Ex-Michigan star loses support staff role with Wolverines

It has been a tumultuous offseason to say the least for the Michigan Wolverines. Although they are the defending national champions, it has been nothing short of tough sledding since the clock struck zero in Houston over four months ago. Jim Harbaugh and others left for the NFL, while Sherrone Moore took over and has had to deal with the fallout of this controversial college football program.

While we know what the burger suspensions amounted to, we are still waiting for the other big shoe to drop over Connor Stalions. In the meantime, former Michigan support staffer and star quarterback Denard Robinson has been let go from the program for last month's OWI arrest. Robinson, who is in his mid-30s, is synonymous with the early 2010s success at Michigan, as well as a video game cover.

Robinson was the last featured cover athlete for EA Sports' college football video game. With it slated to come back in a few weeks, the timing could not have been any worse for Robinson. While he did get drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013 and had a decent NFL career, Robinson's greatness on the football field while at Michigan still means something to certain people of a certain generation.

Robinson is now the second former Michigan staffer to be arrested for OWI during this offseason.

Denard Robinson no longer with the Michigan football program any more

This had to have been a tough call for Moore to make, but it was the right one. For as beloved as Robinson is within the Michigan faithful, you cannot have him on the support staff after an OWI arrest when his most importance task in this role is to help shape the lives of young men. Surely, Robinson will find work in football at some point down the line. He has been in a coaching role ever since 2019.

Simply put, Michigan is in too precarious of a spot to take on this kind of off-field distraction, even if it is coming from one of their own. Assuming the NCAA has one last big punch up its sleeve, the Michigan program feels like a house of cards to any outsider who has followed along to the ongoing sign-stealing scandal involving Stalions. Michigan may not get punished harshly, but they feel guilty.

Overall, this is all culminating in what should be an obvious pull-back year for the entire program. If they were to go undefeated in back-to-back years, you and I and everyone else will be tasked with eating either crow or our own hat. While Michigan could still be in the mix to make the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, they are not one of the favorites to run the gauntlet in the new format.

For now, Michigan will need to hire a new assistant director of player personnel to replace Robinson.