Top 5 questions Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez will hear at Big Ten media days

1. Who starts at quarterback? Denard Robinson made great strides in the spring, but remains raw. Tate Forcier is more polished, but has his own issues. Rodriguez, no doubt, will drag the competition into fall camp, and probably be sick of answering this question by Tuesday afternoon.

2. How many wins will it take to keep his job? Like it or not, Rodriguez is on the hot seat. He knows he needs to show improvement this year to get a fourth season in Ann Arbor, but no one’s defined how much. Don’t expect Rodriguez to, either.

3. Ready for Seattle? Michigan still has that pesky little NCAA investigation thing to deal with, including a hearing Aug. 13-14 in Seattle. NCAA snoops are hanging around West Virginia, checking into Rodriguez’s time there, too. Players may be focused on the season, but NCAA questions will linger until the final punishment is doled out sometime mid-season.

4. Any chance the defense is good? Or even decent? Brandon Graham, Stevie Brown and Donovan Warren, three of Michigan’s most productive players last year, are in the NFL. Mike Martin, Craig Roh and a bunch of question marks are back. Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson is hoping his new 3-3-5 works woners.

5. What’s the plan for David Molk and Vincent Smith? Both are doing just fine, by all accounts, but torn ACLs should never be taken lightly. Molk is the anchor of Michigan’s offensive line; Smith the Wolverines’ best running back. It might make sense to ease them into practice and make sure they’re fine for the season.