Where Did Jim Harbaugh Go??
Disclaimer: To be completely clear, I think anyone even thinking about Jim Harbaugh's job status is beyond insane. He is our coach, and no one could be better than him. This is just a post with a small concern that I think is emotionally hindering this team and need to be solved.
In December 2014, when rebuilding our program from an absolutely catostrophic scenario, our interim Athletic Director Jim Hackett did the impossible and made IT H4PPEN.
What followed that was the reignition of our program by the wildest and gif-yiest head coach in College Football who attacked each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind, and certainly showed that every week on the sideline.
I could go on forever, you should get the point by now.
I don't know if you guys have noticed, but this version of Jim Harbaugh that we've known and loved has become almost non-existant this year. Instead, we find him pacing the sidelines, with a very stable amount of enthusiasm, not even close to enthusiasm unknown to mankind.
Michigan players have always (and sincerely) loved playing under such a coach, and I think that his activity on the sideline keeps a spark under the team and is a factor in their performance, as well as their positive opinion on him.
So where has he gone? Where is this Jim Harbaugh that we love? Where is the QB that guaranteed a win over OSU? Where is the coach who has a more honest and meaningful press conference, unlike his Hoke-like bland coachspeak we saw out of him last night? Where is his attacking of each day with an enthusiasm unkown to mankind?
I thought that this loss would be a breaking point and a huge wake-up call for him, where he realizes (and says) that this game was unacceptable, that at Michigan, you can't have such a losing record to your rivals. Followed by improvement back to the old, active, enthusistic sideline Harbaugh. Amazingly, we didn't see this. Instead, we heard the infamous "We're on to Cincinnati" approach.
Now, I've realized that he has still kept up his enthusiasm on the recruiting trail, and from what we've seen in practice, and that this seems to be strictly a sideline problem.
I have two ideas what the cause of this may be:
Number One: Tim Drevno needs to be on the sideline. Having a coaches in the press box decreases the ability to manage your team on a personal level. Our offense has sucked, and Drevno has been in the press box, our defense has flourished, and Don Brown has not only been on the sideline, but has looked more Harbaugh-like than Harbaugh has.
Number Two: Fear that the refs may call less favorably due to his antics. After the "technical in basketball" incident at OSU last year, I think he may have a fear that if he reacts too much to bad calls, the refs will tend to have calls go Michigan's way less.
Obviously, we have other problems that should be on our mind, and this isn't a direct factor to winning and losing games, but I think it does have an affect on how these guys play on the field, and if they show energy, passion, hope and care or not. With Don Brown pumping up the defense, they have stepped up, faced adversity, and delivered. With Harbaugh pacing the sideline and talking to Drevno up in the box, our offense has showed less emotion, and as a result, less success.
Has anyone else noticed this? Any thoughts? What needs to be done?
October 8th, 2017 at 4:03 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:07 PM ^
Next year is the year. This was supposed to be the rebuild, but our recruiting made us think we reload ala OSU, Bama and Clemson.
We're no where close to those programs.
2018 is going to be tough as hell and given this year's lack of improvement so far, looks like Michigan fan's will be forever saying "next year is the year!"
October 8th, 2017 at 4:12 PM ^
even Hoke had quality defenses, he brought a lot of talent in...especially on the D-line...and with Don Brown as DC Michigan will pretyy much always have a Top 10-ish defense.
The offense is a hot mess, however...in part because the pieces weren't there from jump street
October 8th, 2017 at 4:34 PM ^
Clemson won with a great QB and a defense that was fairly young yet dominant. Guess which part Michigan is missing?
Just remember year 3 of Dabo at CLemson fielded a 6 win season. He hasn't won fewer than 10 since though.
Harbaugh is recruiting at a higher level than Hoke or RichRod or Lloyd. But the fact remains he's only had two full recruiting classes so far.
IMO it takes longer to develop college ready offensive talent than it does for defense.
The people calling for Harbaugh's head are absolutely insane.
