Matt Campbell - The Fire We Need, that Harbaugh has lost
From reading several recent board posts, including the current comments on the Iowa State DC following Michigan football, one thing seems to be clear:
Many Michigan fans feel that we need a coach with FIRE, lamenting how Harbaugh seems to have lost the edge he had when he got here.
I had watched a much better view and breakdown of Matt's passion when SEVERAL recent calls vs. Oklahoma didn't go his way, but this was the best I could find atm.
Don't get me wrong, I love Harbaugh. However, I also agree he has dialed his passion way back.
I know passion isn't the only thing that matters, and I am not sold on Campbell as the "savior" that some believe him to be.
But I also feel this fire is essential to coaches at the college level, and without it? Our team doesn't seem to have it either.
https://larrybrownsports.com/college-football/matt-campbell-loses-it/570164
January 5th, 2021 at 3:41 PM ^
Does he have The Passion of the Christ?
January 5th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
Maybe Florida gives him a look if the Falcons choose Mullen.
Cheers
January 5th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
Does Harbaugh have a time table to respond to extension offer? The whole program seems to be blowing in the wind while we all wait for Harbaugh to decide what HE wants to do. Now that we’re back to work after the New Years it really seems to be awkwardly dragging out
January 5th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
The longer he drags his feet, the more he gets paid. We all assume his new contract will pay him less so he really doesn’t have any incentive to sign unless Manuel put a deadline on the extension. Which he probably didn’t.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:07 PM ^
Well a bunch of his assistants’ contract expire Monday and no one is coming here for a coach with 1 year left on his deal. So shit or get off the pot time is now through then.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:15 PM ^
I heard from a source that he is going through a divorce. I don’t know how factual this is, but it does explain the quiet and him maybe trying to get back to California to be by his kids!
January 5th, 2021 at 9:19 PM ^
I heard from a source that you're a recently-banned poster, which would explain why you've signed up today and are shitting on both Harbaugh and Campbell.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
A safety deep?
Jesus provides safety for your soul, from going deep into hell.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
I guess I'm kind of 'Meh' on the fire thing. RR had it. Heck, kids complained a bit about it. It didn't translate to wins or success.
I think it has its place. I think that Harbaugh would be better if he were '15/'16 Harbaugh. But it's not the limiting reactant I believe. Further, we only see it in games.
Execution and consistency will take you farther.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
The passion and fire are important, but it's obviously just a piece of it. Rich Rod had other issues such as recruiting and schemes, especially on defense. I don't see Campbell having these issues as both is offense and defense are pretty stout considering the lack of overall talent ISU has.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:09 PM ^
There are different kinds of fire. Campbell doesn't use screaming as a motivational tactic. In the video he was sticking up for his players.
In the Yahoo piece a former assistant of Campbell's, Golesh, spoke about how Campbell didn't try to motivate with fear.
“You want to succeed for Matt because you don’t want to disappoint him. It’s not a lead by fear, as is common at times in our profession. It’s lead by example, it’s a lead by motivation. It’s leading by saying, ‘I’ll help you and do everything with you.’”
January 5th, 2021 at 5:16 PM ^
You want to succeed for Matt because you don’t want to disappoint him. It’s not a lead by fear, as is common at times in our profession. It’s lead by example, it’s a lead by motivation. It’s leading by saying, ‘I’ll help you and do everything with you.
This is my perfect coaching persona. I had a HS basketball coach who fit this mold exactly. He was intense, but he rarely yelled at us and never played mind games. Our primary goal as players was to not let him down in any way. He believed in us and we believed in him. He was a master motivator that didn't have to raise his voice. I, to this day, would run through a brick wall lined with razor blades for him. He milked every ounce of talent from us, and we respected the hell out of him. That dynamic was so magical. It's a major part of what makes team sports so special.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
I did say that's not the only thing.
And there is a difference between fire and being a dick to your players.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:19 PM ^
+1 for a sports use of "limiting reactant".
January 5th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
I miss when Harbaugh had this fire. I get it that one time he threw a clipboard and took it too far. But there is a way to be fired up without penalizing your team.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
I assume you are referring to the game at OSU.
To me, that was the last time that we saw the fire.
