Ann Arbor, Mich. ? The winged helmets haven’t changed a bit since coach Herbert O. “Fritz” Crisler came up with the idea in 1938.

Head equipment manager Jon Falk was hired by Bo Schembechler more than three decades ago, and the big block M logo, maybe the most recognizable in college sports, has been around longer than anyone at the school can remember.

Stability and continuity are the pillars upon which Michigan has become college football’s winningest program. For many fans, the Wolverines’ 7-5 record last season was not worthy of that tradition.

Coach Lloyd Carr’s greatest sin in the eyes of his critics has been his perceived inflexibility. Others, however, call it consistency. That’s a trait Michigan embraces.

“We do fine tune (at Michigan),” athletic director Bill Martin said. “It’s an evolutionary process, though. It’s not a revolutionary process.”

That 7-5 season did spark a revolution of sorts.

“There’s nobody here that wanted to go through that again,” said Carr, in his 12th season as head coach and 26th year coaching in Ann Arbor.

Carr changed both coordinators and trimmed the fat from his team – literally.

A leaner, meaner Michigan (8-0) is now unbeaten, No. 2 in the country and entering the final month of the season positioned to make a run at the school’s first national title since 1997. All that remains for the Wolverines are three teams with losing records, starting Saturday with Northwestern, and archrival Ohio State.

It’s hard to quibble with Carr’s record of 110-34 at Michigan. He’s won five Big Ten titles and could be playing for a sixth – along with a spot in the BCS title game – Nov. 18 when the Wolverines face the top-ranked Buckeyes and coach Jim Tressel, who made it four victories in five games against Carr and Michigan last season.

When the Wolverines fail to live up to the lofty standards created by years of success, Michigan football can seem stodgy and stale, almost held hostage by its cherished history.

Last year was one of those years.

During Michigan’s worst season since 1984, the Wolverines had the lead in the final six minutes of four of their five losses. But they couldn’t finish, couldn’t run the ball to salt away wins, couldn’t protect a lead defensively.

“In looking at maybe why we weren’t able to do those things it became obvious to me that we could increase our mobility, our quickness, our stamina, by being a better conditioned team, by losing weight and being a quicker team,” Carr said.

There was more to getting in shape than just dropping a few pounds.

“It’s really more about an attitude and being committed to the program,” said 297-pound guard Adam Kraus, who lost about 10 pounds.

“When we came back from that bowl game, when we lost to Nebraska, you could see it in guys eyes that they were ready to go. They were ready to commit,” said defensive end LaMarr Woodley, who’s as ripped as the pumped-up Woody Woodpecker tattooed on his huge left biceps.

“All winter conditioning, guys were committed, running harder, running extra laps. Spring ball came around, you could see guys working hard every day to get better. After spring ball, I knew this was going to be a good team.”

Under new defensive coordinator Ron English, who was promoted from secondary coach, the Wolverines’ defense has been unleashed. Woodley leads a ferocious front seven that is using its increased speed to attack offenses. The Wolverines lead the nation in run defense, allowing 33.6 yards per game and have a conference best 30 sacks, led by Woodley’s nine.

The running game has returned, too. With tailback Mike Hart recovered from a hamstring injury that hampered him most of last season, new coordinator Mike DeBord has the Wolverines overpowering opponents again.