By Eric Geier

    The new coach in Ann Arbor has already had a tough transition as he left West Virginia amidst strong criticism and lost coveted quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Now, Rodriguez and the Wolverines have lost one of their crucial big men on the offensive line.

    Boren, a 6-foot-4, 314 pound junior lineman from Pickerington, Ohio announced last Tuesday that he would be leaving the University of Michigan because “family values have eroded in just a few months” under new coach Rich Rodriguez. Michigan is losing what would have been their most experienced lineman who started every game last season at various positions on the offensive line. It seems that Rodriguez is bringing a different philosophy and atmosphere to Michigan that some players may not agree with after being so comfortable under established coach Lloyd Carr. Some believe that Rich Rodriguez is weeding out the players he doesn’t think will fit into the system he wants to introduce, which may not sit right with the style of football many of the players signed on to play. The no huddle, spread offense has caused some problems with the large offensive lineman who are used to the ground and pound style of offense that is synonymous with the Michigan Wolverines. After Michigan’s first practices, Boren cited the constant running to the line of scrimmage as a style of play that he was not used to, possibly one of the reasons he decided to leave.

    One school that Boren and his family are considering is the Ohio State University. Boren grew up in Pickerington, OH and was torn between his hometown Buckeyes and the Wolverines, a school his father played for under legendary coach Bo Schembechler. Justin’s father, Mike has been very vocal throughout the whole process, explaining to the media that Ohio State would be a good fit for his son because they play the kind of ball that Justin is used to. If the Boren’s were hoping that the controversy surrounding their son’s departure from U of M would go away quickly, they were wrong, especially if he chooses to play for Ohio State. If he does choose the Buckeyes, fans from Michigan won’t forget that Justin Boren betrayed them. Perhaps they will start to feel like fans from West Virginia, we all know what happened there.