A Few Words for Wolverine Nation

Dear Fellow Fans, Friends, and Family,

I just want it to be clear that I am backing coach Brady Hoke, his assistants, and the entire Wolverine football team until they lose a sixth game of the season. An 8-4 record (not including conference championship game or bowl game of course) would be very respectable, especially if you think it is downright unlikely at this point. A 7-5 finish wouldn't be that bad either if the team ended up having a nice bowl win. Personally, I am hoping for a 9-3 finish, but I do realize that would be a comeback of epic proportions for the program. An uphill battle to say the least.

Whatever the case may be, if and when they lose that sixth game of the year, I will officially jump off the bandwagon and call for everybody's head. Until then, let the program try to finish what it started here. Let's at least not try to look so desperate! Losing streaks allow us to really find out who we are as a "Nation" and re-evaluate our priorities. Seriously, let's not make this any harder on the team than it already is right now. Do you think they enjoy losing? No. No way. No how. These guys, for the most part, are good people that work hard every day and are trying to do the best that they can.

In this hour, which is a very dark hour in Michigan football history, let us as fans try to be the shining light that leads the way to glory. Football is a sport of momentum and energy, and if we can show this team that we do indeed care about them as a program, as well as individual student-athletes and coaches, then we will have taken the proper steps toward correcting the problem. Stay strong people, support the team, and work through this. Players, coaches, administrators, and fans alike must all stick together because all is not yet lost.  

In the end, let's not try to look so much like sore losers. All this finger-pointing and blame-gaming needs to stop. The season isn't even over yet, and crazier things have happened than a 9-3 finish. With a little love, this team might actually turn out to be okay.

If you need some reasons to think that this team has a chance to turn it around, here are few facts to help you along:

1. Michigan's defense is ranked 9th overall in total yards allowed in the entire country (20th against the rush and 22nd against the pass). They have really played well, including holding a Utah offense that is ranked 16th in the country in scoring (42 pts per game) to 19 points. They also rank #1 in red zone defense while not allowing a single TD in the red zone yet this season. IF you watch the games you would know that these losses were not really their fault. As a fan, you have to give some love to the defense!
2. The team ranks 3rd in the country in penalties against with just 3.4 per game. That is the sign of a well-coached team. Why isn't anybody talking about that?! If they continue on this trend and keep working hard they will gel into a very good football team. I believe that!
3. The rushing offense currently ranks 49th in the country and the team ranks 39th in Time of Possession. With a little more of a threat coming from the passing game these numbers, which are already above average, would drastically increase. 
4. The turnover margin has been the biggest Achilles heel of this team, ranking 125th in the country! If the D could start causing some more turnovers and the QB (whoever that is) could just stop tossing up INT's, then things would really start to turnaround on the field. It's a very simple equation when you break it all down. 

We are improving in a lot respects as a team and should continue to do so as we move forward. In the end, I just hope we all end up enjoying the games a little more than we are now. Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do from the stands, but the least we could do is not try to make more of a spectacle out of it. We could even try to show the world that WE ARE very compassionate and loyal fans no matter what the situation.