Lloyd Carr and the Wolverines are Optimistic as Michigan fans forecast a possible National Championship
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With a slew of returning starters on offense, a less than SEC quality schedule, and a coach looking to shut up the critics the Michigan Wolverines are thinking a Big Ten Championship and possibly even more.
After a dissapointing 7-5 2005 campaign Lloyd Carr and the Wolverines came back with a vengeance in 2006. Winning their first 11 games in dominating fashion many Wolverine fans were thinking that 1997 was going to happen all over again. But then reality kicked the Wolverines in the face after a November 17th loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. This was dissapointing in many rights considering it was their third consecutive loss to Tressel and the Buckeyes and for the second time in 5 years the Wolverines allowed the Buckeyes to bypass them for a Big Ten title and a National Championship berth. However Carr and the Wolverines were shipped off too Pasadena with high expectations from the College Football World and many thought that the Wolverines would be able to do the Trojans what the Trojans did to them three seasons earlier in the same Rose Bowl game. However the Wolverines were smashed by the Trojans for their second consecutive loss and they let up even more big plays then they did against Ohio State. After thes 2 consecutive losses reality hit Ann Arbor, Michigan had now lost to Ohio State and in it's Bowl game for the third straight year and Lloyd Carr was now 1-5 coaching against Ohio State's Jim Tressell.
In 2007 many Michigan fans believe that Michigan will once again come out with a vengeance. Hey maybe this year they will beat the Buckeyes and win their Bowl game. Many Wolverine fans believe that if Michigan can do that they will have likely beaten the Buckeyes while maintaining an undefeated record and then earn a berth in the National Title game. If they win their they will have broken somewhat of a recent curse and the College Football World will all of the sudden be talking about how great Lloyd Carr is with what would now be 6 Big Ten Titles and 2 National Titles.
So many people are asking one question "Why are their such big expectations for a team that hasn't been able to perform in their last two games?". Well lets just say that returning starters Jake Long, Chad Henne, Mario Manningham and Mike Hart didn't return just so they could have a fantastic season that would be tarnished by 2 dissapointing losses. It is quite obvious that these 4 players came back for one really good reason and that reason is to take care of business by beating Ohio State and win a bowl game. Michigan should have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation this year with a huge offensive line led by Jake Long, this line should be dynamic enough to lead Mike Hart to break the Michigan rushing record and to lead Chad Henne to break the passing yardage record. Mike will have a fun time running behind this huge line while Henne should have an equally as fun time throwing the long balls to Manningham and Arrington. With all the big numbers produced by Henne and Hart being great stats the only number that really matters is 0-6, that is their record between Ohio State and Bowl games in the carreers of Henne, Hart and Long.
The big question is Michigan's defense. Will they be able to hold up against teams like Notre Dame, Oregon, Wisconsin and Ohio State? Well if they can survive the Oregon and Notre Dame games with their rebuilding defense they will have from September 22nd until November 10th to get things straight defensively for the showdowns with #6 Wisconsin and #15 Ohio State. However Michigan does have a defensive weapon that should help them rebuild that defense quickly enought. This weapons name is Ron English, English is the master behind last years sixth ranked defense that led the nation in sacks for much of the year.
With all of this returning talent a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten title and possibly a National title are in sight. If Michigan doesn't overlook any body and takes every game seriously they could enter the Ohio State game 11-0. At this point it would be all up to the Wolverines on whether they want to change 0-6 into 2-6 or into 0-8.
