Days ago, reflecting on his legacy at Michigan, Lloyd Carr pondered an exit strategy.
“I think one of the most important things a leader can do,” he told the Detroit News, “is know when it’s time to let somebody else lead.”
So is it time? What other conclusion could you reach after Michigan’s shocking 34-32 loss to Appalachian State in the Big House?
Good luck finding a bigger upset in the history of Big Ten football. Sure, Penn State lost to Akron 24-6 in 2000, but the Nittany Lions won just five games that year. Northwestern bleached Lou Holtz’s towel in 1995, but the 17-15 victory over Notre Dame still came courtesy of a Big Ten team.
And to think, Comcast mocked the Appalachian State-Michigan matchup, with officials saying: Why would the Big Ten Network think anyone would want to watch that?
Yes, the Mountaineers are back-to-back defending Division I-AA champs. But according to the Associated Press, no former I-AA team had beaten a ranked opponent since 1989.
Michigan entered the season ranked fifth — 10th in the Tribune — with a potential top-5 pick at left tackle (Jake Long) and a top-notch backfield of Chad Henne and Mike Hart.
The Wolverines thought their greatest challenge would be to beat Ohio State and end their four-bowl losing streak.
Instead this appears to be a team in crisis. The Wolverines had two field-goal tries blocked, missed two two-point conversions, allowed 387 yards and 17 pass completions in 23 attempts.
Carr, 62, has been reluctant to talk about when he will retire, not wanting to create a distraction. At this point, it might create relief.
