Harbaugh's record through 31 games.
First off let's dispell with any notion that Harbaugh himself will ever be on any hotseat. We wanted him more than anything and we got him, signed him a huge contract, and realistically there are not better options out there. The day Warde Manual fires Harbaugh and hires Dan Mullen or some other shot in the dark is never. Harbaugh has a better track record than anything out there.
That being said, let's compare two coach's records through 31 games. I think you already know where this is going but when you look at the blind record without context (and I admit context matters a LOT) it's still disturbing.
Coach 1:
24-7 overall
Two 2nd place finishes in the division
1-1 vs. Rival #1, 1-1 vs Rival #2
13-4 overall in Conference (0.765 win percentage)
1-1 in Bowl Games (BCS bowl win)
Coach 2:
24-7 overall
Two 3rd place finishes in the division.
0-2 vs. Rival #1, 1-2 vs. Rival #1
14-5 overall in Conference (0.737 win percentage)
1-1 in Bowl Games (New Year's Day bowl win)
After his 31st game, Coach 1 went into Happy Valley at night, ran the ball 27 times for 27 yards, and forever lost the faith of the Michigan faithful. Coach 1 had a crappy track record and did a lot of other incompetent things that got him fired.
As fate would have it, Coach 2 is going into Happy Valley at night in two weeks, with a chance to regain the faith of the Michigan faithful. I am not holding my breath but that would be a big win to say the least.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 7:56 AM ^
Plenty of signature losses though. In fact Michigan has a list of those that may be a mile or two long spanning the last decade.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:49 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 11:31 AM ^
Hoke went 7-13 the next 20. If Harbaugh does the same he's back in the NFL, no questions asked! But that's neither here nor there because I'd bet a good chunk of money that ain't happening.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:37 AM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
Coach 1 also has a 5* dual threat QB at the helm in his RS Jr year playing behind an OL that featured three current NFL players.
Coach 2 blew out Cincy and Air Force, with lingering questions about the offense.
Coach 2 has fielded a RS Jr 3* leading an offense that is among the youngest in the country, with maybe one guy on it that’ll be playing Sundays next year. Our starting center is only playing out of sheer necessity because their freshman they brought in isn’t ready for those responsibilities yet.
Coach 2’s starting RT is also starting out of sheer necessity.
Coach 2’s WR group consists of one upper classman.
Is that much of an excuse for why Harbaugh lost to MSU last night? Nope. But to try and compare Harbaugh to Brady Hoke is insanity.
If you don’t have the patience to let the group of people Jim brought in to develop and become upperclassmen thenI don’t think you’ll be satisfied with anyone.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:37 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 10:31 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 11:27 PM ^
We were beaten 28-14, 29-6 and 35-11 in the Hoke years by MSU and I think those scores actually understate how badly we were beaten those years.
OP forgot to include Rutgers in the record for rivalry games.