Does a Winning Out Make Jim Harbaugh’s Third Season an Improvement?

Submitted by OaklandInPlay on
Alright, we’ve all seen the tie-breaker scenarios and it’s unlikely that we’re going to Indy. However, if we win out and OSU beats sparty, we would win a share of the Big Ten East. Would this season be an improvement over years 1 and 2?
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pwnwulf

November 5th, 2017 at 9:51 PM ^

What has Wisconsin proved to anyone that they are “good”, other than beating al the garbage teams they have played that’s it. If Michigan played Rutgers and Minnesota caliber teams every game we’d be 9-0 too. I think we will beat Wisconsin because they are a mirror image of us except our defense is better. As for Ohio State they’ve been curb stomped when they played the only “good” teams on their schedule too. Oklahoma smoked them at the shoe and when they had to playa tough road game vs Iowa they shit the bed. So in my opinion the Ohio state game will be a war and it will come down to who wants it more. We’ve got them at the big house and I think their offense is better than ours, but our defense is better than theirs. I think the breaks go our way this year and we get a close win.

Joined: 09/20/2009

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M-Dog

November 5th, 2017 at 3:24 PM ^

If Harbaugh goes 10-3 for the third time in a row, it would still be his best coaching job at Michigan so far 

Going 10-3 with this young, injured team is a lot different than going 10-3 with the last two teams.

Ask Jimbo Fisher if he thinks Harbaugh going 10-3 at Michigan this year represents a good coaching job.

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

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wolverinebutt

November 5th, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^

Let the D heads in the newpaper and Mike Vantani yap all they want.  I'm long and strong with Coach Harbo.  Don't jump off the wagen and whine at the first sign of trouble.  Those who stay will be champions is in play, not Oakland.  

Joined: 06/05/2011

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Jeep

November 5th, 2017 at 5:20 PM ^

I don't see how people can think Harbaugh blew the QB decision when the only thing Peters has really done is hand off to the RB's.  

Joined: 11/05/2017

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dennisblundon

November 5th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^

Here is a fact. When your young everywhere you play your upperclassmen at QB. You need someone out there that grasps the offense. Once the situation was dire he made the switch. Anyone who has coached or played should know this.

Joined: 02/23/2010

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greymarch

November 5th, 2017 at 5:51 PM ^

Yes, winning out would be an improvement for two reasons:

 

- Harbaugh has yet to defeat Ohio State, and that should be goal #1 every season.

- UM has less experienced-talent than last season (UM sent 11 players to the NFL last year), so finishing 11-2 with less talent would be Harbaugh's 2nd biggest accomplishment at UM (defeating Ohio State would be Harbaugh's biggest accomplishment.)

Joined: 02/06/2010

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Wolfman

November 5th, 2017 at 5:52 PM ^

Would not winning out and finishing with an 8-4 or 9-2 record signify a step back? And the answer would be of course not. There are so many variables, youth, experience, especially at the skill positions and OL (do you have a fighting chance going into the contests) that each would have to be weighed individually. It's apparent that these areas have been and are being addressed, so this question, imo is still, at minimum, one, possibly two years away from being answered. 

And it's even impossible to answer if the running game has made significant progress because it would have to be tested against the best defenses the conference has to offer. How did we do against MSU, PSU and not Rutgers and MN. Patience my friend. 

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RobSk

November 5th, 2017 at 6:58 PM ^

Did you expect Michigan to have a better objective performance this year, after sending 11 guys to the NFL? While playing the guys who was third string at the beginning of the year at QB?

Maybe I'm just lame, but I have this crazy habit of setting my expectations based on the real conditions the team plays under, not what Mike Valente says a good/elite/whatever program should do.

Let's imagine for a second that OSU was playing their third string QB. Seems like they might have problems as well? They might even lose a game 55-24. Or MSU - If they were playing their third string QB? They might lose to Northwestern.

Isn't there any way we can just have rational conversations about expectations and outcomes instead of doing the half-baked radio sports talk host style analysis, where a coach is characterized as a TOTAL FAILURE that takes a program in complete disarray (does anyone disagree with t hat assessment of post 2015 Michigan?) and in one year has them at 10-3 with a solid bowl win, then the second year has them a crazy Iowa game (not like good teams ever lose there) and a literal referee marked inch from playing for the Big 10 championship...

Seriously, if that's the kind of discussion you enjoy, and the "legitimate questions" you like to ask, then as far as I'm concerned, you're really not watching for the sports, its for some other weird reason that frankly, I don't understand.

To be honest, I don't expect Michigan to beat Wisconsin or Ohio State. If that makes me a fan that doesn't ask enough, or a Harbaugh slappy, fine. To me, given the overall circumstances, I did not expect this team to beat the best teams in the country. Of course, and it must be said, after the alternate dimension rift that happened at Kinnick yesterday, I question my ability and most anyone's ability to know what the hell is going to happen.

           Rob

Joined: 03/01/2010

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Eye of the Tiger

November 5th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^

We are not likely to win out. I'm increasingly optimistic about Wisconsin, but in order to beat OSU we would need things to happen that have not happened so far, like (1) them being penalized more than us, (2) JT Barrett having a bad game against us and (3) our staff utilizing the passing game to a far greater extent, and more effectively, than we have all season. 

Iowa beat OSU because Barrett threw 4 INTS, because they had about 80 more penalty yards than Iowa and because Iowa was able to attack OSU's defensive weaness--their secondary--enough to create space for their running game. 

I think it's possible for us to replicate what Iowa did, but based on everything we've seen this season, I can't say it's very likely. And on top of that, our defense's achilles heel is misdirection and option plays--OSU's bread and butter. So I give us about a 25% chance of winning. 

Now, that said, if by some chance we did win out, then I would be very impressed by the job our staff has done this year, and very very excited about next year. But again, I don't think it's very likely we will. 8-4 still seems like the most likely scenario, with 9-3 ascending. 

 

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FlexUM

November 9th, 2017 at 7:39 AM ^

It would make it an improvement in my opinion. He was brought here to win championships but the question is woudl it make it an improvement...and I'd say yes.

One of the glaring reasons is it would shatter this "thing" where for the last damn near 20 years it feels like UM beats teams they should (and many years that wasn't even happening) and starts to look good and then gets their asses handed to them in big games.

To finish the season off by winning 5 in a row including two almost top 10 wins and one on the road...yeah...that wuold be  huge. 

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