He got a15 yard penalty for throwing his clip board and really hurt the team. That penalty yardage was more penalty yardage than OSU had in the entire game, btw.
Something broke that day. The program has not been the same since. I feel like that PLAY was the tipping point.
Literally, most of what came before that play was good and much of what has happened since has been bad.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
I don't think "fire" or "passion" matters a damn bit tbh. Brian Kelly would scream until he was purple and still get his ass handed to him by Rich Rod. Now he seems much more reserved and makes the playoffs regularly. My issue with Harbaugh is his talent evaluation, roster management, assistant coach hires, play calling, player development, game planning, and then maybe after all of that, yeah, it looks like he's checked out. I want Matt Campbell because he looks like he does all the previous stuff better than Harbaugh, even with a lot less talent at his disposal. Being a screamer does not matter to me
January 5th, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
Seconded.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
There's a difference between being a psycho and screaming at your players until your face turns purple and having energy on the sideline. I can't say I've seen any coach look more disinterest and unperturbed on the sideline than Harbaugh the last several years. When the wheels start falling off for the team, Harbaugh just looks up at the scoreboard like he has no idea where he is.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
When your team is down, you should be talking MORE. Making adjustments. Firing the players and coaches up.
Harbaugh seems to speak LESS as his teams start to lose.
When we are winning, he is energized and talking more.
Camera does not lie.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:11 PM ^
Camera does not lie.
Oh yeah?? Then why does the camera add 10 lbs to everyone, huh mr smarty-pants??? I say cameras are lying bastards if there ever was one!!!
January 5th, 2021 at 4:12 PM ^
Brian Kelly would scream at his players, Campbell was sticking up for them. Big difference.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
I get the gripe against Harbaugh, but he is a good coach who simply didn't beat OSU. Can Campbell beat OSU, maybe... But he ain't a messiah. Whatever happens, Go Blue!
January 5th, 2021 at 4:33 PM ^
Beating OSU is not the programs only problem. He is also now under .500 against MSU, PSU and Wisconsin.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
As I pointed out before the Jim of the last 3-4 years would not have had a winning season if he were coaching at Iowa State, but Campbell would have us in a much better position here, had he been here 3–4 years ago.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
I agree.
I sometimes wonder if there is an overriding culture at UM that hampers the team.
Harbaugh had fire when he got here. That fire is gone. I don't know what happened. Did that culture drown it?
It could be that he has medical conditions. It could be his family life. It could be that he can't relate to today's players. It could be that losing big games is just a part of the culture now. It could be something else. It could be player development. It could be a combination of things.
All I know is that he is now struggling against teams that have a lot less talent than his.
Matt Campbell has his guys playing way above their talent level.
I vote Campbell. I am grateful for what Jim did in his first few years, but something is clearly wrong. Much as I like Jim, I love UM football more.
Time to move on.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:04 PM ^
https://apnews.com/article/8bb27bcc3ab945d5bc6da6f46a0d7e53
This was when it changed...when Harbaugh started hugging players. Not to say that's the cause, but around that time...players like Higdon, Bush, and Evans were saying he was much more approachable and giving hugs during practice. That's when I noticed that he had a lot less fire on the sidelines.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:09 PM ^
It may well be.
I have heard Patriots players and Bama players who are afraid of their head coaches. Hugging is about out of the question.
With familiarity comes contempt.
This year JH was hugging guys who made ridiculous mental errors.
Not good. You are literally accepting those mistakes when you give hugs for it.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:11 PM ^
Please don't ever reproduce.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:50 PM ^
Too late. And my offspring are better than you or anyone in your family.
Of that, I am certain. Certain.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:51 PM ^
We're breaking down hugs now. Unbelievable.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:08 PM ^
If we're going to do an analysis of hugs, the UFR for the series finale of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", which has merely been waiting for someone to write it since 1977, should be epic. They maintained that group hug for a good 5-6 minutes of airtime, after all. They even navigated the set while still in it.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:05 PM ^
Really not that complicated. He got comfortable because he was one of the highest paid coaches while getting mediocre results and was still treated like a messiah. Harbs can say without a doubt that he did better than the last 2 coaches here by a country mile (same excuse used by apologists on this board). Yet anyone who actually knows the school knows that he's underachieved.
