When disappointing seasons come to their close, it’s become common practice to find a scapegoat. The team lost and someone is to blame. Soviet Russia had Trotsky, the Beatles had Yoko, and Michigan had Brady Hoke.

Had Brady Hoke. On Tuesday, Hoke was relieved of his head coaching duties after a 31-20 record in Ann Arbor. After a 5-7 season that saw the Wolverines go 3-5 in the Big Ten, Hoke probably deserved to be fired. But he certainly isn’t the root of Michigan’s problems and he didn’t deserve the exit he was given.

Interim Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett left Hoke blowing in the wind for the second half of the season. Hackett allowed speculation about Hoke’s competency and possible replacements to run wild. You half expected Jim Harbaugh’s architect to start measuring Schembechler Hall*.

The handling of Hoke’s dismissal was embarrassing but indicative of a flailing, and failing, culture in Michigan. Ironically, that culture is what got Hoke the job in the first place. He’s a Michigan Man, the direct opposite of his predecessor Rich Rodriguez. Yet, here we are. Hoke is no longer the Michigan Man and Rodriguez is Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

Perhaps Michigan’s current plight has little to do with the traditions of the coach and much more to do with the traditions of Michigan.

Michigan was a great football institution. Michigan is a disaster, and now on its third coach in seven years.

On Tuesday, Hackett said he would look for a coach capable of “winning with the shared values of the University of Michigan.” Perhaps it’s time to stop prostrating before the ghost of 1997. It’s difficult to talk about winning when the team has done little of that since 2007.

Brady Hoke takes with him the last of the excuses for Michigan. It isn’t his fault anymore. Whatever happens next is on Michigan.

(*assuming Harbaugh has an architect.**)

(**also assuming Harbaugh wants to leave the NFL for a dumpster fire.)