AREA CODE 650 ... HARBAUGH NOW OR NEVER

Time to make the call?

The University of Michigan football program was never this suspect under Lloyd Carr and yet, he was forced out the door like an aging sheriff who could no longer protect the townsfolk.

At least under Carr the Wolverines were competitive.  This current product on the field every Saturday for the maize and blue is at times head shaking.  Let's face facts, this isn't Purdue we're talking about where every blue moon you get good.  This is about a storied program that used to be part of the conversation when talk centered about a national title run.


SHOULD HE BE WORRIED?

This is not column calling for Rich Rodriguez's dismissal.  It's more about being in place when opportunity knocks and whether someone gets up to answer the door.  In order to be fair, a coach should get a full recruiting class to prove his value, to implement his style of play, with his kind of players.  Rodriguez has been at the helm for three years.  His record is unimpressive at 15-21.  He's 0-3 against both Ohio State and Michigan State -- huge measuring sticks for survival.  Earle Bruce lost his job at Ohio State because he couldn't win that last game of the regular season.  Jim Tressel has beat Michigan in seven straight games and is 9-1 all-time.

The Wolverines were 7-5 this season, but they came up short in big games to Iowa, MSU, Wisconsin and Ohio State, all ranked teams within the conference.  The offense has at times been exciting for Michigan, but the defense, once built upon immense pride, now has more holes than Swiss cheese.  And then there is the embarrassment of NCAA investigations and probation -- not the way Michigan does business.

So what's a program to do?  Stay the course, hoping as Rich Rod said after today's 37-7 loss that "I think the worst is behind us. I know it is."

Or is it time to roll the dice and look elsewhere?  Is it time to get a Michigan man in Schembechler Hall?  If that's the case, former Wolverine quarterback Jim Harbaugh should be on speed dial.  After blanking Oregon State 38-0, the coach of the Stanford Cardinal guided his team to an 11-1 regular season record.  Caution though.  Remember I mentioned a coach often needs a full four years.  In his first three seasons at Stanford, Harbaugh was 4-2, 5-7 and 8-5.  But, it's Harbaugh's resume that also merits attention.  His brother has achieved success coaching the Baltimore Ravens and Jim was a starter for several teams in the NFL.  Harbaugh is a solid recruiter and his players seem willing to run through a wall for him.  If the call isn't made this year, he might not be available and even now, it could be a long shot because he is a hot commodity.

I'm just happy I don't have to make the decision or make the call.  I went to Purdue and last I checked, this isn't a blue moon year.