a sprained knee. He'll be replaced by walk-on Floyd Simmons. J.T. Floyd will have to defend an air assault from Notre Dame QB Dayne Crist headed for Michael Floyd, a surefire top 5 receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board. Safety Cam Gordon found himself in position for some big hits last week and missed; I'd love see him separate helmet from head one of these times.

RG: Yeah, Floyd torched us in the Big House last year. Granted, he had another Alpha Dog on the other side of the field -- Golden Tate, now a receiver for the Seahawks -- which diverted the defense's attention. Still, Floyd is nasty, and how the Michigan secondary performs against him in South Bend should provide everyone with a good gauge of that unit's capabilities. I was pleased with the front seven against the Huskies. Craig Roh and Obi Ezeh (both below) had their hands in a lot of plays, and Mike Martin was an animal.

BF: You're right. The importance of Roh and that front seven getting a consistent pass rush can't be understated, and they did a pretty good job of it last week. You know when the D was at its best, though? When it was on the sideline. Let's talk a little about the importance of Time of Possession for this week’s game.

RG: Well, if we monopolize the ball and orchestrate 7, 8 and 9-minutes drives multiple times per game, we're going to demoralize defenses. We're also going to allow our young defense to ease in to the season and build confidence slowly and surely. Denard's decision-making was a big reason we put together those long drives Saturday, and he'll need to keep protecting the ball throughout the season for obvious reasons. While many teams emphasize winning the turnover battle, it's especially important for this group because of its blatantly unproven defense.

BF: One point in which I'm critical of Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is his obsession with the big play and the quick strike. There IS such a thing as scoring too quickly, and I have no problem with slow, methodical drives down the field -- albeit with a hurry-up offense. Winning the turnover battle and T.O.P. are absolutely keys to victory against the Fighting Irish. The most important two words for Saturday, though? Keep scoring.

RG: Keep pouring it on. Nothing more discouraging for an offense than to work hard for points only to see them answered on an opponents' ensuing drive. Now, I didn't think Michigan went for the big strike too often Saturday. They had drives of 6 and 8 minutes, and the other three were around 3-minute drives. And it's not like Denard was airing it out to Braylon Edwards and Mercury Hayes up top. He doesn't have those guys. But he does have YOUR BOY Martavious Odoms.

BF: Didn't the slot receivers look great Saturday? Terrence Robinson (right). Tay Odoms. Jeremy Gallon also figures to work his way into the mix at some point. Speaking of the notorious JG, how about that headfirst screamer of a dive to muff the first touch of the pig in his collegiate career?

RG: It wasn't exactly graceful.

BF: That one had the hand of Millen all over it. But hey, at least he's a fast wide receiver right?

RG: Faster than most. Did you see any “Fire Millen” signs in the Big House, by the way? I digress. Let me ask you this: Rich Rod said this week that the key to Michigan beating Notre Dame is executing on offense. It's clear he's an offensive-minded coach. But is he too hopeful in hammering home to the team "score, score, score" -- in denial of a poor defense? Or is that a healthy emphasis?

BF: I think one could make the case that he's too offensively focused. The defections the program has had since Rod’s arrival seem to be tilted toward the defensive side of the ball, and he definitely tends to focus much more heavily on offense -- like it’s the offense’s responsibility to win the game regardless of anything else.

RG: But that’s not true, is it? I suppose you can always outscore somebody, even if you can't stop them.

BF: No. Offense is not as reliable as defense is, in any sport. The intricacy and precision rest with the offense, and if there's one thing I learned ... let's just say when a plan gets too complex, things can go wrong. Why do coaches always say passing is riskier than running?

RG: So “3 yards and a cloud of dust” is a philosophy you have no problem with? Where's the creativity?

BF: Well, a fullback trap is designed for 3 yards, and I would call it a creative play. I'd prefer “7 yards and a cloud of dust.” By no means do I want to see Denard take a knee on a breakaway after a 20-yard gain. But with THIS defense, milking the clock doesn't bother me a bit. I'm merely saying that Rodriguez's primary concern shouldn't be whether 30 points is enough, or how the offensive line’s downfield blocking is looking. Let's get some Lamarr Woodleys and Marlin Jacksons back there, score quickly, force a 3-and-out, and score again. Maybe get one of them little crystal footballs while we're at it?

RG: Yessir! To truly be "Champions of the West," we've got to be elite on both sides of the ball. But we don't necessarily need to do that Saturday. I'm optimistic, sure, but I like the Wolverines by a few touchdowns. I just don't think that slow Irish defense can keep up with Denard. Michigan 41, Notre Dame 18.

BF: Find me a National Champion that won with a poor defense, and I'll find you someone in East Lansing whose rooster hasn't crowed.

RG: Oooo. Ca-caw!

BF: I love that score, and man I hope I'm wrong and you're right, but I'll go 38-34, Michigan.

RG: That has a similar look to it. And a W’s a W. (Even if the scoreboard operator is yawning. Even if you kick the ball to keep it in the air and the ref says you didn’t.)