October 8th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:06 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 7:10 PM ^
and to get that game changer we need coaches who can identify great HS QB talent vs. overrated 4 star recruits- we don't have that expertise
October 10th, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^
For Va Tech makes me wonder why we didn't have feelers out for a kid who played LITERALLY in the coaches backyard (much of the staff lives in Saline)
October 8th, 2017 at 6:06 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
Motto.
"Next year is our year."
Meanwhile, programs like OSU and MSU reload quickly after setbacks. Michigan apparently needs everything to line up perfectly.
October 8th, 2017 at 6:07 PM ^
MSU surely reloaded from going 3-9 last year...
Get out of here with that. Very few teams reload year in year out. We should have known this when there is ONE difference maker on the offensive side of the ball that is in his fourth year (who is playing out of position by necessity).
October 8th, 2017 at 7:12 PM ^
"Meanwhile, programs like OSU and MSU reload quickly after setbacks. Michigan apparently needs everything to line up perfectly."
Ypu would be surprised how easy it is to reload when junior level players have been properly coached and developed
October 8th, 2017 at 4:17 PM ^
Don't forget McCray. We need a new LB next year too.
As for the OL, it seems that all our eggs are in the Ruiz, Filigia basket. Those two kids had better be recruiting home runs.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:00 PM ^
Not sure why this was downvoted so much. He was asked a question and provided a reasonable response. Based on the reports about Speight, it's very possible he won't play another down of football - ever. M will likely be breaking in a new QB next year. That's looking like a rebuild right now.
If the OL doesn't prove anything this year, then how can next year be anything but a continuation of the rebuild?
Maybe it would've helped to clarify the defense will be a reload. Hurst and Winovich will be sorely missed next year, but Coach Brown and his staff have proven they can reload and there is young talent coming up.
The offense has a great deal more to prove. This is year 3 of the rebuild and I'm still waiting to see real improvement.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:24 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:12 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:42 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 7:15 PM ^
then we ill NEVER be good- b/c great linemen are always leaving and an o-line is only as good as its wekest link
October 8th, 2017 at 4:01 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:15 PM ^
Less antics, more rivalry wins please. The only person I'd want instead of him as head coach is already our DC so just fix the offensive issues and start winning.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:38 PM ^
How is next year a rebuild year? That's what this year was. The WR group is set for the next four years. The QB situation will be set for the next four plus years with Peters, McCaffrey and Milton.
Then for the OL they'll replace Kugler, a guy who is starting out of sheer necessity, with Ruiz, a guy who will be an upgrade immediately once he learns all the calls. Bredeson will be a year older, same with Big Mike.
Hopefully Newsome will be back next year. If he was healthy this year the OL would be a very different story IMO.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:52 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^
"But that’s the thing...none of us knows if McCaffrey, Peters or Milton will be better than the QB’s that have played this year."
If they were better, they would be playing now- ergo- we are in trouble at QB next year
October 8th, 2017 at 11:06 PM ^
True of Peters, but not McCaffrey. Harbaugh redshirts the frosh QBs by policy, which means no Milton next year. Whether Peters or McCaffrey can show something next year remains to be seen. Here's hoping, but it's hardly a reload.
October 8th, 2017 at 7:22 PM ^
Only time Harbaugh got a top 100 QB at Stanford was Andrew Luck. He's gotten Peters and McCaffrey now at Michigan.
And I wouldn't bet against McCaffrey given his background.
People seem to think any highly touted recruit should start right away. When your Bama and you're picking off top 10-40 recruits to fill up half your class you probably can do that (they RS most of them btw), at Michigan you can't really do that.
As I've said before Harbaugh has taken Michigan recruiting to heights its never seen before. But it's still below the Bamas and Ohio State's of the country. These recruits need coaching and seasoning for multiple years before they can see the field normally. Especially at OL (Big Mike and Bredeson started last year out of necessity not because they were so good they had to play)
October 9th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
Come on man, the exceptions prove the rule, which is that almost all lineman need 2 or 3 years in a program and S & C program in order to be ready for big time football and it';s the same for qb's by & large. Just because true frosh line guys aren't playing doesn't mean they're no good and won't be getting better as they age and grow and learn and get stronger.
