Steve Silverman

The ideal scenario for Lloyd Carr: His Wolverines, overcoming years of frustration at Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes, find a way to defeat their archrivals at Michigan Stadium

Carr’s team wins its sixth Big Ten title under his leadership and head off to an elite bowl game — perhaps even the Rose Bowl — and the Wolverines win that as well.

Then Carr bids adieu to coaching and goes off to a life in the broadcast booth or fishing or anything else he wants to do.

The decision should be Carr’s. He has provided Michigan with its best leadership since the indomitable Bo Schembechler and has clearly been a worthy Michigan Man.

But the time has come for Carr to walk off into the sunset. Much as John Cooper could not figure out Carr, Carr has not been able to figure out Tressel.

Tressel’s Buckeyes have won five out of the last six games against Michigan, turning a series that had been controlled by the Maize and Blue into a Scarlet and Grey possession.

In addition to the Wolverines’ troubles against the Bucks, Michigan has hit the skids in the postseason. Carr’s men have lost five of their last six bowl games.

That does not suffice at Michigan. Nerves in Ann Arbor were frayed at the end of last season when the Wolverines dropped a classic 42-39 decision at Columbus. Both teams came into the game No. 1 and a spot in the national championship game was on the line.

After that loss, Michigan dropped a 32-18 decision to USC in the Rose Bowl.

It was déjà vu all over again, as Yogi Berra would say.

When the powers that be at Michigan brought Carr back for the 2007 season, they figured that the Wolverines would have a chance to dominate the Big Ten since Ohio State had lost so many stars from the team that lost to Florida in the BCS national title game. Quarterback Troy Smith was gone and so was speed wide receiver/return specialist Ted Ginn. Running back Antonio Pittman, who had killed the Wolverines each of the last two seasons, also moved on.

It wasn’t quite so simple.

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Michigan lost a dreadful opener to tiny Appalachian State, a defeat that will live in infamy as one of the biggest upsets in the history of American sports. A week later, an angry and embarrassed Wolverine team figured to lay out Oregon. The Ducks were visiting Michigan Stadium and there was no way the Wolverines could lose their first two games at home.

Wrong.

Not only did Oregon win, but the 39-7 defeat at home was Michigan’s worst loss since the Bo Schembechler era started in 1969. Michigan had been punished 50-14 by Ohio State in 1968 and that was the last time the Wolverines lost by 32 or more points.

We’ll give credit to Carr for not letting an awful situation get even worse by reeling off eight straight wins, but the Wolverines come into their regular-season finale off a painful defeat at Wisconsin.

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Carr, who turned 62 in July, is ready to hit the bricks. He is a bright man with a master’s degree in education. He knows that the end is near.

Carr has spent much of his off-the-field life devoted to causes like the Special Olympics. He is a warm man who understands that there is more to life than big plays, big hits and first downs. But the bottom line in his profession is winning the big games. A power school like Michigan never has trouble beating the majority of Big Ten teams. The school’s success is measured by how it does against Ohio State and in the subsequent bowl game.

Lately it has not gone well for Carr. These are anxious times in Ann Arbor and there are individuals who would like to see a change at the top. Carr does not need to face the executioner’s axe. Instead, he can go out on his own terms by letting everyone know after the Ohio State game that he has decided to retire.

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Perhaps he will wait until Sunday. If he takes that step, he will be making the best move for himself and for the Michigan football program.

It would be best for Carr if he makes the decision himself and doesn’t face the ignominy of getting fired. Not at his age and after 13 years as head coach. He needs to go out on his own terms.

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