Endzone: The Rise, Fall, Slight Return, and Gradual Fall again of Michigan football

Submitted by UMxWolverines on November 1st, 2020 at 4:55 AM

Everybody in this fanbase and media needs to wear this and embrace it for what it is, premature hype that never should have happened in the first place. I was just as guilty when Harbaugh was hired, I just jumped off the bandwagon a bit earlier than most and was called negative and a sparty troll. 

No more side show, attention grabbing, "Who's got it better than us" anymore please. No more James Earl Jones video, we do not currently believe in "championship football". Stop with the all time wins, old big ten titles, everything. Cover all the old stuff up until a new team manages to actually add to the trophy case. 

Please hire some one next who will stop talking about the past and instill that Michigan football has never won a damn thing because of the past. Just go out and outwork everyone else. Because what I saw yesterday as did multiple other people was a team that looked like they did zero prep work, and thought they could just show up and run their base offense and defense and cruise to a win, which is sickening. 

aa_squared

November 1st, 2020 at 6:41 AM ^

This feels like Appalachian State all over again...except it happened against little brother.

Another loss for us that they won't forget, or let us forget.

aa_squared

November 1st, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^

Wow!!!

You disapprove of "little brother" and call yourself "MgoBloww".

If you are that disgusted, then why read/post on these boards?

Also curious why you only chose a 12 year time frame, and not a more likely sample of one generation, say 20 - 21 years. Anyone can pick a time frame, such as Michigan is 2-1 in the last 3 years or Michigan is 3-2 in the last 5 years.

Are you a little brother in Wolverine clothing?

The Baughz

November 1st, 2020 at 7:30 AM ^

I think Warde has to go too. Didn’t he publicly say Harbaugh has a lifetime contract?

You’re giving a guy a “lifetime contract” who has never beaten OSU, has a losing record against Sparty and has 1 bowl win? Gtfo.

You think Gene Smith would ever do something like that?

This program is such an embarrassment. 

Wolverine 73

November 1st, 2020 at 7:07 AM ^

Harbaugh is like that pretty girl you always had your eye on.  You got out of a bad relationship, and she was available at the same time.  You wooed her, and married her.  And after a few years, you came to realize she would always disappoint you.  You tried to make excuses for her, because you didn’t want to divorce and sell the Florida condo.  But you knew you weren’t happy and she wasn’t holding up her end of the relationship.  And yet you remembered how bad your old relationships had been, wondered about your own judgment, and weren’t sure if you dumped her you would find someone better.  So there you sit, unhappy and paralyzed.

MichAtl85

November 1st, 2020 at 7:46 AM ^

The rise the fall and *return of Michigan football

 

*return 3rd place Big Ten East Finish, loss in biggest game of the year and bowl game and random loss to unranked Iowa. 

UM Indy

November 1st, 2020 at 9:06 AM ^

You know this highlights something. It doesn’t help that Bacon wrote this book with the word “return” in it. Gassing up his childhood buddy Jim only feeds into this narrative that we’re succeeding. And we are not. But until someone like Bacon comes out and admits this experiment has failed, nothing will change. Instead, it’s irrational clutching to Bo, his old QB and all the historic bullshit. 

Bo Harbaugh

November 1st, 2020 at 9:48 AM ^

Title is accurate, our own delusions make it misleading.

We fell below historical mean

Harbaugh returned us to historical mean

UM has returned to being an above average, not great program under Harbaugh.

We all expected more because we are in a delusional Michigan hype cult, but this is sadly who Michigan has been post WW2.

MRunner73

November 1st, 2020 at 12:16 PM ^

This is true. Who's to blame? Us fans or Harbaugh? Both. As fans we aspire to have a perennial Top 5 ranked program, like the Buckeyes are achieving. But at what cost? Should we have bag men? Do we sell our soul to the devil like OSU getting Tressel and Meyer?

Most of our fans have too high of expectations. I get it: We're Michigan! As you state, we're back to our historical mean. That means 9 to 10 wins a season. With the Buckeyes as established as they are, we're the wannabe type. Bitter truth  is : We Ain't perennial B1G champs anymore.

After the Minn game, I thought that we may have turned the corner. We didn't. Who's to blame; us fans as well as the coaching staff. There are some very good to great players on this football team. This is where the coaching staff is to blame. A seriously lack of preparation and further development.

 

Yes, this is a wake up call and delusional  fans need to realize this. Either we cheat as program or run and clean program, if the latter, better except 9 to 10 wins a season not matter what.

My Name is LEGIONS

November 1st, 2020 at 9:49 AM ^

I haven't read a single book of Bacons... And know Bacon wouldn't have even dared writing these had Bo been alive.

BLUEyouout

November 1st, 2020 at 9:56 AM ^

Maybe I'm being especially hard on Harbaugh but has anyone ever witnessed a coach who's wasted more talent than him in his tenure at UM? My word... If MSU can find a man who can beat Harbaugh then so can we. 

MacMarauder

November 1st, 2020 at 10:07 AM ^

That title always struck me as premature. I took it off my bookshelf a couple years ago, next stop is the trash can.

And to be fair Bacon isnt the source of our problems but that book is a good example of the entitlement and arrogance in our program/fanbase. 

 

 

MRunner73

November 1st, 2020 at 12:22 PM ^

Ledge jumps rules today. How bad is it? Can we beat Indiana on Saturday? The no votes are winning hands down. Are we really doomed as a team this year, the season is awash? 

I'm not pollyanna but Penn State is 0 and 2. Minny is also 0 and 2. I know that Michigan should be 2 and 0 and it doesn't look good.

After the 35-14 loss to Wisc last year, we only lost to Penn State and then OH State in the regular season. 

So hang in there Michigan fans; for one more week. If we get blown out by IN on Saturday, I'll join you all in jumping off the ledge.

Adductor Magnus

November 1st, 2020 at 9:41 PM ^

What are the expectations?

We don't win conference titles or reach the Playoff without defeating Ohio State vast majority of the time.

Sure, we could sneak into the B10 title game if OSU had two other conference losses and we just had one (similar to 2016 PSU). Likewise, we could make the Playoff if we were like the 2016 team except OSU won the B10 that year. Both of those scenarios are rare. 

The next improvement from where the program is now is instead of 9-4 or 10-3, we go 11-2 or 12-1, always beat MSU, and win non-CFP New York Six games. But I doubt many would have been ecstatic if we went 11-2 in 2016 and 2018 by winning those bowl games as opposed to 10-3; we still would have lost to OSU and denied the conference championship and CFP.