Farewell Lloyd?

Farewell Lloyd?

Ohio State over came nasty weather and 110,000 fans to beat Michigan 14-3 in what could have been Lloyd Carr's last home game. Carr will hold a 10 a.m press conference Monday at which time he is expected to announce his retirement. Carr became the first Michigan coach to go 1-7 over a seven-year stretch against Ohio State after Saturday's loss.

Carr had been under much scrutiny the last three seasons for failing to beat Ohio State and for the Wolverines lack luster performances in bowl games. Things got off to a slow start this season after Michigan started the year ranked in the top five. Losses to Appalachian State and Oregon sent damaging shock waves through the once iron clad Michigan program.

Other signs have been pointing toward this being Carr's 13th and final year at Michigan. The 62-year old Carr altered his contract last December, ensuring he would be paid deferred compensation and that his assistant coaches would be taken care of, no matter what. Carr's staff signed contract extensions in March that will have them coaching in Michigan or being paid by the university through 2009. What a class act move from a first class coach and man.

Since becoming head coach in 1995, Carr is 121-40 and 81-23 in the Big-Ten. He has won five Big-Ten titles, one national championship (1997) and led the Wolverines to a bowl game every season. If Carr does retire, there will be some big shoes to fill at Michigan. The top candidate is LSU head coach and former Michigan player and assistant coach, Les Miles. Miles played and coached under legendary coach Bo Schembechler and would be the ideal successor. Carr will be remembered as one of the great Michigan coaches of all-time and the last, 'old-school' coach from the Schembechler coaching tree.

Carr is one of the most successful active football coaches in the NCAA football but sadly his legacy at Michigan will be remembered for losing four straight and six of seven to Tressel and the Buckeyes.

•    Carr's teams have won five Big-Ten titles and one national championship (1997).
•    Michigan had been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for all but nine of its games under Carr.
•    Carr became the first Wolverine coach to win four straight bowl games, beating Auburn, 31-28, on New Year's Day in the 2001 Florida Citrus Bowl and after leading Michigan to victories in the 1998 Rose Bowl, 1999 Florida Citrus Bowl, and the 2000 Orange Bowl.
•    Carr has posted a .500 or better record against two of Michigan's top three rivals, going 10-3 against Michigan State and 5-4 against Notre Dame. Carr has also owned Penn State with a recorded of 9-2 record against Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions.

Ohio State Buckeyes, Big-Ten Champions

Chris Wells stole the show rushing for 222 yards and two touchdowns as Jim Tressel became the first Buckeye head coach to beat Michigan six times in seven years. Ohio State has now won four in a row against archrival Michigan. Michigan hung in there on defense but could never muster any significant drives on offense and never found an answer to the Vernon Gholston-led Ohio State defense. Gholston was everywhere and was too much to handle on passing downs recording three of the Buckeye's four sacks. "I'm sure Chad Henne will be seeing him in his sleep," Tressel said.

Michigan had just 91 yards in total offense and just 15 rushing yards. "The story today was the Ohio State defense," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. The Buckeyes held Michigan to under 100 yards, the first time the Wolverines failed to reach 100 yards since 1962. "Our defense was not going to let Michigan control the game on the ground," Tressel said.

Wells had a career-high 39 carries, the most by a Buckeye against Michigan, and he also ran for more yards than anybody had for Ohio State in the history of the series. "He wanted to take this game on his shoulders and carry us," Tressel said. "And, that's what he did."

Michigan quarterback Chad Henne, tailback Mike Hart and tackle Jake Long ended their stellar careers 0-4 against Ohio State and with a woeful offensive performance in their final game at the Big House. "We just have to take it," Long said.

Michigan got off to a solid start with a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Buckeyes controlled the game by stopping a one-dimensional offense that could not get their passing game off the ground and handing the ball off to Bennie Wells.

Michigan struggled on offense because Henne was ineffective due to his lingering shoulder injury. Hart was unable to find room to run against a defense that didn't have to respect the pass and could concentrate on stopping Hart.

Henne, whose throws were usually high or wide, left the field for one series in the third quarter and returned in the fourth. When he made accurate passes, star receivers Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington did not hold on frequently enough. Henne finished just 11-of-34 for 68 yards and chose not speak to reporters after the game.

Hart had 18 carries for 44 yards, his first game this year under the 100-yard mark. Michigan has no excuses for losing the biggest game of the year and maybe the last game for soon to be legendary coach Carr. "We have no excuses here," Carr said. "But I think it's fair to acknowledge Chad didn't throw the ball like he has and Mike Hart was not at full speed."

Ohio State has now claimed three Big-Ten titles in a row, earning the last two outright for the first time since 1954-55. This is the longest streak of conference championships since Michigan won five in a row from 1988-92.