Toothless and De-clawed: The New Look Wolverine Defense

By Kenny Bloggins

Rich-Rod's offense is more explosive than I ever imagined (ranked 5th out of 120 teams in yards per game). But, as a lifelong Michigan fan, I'm sickened by what I'm seeing from the defense. I'll excuse DT Mike Martin from these comments because the guy is a manimal, much like Brandon Graham was last season. I can't say enough about Martin, who's still a junior, but that's where the pleasantries end. To be honest, every other guy on the defense should lose his scholarship, but not until after defensive coordinator Greg Robinson is shown the door. Better yet, give the guy an actual pink slip to mimic his defense's aggression.

I'm well aware that Robinson won two Super Bowl rings as D-Coord with the Broncos and a BCS title as D-Coord with the Longhorns, but it's just not working at Michigan. His talent pool is young and has been ravaged by transfers and injuries, but there's simply no excuse for his defense ranking 100th out of 120 in total defense and 114th in passing defense. Their alarming (non)performance puts them behind steel-trap defenses such as: Hawaii, Utah State, Ball State, Western Michigan and Duke (and I'm pretty sure Wojo plays linebacker for Duke).

Not to beat a dying Wolverine, but consider the following point totals put up by Michigan opponents:

Penn State: 13 vs. Illinois, 3 vs. Iowa, 24 vs. Kent St., 22 vs. Temple, 41 vs. Michigan

UMass: 26 vs. Stony Brook, 10 vs. Richmond, 13 vs. New Hampshire, 37 vs. Michigan

Looking forward to playing the #7 Badgers this weekend. They put up 83 points on Indiana last week without the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year (RB John "Cassius" Clay). Hopefully Greg Robinson is fired in the tunnel at halftime.

You would frown too if your defense continually surrendered 18 yard runs up the gut on 3rd and 15 or 80 yard TD passes on 4th and 30.