Michigan Loses to Oregon -- Unbelievable, Yet Entirely Predictable

In a way this is my fault. All I wanted in the last two weeks (other, of course, than two Michigan victories) were two blowouts so I could see freshman phenom Ryan Mallett play. Well, I got my blowout today. And I got to see Ryan Mallett play. Little did I know it was going to come during a 39-7 Oregon Duck victory, Michigan's worst lost since the 1960's. Michigan has now lost four in a row dating back to last season, having lost each game since Bo Schembechler's death before the Ohio State game last year, and are completely lost, on every level.

Chad Henne, as he was last week, was downright awful. Having regressed from a senior leader to redshirt freshman practically overnight, Henne was not good at all. He threw an interception in the first quarter, into double coverage in the end-zone that Joey Harrington wouldn't have thrown, and didn't play in the second half due to a leg "injury." Maybe he was really hurt (he was shaken up after a big second quarter hit), maybe not (he still finished the half), but with the way he was playing, it didn't matter. I finally got to see Mallett play, but, as a true freshman, he was raw, and while he displayed his big arm, and showed off his potential, that was about all he showed off.

And Mike Hart. Where do I start? Sure he looked good again, but what was he doing playing in the second half, when Michigan was down by 25 and then over 30, when he could hardly walk? You could see that he wanted to play, and that he was shooing off his replacements as they tried to enter the game, but it was clear he was hurt, and clear that Michigan was going to lose the game anyway. You admire his heart and his dedication, but at some point, Lloyd Carr needs to, you know, be the head coach of the team and say: "Son, I know you want to play, but you're hurt, you're going to get more injured by being out there, and this one is too far gone." Who is running this team anyway? The players or the coach? And maybe that's the problem.

And how about that Michigan defense? The secondary? Wow. Oregon could, and did, anything they wanted. Michigan couldn't tackle. It was embarrassing how many tackles Oregon's running backs, quarterback, and wide receivers broke. They couldn't cover either, as Oregon connected on touchdown passes of 85, 61, and 46 yards. Oregon had 624 yards of total offense. That isn't a typo. 624 yards. 624 yards.

Of course this was going to happen. It was entirely predictable. Oregon ran the same spread offense that beat us last week, except they are better, faster, and more talented than Appalachian State. 0-2. The laughing stocks of college football. Michigan. Michigan.

I've seen at all in Ann Arbor now.