Anonymous former Harbaugh Assistant says he doesn’t know X’s & O’s? (Athletic)

Not sure it matters. You are what your record says you are. He ranks #5 all time winning % in NFL and he is currently in the top echelon of CFB coaches.  The only living coach who can match Harbaugh at both levels is Pete Carroll. Maybe I’m missing someone else but I doubt it. 

I should quit my job and write some fluff piece on how The Michigan football team is overrated or how Harbaugh is quirky or whether the toilet seats in the practice facility are too cold or ……. Stop giving these “ journalists” clicks.   

Funny statement given the reality of the facts of his career.

Some coaches seem fine if they have a 5 star player but seem awful when they have only 2-3 or 4 stars. Somehow Harbaugh has managed! 

The quote above is dumb and likely comes from someone like Gattis but this quote also drove me insane:

I wonder why the ownership is so enamored with Jimmy,” a defensive coach said. “Do they want to run Bo Schembechler’s offense from 1977?

I swear to fucking gawd people think that "runs the ball effectively" means doesn't have a modern approach.  Michigan averages 40 points per game with this "1977 offense" and all I see on Coach Twitter are people pointing out how creative and effective it is.  When he had Patterson he threw the ball and average of 32 times a game in 2019, which was the same number Alabama threw with Tua and Mac Jones and that murderer's row of receivers.  He'll run an offense that is effective and considering the last guy who coached the Broncos was an offensive "genius" and they averaged 17 ppg maybe this defensive coach should focus less on Harbaugh's offense and more on not sounding like an idiot.

He is not a horseshit Coach.  That guy is in East Landfill.  

At this point, who cares what his knowledge of X’s and O’s are? If he’s winning, and currently he’s doing that, then who gives a shit?

Plenty of head coaches have taken on more of the CEO role and won a bunch of games in the process. They weren’t the most savvy play-callers, weren’t the best recruiters, didn’t design the best schemes, but they hired the people who did those things the best. They were the best at identifying coaching talent, and then they made sure those people came to work for them. So who cares how you get it done as long as you get it done?

If this is coming from former disgruntled coaches like Dudek or Gattis, then I’d just ask how their current situation is panning out for them? One’s unemployed and the other guy, if this past season is any indication, could be clearing out his desk this time next year, too. 

Urban was absolutely just a CEO.   Nothing wrong with that if you have great assistants.

All that need to be said, is....  the anonymous assistant likely never played in the NFL.

Sour ass grapes.  No way with his winning record every place he has coached.  The man has been knee deep in football his entire life.  

Jim Harbaugh doesn't know how to coach the footballs? Fire Beilein 

Sure, the son of a college head coach who has played quarterback and coached at the highest levels since the mid 1980s doesn’t understand Xs and Os like this anonymous assistant 🙄

He certainly knows his Jimmies & Joes...... I'm guessing he know a bit about the x's & o's too.

The idea advanced in the article is ludicrous. 
However I hope ownership at Denver, Indy, etc believe it. Who would hire the guy described in the article?

well, he’s not drawing up plays and designing blitz packages on the sideline, like saban or kirby.  oh, wait, they’re not, either.  

Seriously? I hate morons. Not OP, but the source. Stupid, ignorant take.

There was a former 49er player that said the same thing a few years back, he was talking about reading defenses

The Athletic. Nuff said.

If he did it once or even twice then maybe I would believe it but the guy has done it everywhere he has has been and has won a lot. NOW if you told me Scott Frost is not good with Xs and Os then I believe it.

didn't he have a long career as a quarterback.  I would have to think he would have to have an understanding of how plays work and be a quarterback.  

I always assumed that Harbaugh didn’t spend his time with a yardstick measuring lineman splits like Bo. He’s a leader more than a strategy machine like Saban and Belichick. Who would you rather have a cup of coffee with? Dan Campbell fits that mold as well. Young men need a leader more than selling their soul to Saban’s juggernaut. 

After watching this National Title game, I agree with this random mofo. 

There are tactical leaders and there are inspirational leaders. Alexander the great was an inspirational leader with amazing generals. Genghis Kahn was a tactical leader with amazing generals. Point being, you can be a supreme leader using either style, but need great supreme subordinates, to truly be a great leader.

I guess teams need more coaches who don't know X's and O's then. Should make for some interesting coaching interviews.

Bahahaha. Ok 
 

some people are just super dumb. Pretty astonishing 

Actually there was a former 49r that said essentially the same thing. I can't remember his name but it was at the same time Harbaugh was hired. Oh, btw, the player had been cut by JH so he may have been a little bitter. Just sayin'

Yeah, this is horse shit, Jim's ability to scheme the run game has been consistent at every spot, regardless of coordinator.

He has a style of football, and it's pretty far outside the norm as well. If you took the colors and names off the uniforms other good coaches could identify a Jim Harbaugh team from what they run.

I'd totally buy that he's not nearly as involved on defense, but he has a clear unique identity on offense.

Is it Brandon Jacobs?

JH is a better run-game designer. Perhaps elite when he devotes the necessary time. We know this from his initial season here when he personally wrote up 25-30 new run plays every week. The OL would talk about it.

Then after that season he decided a head coach he needed to spend that time doing head coach things.

I think he's still involved in gameplanning for OSU.

I think this could also be interpreted as Harbaugh giving autonomy to this assistants? Not having read the rest of the article, I think your interpretation does seem more likely. 

If you peel back the hyperbole and the over the top tone I think there is something directional to this. Look at most of our posts, when they are negative it is that there is just something missing to exploit the other team. 

Honestly...it's 100% ok. It's ok because he seems to be somewhat aware of it and he makes fabulous hires. I manage, managers in a large organization and there are things I'm not great at that I look for in my team. 

Every head coach has "their thing" and I don't think Harbaugh's is a supreme scheme guy as it relates to looking at opponents and adjusting. But look at his hires on defense. Bright young guys that rapidly adjust and scheme with the best. That's why he's a great head coach (among other reasons).

The article is just a bit much and over the top with it but I think there is something to it...and it's ok.