BF: Well, if we’re lucky, the human victory cigar for this week will be a Stephen Hopkins sighting. True frosh, big power back, in there bleeding clock against the Domers. Let's hope we get a whiff of the smoke, shall we?

RG: I'm coughing already.

BF: Go Blue.

RG: Go Blue.

Roger Garfield and Brandon Falk are longtime Michigan football fans who will try and provide accurate and hopeful weekly assessments of the state of the Wolverines for the remainder of the season. They can be reached at rlouisgar@gmail.com and hbrandonfalk@gmail.com.

Time to pray, Notre Dame. Denard's waiting.

Eighteen months ago my good friend Brandon and I made a pact to travel from our respective homes at opposite ends of the country to attend a Michigan game. We settled on the contest between the Wolverines and the Fighting Irish last September at Michigan Stadium, and we chose wisely.

Michigan won a thriller, 38-34, after gutsy final drive led by then-freshman quarterback Tate Forcier. I’ve never seen the Big House in a frenzy quite like that.

The triumph was significant for Rich Rod’s bunch, which had no notable victories in his first season as the Michigan coach. It was a signature win, by all means, and it brought with it laughably premature and unwarranted national championship talk, as well as ill-conceived “Tate for Heisman” proclamations.

One year later, many Michigan fans no doubt feel similar positive feelings of promise and hope, although the quarterback they’re clamoring over dons dreads, not sun-streaked blonde hair.

Denard Robinson, not Forcier, is the new face of Michigan football. His performance in the Wolverines’ season-opening win Saturday over UConn was impressive, and he made it look effortless. The kid can play, but can he endure an entire season in the Big Ten -- against tougher and much more physical competition than he faced versus the Huskies? We shall see. (But if we see more of the same, then we can talk about that trophy that’s passed out every December -- and Denard’s chances of hoisting it.)

In the meantime, Notre Dame presents a major challenge for the young Wolverines, who will be without a few key guys after injuries suffered against Connecticut. If Denard can put up similar numbers to those ones he dropped in Week One, however, the injuries will not matter.

The Dreadlocked Wonder was wonderful, magnificent, glorious, great. There aren’t enough adjectives. I don’t know if I’m more impressed with his 197 rushing yards or his 19-for-22 day through the air. He did it all, and he was in full command every time he had the ball. He was the man. There should be no ambiguity for the remainder of the season about the team’s quarterback. Next to No. 1 on the QB depth chart there should always be a No. 16.

He will have his rough patches, and he may have them this week. Notre Dame’s defense is better now than it was a year ago in Ann Arbor, when it allowed 38 points and a-million-and-a-half yards of offense to the Wolverines. And the Irish also have a new coach in Brian Kelly, who has won wherever he has stopped. Say what you want about the guy, but he can coach, and he can win. He’ll have the Irish as ready as they can be.

(I personally think Kelly is a chop. He managed to rub Lloyd Carr the wrong way a few years back when Michigan considered him for its head job. He also left Cincinnati last season in cowardly fashion, lying to the kids who had bled in the Bearcats jerseys for him. Without that, he wouldn’t have had a shot to be Notre Dame’s guy.)

But how ready can you be for No. 16? I don’t know. Michigan still has its weak spots, but perhaps the quarterback play can trump all of the deficiencies this week and get the Wolverines off to another 2-0 start. I’d say it’s a safe bet -- even though some people in this universe of ours call Notre Dame “God’s team.”

I believe in God, but even He couldn’t tackle Denard Robinson.

You can contact Roger Garfield on Facebook or at rlouisgar@gmail.com.

Mother Jones piece

Today Mother Jones published a personal narrative I wrote about my first year of teaching, framed in the context of the ongoing challenges faced by everyone in DC Public Schools. I was pleased with how it turned out and grateful to have it put out there -- anywhere -- by a respected publication. There are so many factors discouraging kids from learning here in DC, yet many people believe they're not capable of learning. That bothers me seriously. Maybe this piece can help shed light on what our daily charge is here in DC -- and in many similar school districts around the country.

Confessions of a DC Teacher

Wolverine revival? It's up to Rodriguez

Saturday morning, as the University of Michigan students wake up to chirping birds and drunken howls in Ann Arbor, as the fans roll in from far and wide to post up in the Pioneer High School parking lot and begin tailgating in their maize and blue, as the optimism hangs heavy in the air – like it should every September, before the first kickoff of the fall – I imagine Rich Rodriguez will be in his office at Schembechler Hall fidgeting.

He should be. If the Michigan football team Rodriguez coaches doesn’t play markedly better this season than it did during his first two autumns as the Wolverines’ leader, then he will be out of a job come late November.

When he was named Lloyd Carr’s successor in 2007, some hopeful fans gave Rodriguez an overzealously reverent nickname: The Rodfather. Unfortunately, the man has been far from a Don.

Forget that he departed West Virginia in the slimiest of ways. Forget the embarrassing NCAA violations that threw the first-ever dark mark on the Michigan program. Forget how he’s perceived off the field, period.