Is this your first day as a college football fan?
October 8th, 2017 at 3:53 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 3:54 PM ^
When he criticizes them, they are less likely to help Michigan.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:02 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 4:31 PM ^
What is Harbs supposed to do about the turnstile at RT? I hope you're kidding because last I checked he gets paid millions to figure that problem out. This lack of accountability here is astounding. Why is JH untouchable or immune from criticism with some of you?
I am not saying anyone should be worried about their job yet, but it just kind of boggles the mind how some people claim they want to be a big boy program but are afraid to hold to the meritocracy it is purported to be.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:33 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^
October 9th, 2017 at 3:20 PM ^
Look if they knew this is what we have with the line and at qb and even receivers outside of Perry & the injured Black then they really should've broke out the youth brigade and let THEM make the mistakes instead of guys that will also cost us too many games to make it worth delaying the learning and experience curves for the guys we need to count on next year, including Peters.
If Peter's had started every game so far he'd probably be playing better by now than what we've seen so far at qb. He could hardly make more mistakes and poor plays and decisions than we've had, but he can make throws the other guys don't seem to make.
In other words at least he'd have some pro's with his cons to counter balance them, whereas the other guys just seem to be con men only, yuk yuk. Plus he'd be getting better every game and at some point would start playing better than the ceiling for the other 2 guys and be ready to roll next year unless McCafrey is a phenom.
Let's start seeing the other frosh WR's and Ruiz & other young lineman, and Kareem and whomever else needs to get their feet wet and be ready to help next year.
There is no saying that it would even hurt our chances this year compared to sticking to what we're doing, but it would sure as hell increase our chances next year!!! Also this year is a lost cause according to the reasoning you guys ascribe to docile Harbaugh so there's nothing to lose & everything to gain.
Let the young guys just go fab five playground ball and they'll score more points than what we're doing!
October 8th, 2017 at 7:19 PM ^
correct- there is always a tunrstile in CFB- great coaches are ready for this
October 8th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:26 PM ^
Yes we were. MSU has had issues turning the ball over this season, and in a monsoon they only turned it over on downs and muffed one punt that they ultimately recovered although it flipped field position and we got a TD out of it. They got an 11 point half time lead and then relied on the rain and ball security to finish the game.
October 8th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^
I guess so, no fire on the outside
October 8th, 2017 at 4:26 PM ^
That comment was in relation to having pre-game jitters. He said he does not get them anymore because of all the games he has been in at all levels. He's dead wood inside.
Not because "the fire went out".
October 8th, 2017 at 7:22 PM ^
but it is a concern- dead wood attracts termites eventually and becomes soft
October 8th, 2017 at 3:58 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^
TO A $HITTY MSU TEAM LAST NITE @HOME!
October 8th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
Biggest missing piece of the team is OL in my opinion.
The bounces of OL recruiting have not gone our way for a long time.
- Devery Hamilton flipped to Stanford
- Isiah Wilson got moneyballed to Georgia (or whatever, it was a flip)
- Grant Newsome nearly lost a leg.
+ the other derps of the Hoke era recruiting
= a lot of OL adversity for a program to handle.
It gives me hope that Ruiz and Chuck Fil-A are waiting in the wings though.
The defense is going to keep us in every game this year. But when you lose almost an entire quarter of time where neither team could do anything, then it feeds right into the hands of the team with the lead, because it takes chances away from the trailing offense. I believe based on pure chances we would have scored again and msu would not have.
The McDoom drop hurt the most, that would have been 4 shots at the end zone from around the 25ish. But...a lot of other derps put us in a position where that was a key play.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:33 PM ^
Would not have gotten 4 shots at the end zone.
October 8th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^