Basically up until this year, he never felt any HEAT for his bad coaching decisions. 2016 Iowa and FSU, 2017 MSU and Scar, 2018 UF, 2018 and 2019 OSU. 2019 Wisconsin and PSU. So many bad losses but it wasn't until this year he felt his seat getting warm. Him getting comfortable is reflected in his demeanor on the sidelines.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
Harbaugh is too hype!!! He has down syndrome now! He’s dialed in. He sucks! Matt Campbell gets flagged!!! WTH are you doing you cost us 15 yards coach. SOUP is the greatest ever because he’s young and full of fire, like Harbaugh used to be! Wash, rinse, repeat!!!
January 5th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
He has down syndrome now!
Really dude?
January 5th, 2021 at 3:52 PM ^
Really? That Down Syndrome line was really unnecessary.
Signed,
Someone who has a family member with Down Syndrome. -1 to you sir.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:08 PM ^
If you feel that I was saying he has it then I’m not sure what to tell you! The stuff in here is toxic and in no way shape or form would I tease anyone about a disease while being disabled myself. Lastly, if everything in here was meant verbatim then there’d be no sarcasm! Harbaugh cannot win either way is the message. Give me a break! I am a supporter of our coach! People in here would say something like that. Not I! Why would I have to use a s/ for that statement.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
“This board is toxic” says the guy who makes Down syndrome jokes.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
At least in your words you’re intelligent enough to know that the words I said were not serious and meant to infer anything harmful. Lastly, there have been posters who have directly mentioned that our coach has something wrong with his health and spoke against him and his son coaching here! I will never speak against our coach and his personal life or his family. That’s not my thing and I have never spoke bad about any of our coaches. I know what was said however, it was not written in malice.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:03 PM ^
The "this fanbase is toxic" posters are easily the worst by far on this board.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
I think he was saying “that’s funky bull chicken.”
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
No one gives a shit either way as long as the team wins.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
Brian Kelley is a purple faced lunitic when he loses and he's passionate when he wins. Sick of this Matt Campbell garbage. I'd love to hear about him when and if Jim Harbaugh ever leaves, but until then please STFU. The fire Harbaugh/Matt Campbell crowd are the same idiots who brought us Rich Rod. I want Harbaugh to right the ship and when he decided to leave transfer power to his version of Moeller or Carr. Meyer did it with Day. OK did it with Lincoln Riley. Seems like the best way to do it if you aren't hiring a coach who has a national championship or decades of winning somewhere.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
Amen.
The best case scenario is Harbaugh comes back and gets it back together; that we have some stability and improve upon the success (yes, success) he's brought to us.
Matt Campbell coming in isn't a 'good' thing. It's the best of a bad situation. No, we aren't in that bad situation yet. Yes, we had a bad year with a crap ton of losses and disruptions and a pandemic. I'm willing to give some slack for that. 'BUT BUT INDIANA!' so what?! Their situation was different from ours was different from OSU's was different from Purdues.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
Jim Morrison would agree.
I think.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:46 PM ^
As an Iowan with Cyclone family, I can assure you that Campbell doesn’t ever lack for intensity and his team consistently plays with passion. Dude had to make adjustments because previous iterations of teams ran out of gas at the end of the season because they burned so hot. His players love him.
January 5th, 2021 at 4:35 PM ^
Yep, all the slappies on the board saying Campbell is overrated or not as ideal of a candidate than a revamped Harbaugh are clueless and haven't been paying attention to the CFB national landscape.
This is the most opportune time to bring in a young, proven guy who has done things the right way from day 1. I think we'll all be regretting it if we stick with Jim for one or two more uninspiring years while another team drops the bag for Matt Campbell.
January 5th, 2021 at 5:38 PM ^
The big difference between Campbell and Harbaugh is at the player relationship level. Campbell’s players describe an incredibly strong bond with him, and recognize how personally he knows them. That’s what his culture is all about.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:47 PM ^
OMG. Pleaaaase make it stop!
Yeah, yeah, yeah I know... WM or JH could make it stop. But they REFUSE to make the announcement that MGOBLOG DEMANDS!
Or Harbaugh is trying his best to f$%^ over the school and program.
January 5th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^