Rodriguez’s two Wolverine teams have not won football games, and they will not win – unless some significant changes take place.

Now, every new coach in a new program deserves time to get acclimated. Wins aren’t earned overnight. But at the elite programs, one year should be enough time, and there is not much wiggle room. Two years is a stretch. Three? Forget about it. If Rodriguez doesn’t lead the Wolverines to at least seven wins this year, he should be fired the moment the clock strikes 0:00 in Columbus.

Can the Wolverines win seven or more games this year? I’d like to think so. Although they’ve only won eight games in the last two seasons combined, there are reasons to believe they can be more competitive this fall.

The offensive personnel looks lethal: Speed everywhere, a veteran receiving corps, experience and athleticism on the line, three quarterbacks that could be “the man” at a lot of schools. Consider all of the positives, and you’re looking at a team that could score 35 points per game. Really.

But “could” doesn’t mean “should” with this bunch, and it certainly doesn’t mean “will.” That’s because Rodriguez has some bad coaching habits – most of them in-game strategic shortcomings – that must be fixed.

He foolishly misused freshmen Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson last season. Forcier quickly established himself as a savvy signal caller with a whole lot of swagger. Call it cockiness, call it false bravado, whatever. He had some great moments, and early on, he looked like a guy who could cement himself as the team’s leader for four years. Forcier is small, though, and his lack of size and strength led to injuries and many costly turnovers as the weather got colder. And as he struggled, Robinson was given a chance.

He deserved one. You may recall vividly the first touch of his career – a bobbled snap against Western Michigan that the dreadlocked wonder turned into a winding 43-yard touchdown run. As he stood smiling in the end zone after that scamper, I couldn’t help but giggle. He had just completed this amazing play – with his shoelaces untied, it bears adding – and he was a mere 18-year-old with four years as a Wolverine in front of him. He embodied promise and potential, and he still does. But Rodriguez wasted a year of Robinson’s career – and harmed Forcier’s development, as well – by refusing to name an outright starter last season.

Even in the days leading up to that season opener against Western, neither Forcier nor Robinson had been tabbed by Rodriguez as the starting quarterback. That was a mistake. (One that, egregiously, is being repeated again this year. We’ll get to that.) Show me a team that lacks a man it can turn to and call its guy, its quarterback, its clear leader, and I’ll show you a team without confidence. That was Michigan last year.

Rodriguez played Forcier, and he played Robinson. He played Robinson, then he played Forcier. To the casual fan, the substitution pattern may have seemed arbitrary. To me, who pays pretty close attention to every snap when I’m lucid during the games, it seemed like Rodriguez would take one of the freshmen out of the game after a mistake and then insert the other. Oftentimes, this pattern would repeat itself over the course of 60 minutes.

That’s just not healthy at all. It’s not good for the quarterbacks’ respective psyches, and it’s surely not good for the team’s collective confidence.

Competition in practice, however, is good. And I think that’s why Rodriguez refuses to name his starting quarterback in advance: He wants them to play as hard and as smart as they can, every day in practice, to maximize their potential once Saturday rolls around. That’s a good plan, seemingly, but the drawbacks outweigh the benefits.

Do this, instead: Name your starter. Rally around him. Have a No. 2 and a No. 3 guy ready, and if they want to be a part of a winning team, you figure they – the backups – will continue to practice hard. The No. 1 guy, then, becomes the face of the team. He must be. It’s imperative, especially with a high-powered offensive bunch. But I doubt that will happen early on.

“It’s probably likely that we’ll play more than one,” Rodriguez said earlier this week.

Too bad. There are so many other question marks – the ability of the defense to stop people, namely – that make this season an unpredictable one for Michigan. But there is also so much more that the head coach can control. If Rodriguez hesitates to name his quarterback and hand him the reins – rather than keeping him on a tight, short leash – then we’re looking at more dark skies over Ann Arbor.

Let’s hope he names an outright starter today. And let’s hope that starter takes charge of the team.

I would love for it to be Robinson. His ceiling is higher than Forcier’s, isn’t it? I wouldn’t be against Gardner running the show, either. If he took the snaps, Rodriguez could conceivably move Robinson to running back, and wouldn’t that be intriguing? Gardner already has a Vince Young body. He looks the part of a big-time QB. But if he doesn’t get many snaps this season, Rodriguez ought to redshirt him. Why waste one of what could be four magical seasons?

So many questions. But that’s what the preseason is all about. After Saturday, I intend on occupying this space with substance, not speculation.

In the meantime, I’ll deliberate over what to call Rodriguez this season. The Rodfather? No, he hasn’t earned it yet. Rich Rod? Ehh, too ho hum. If he wins seven games, then maybe. But if he continues to oversee a football team that plays wretchedly on Saturdays for the majority of the fall, I will acknowledge him as his detractors and rivals do:

Dick Rod.

Use what you’ve got wisely, guy.

You can contact Roger Garfield on Facebook or at rlouisgar@gmail.com.