Yes, this isn't one of Miles best articles. He usually does a really good job (his Burrow piece is great). However, he does have a point that the fan support is still there - but not fanatical like it was under Meyer & Spurrier. I remember buying $20 tickets and sitting in the new Champions Club seats during the Zook era. So, the fan support will return - when a winning and/or fun product is back on the field.
I haven't been to a home game since 2008 (I have been to FL/GA and 5 or 6 road games, however). I was planning to attend the Texas A&M game last year and cancelled the trip after watching the Michigan game. I knew right then we were - again - a crap team that I wasn't going to spend $1500 to travel and burn vacation days to watch a poorly coached, undisciplined football team - coached by a bafoon and an incompetent OC (and there were people defending Nussmeir until the bitter end).
I also question the attendance the UAA is putting out. Just watching on tv, there are much more than four to five thousand empty seats in that stadium the last several years (on average).