ND fans expect us to turn on Harbaugh after he goes 9-4
It's always interesting perusing the college football blogosphere and seeing what other fans think of our situation with Harbaugh. Obviously most of the time it is negative. We all know that Michigan creates ire everywhere just by being Michigan, and that is doubly compounded by Harbaugh.
Notre Dame has always struck me as an odd animal for offering criticism. Eric Murtaugh, a longtime ND blogger and noted M-hater from One Foot Down, has a new blog called 18 stripes, and never misses a chance to rip on M.
Excerpt from one of his more recent posts:
2017 seems like the year a long honeymoon starts ending for Harbaugh in Ann Arbor – expectations for year three will still be extremely high despite massive turnover on both sides of the ball. The schedule isn’t kind to the Wolverines either – they open in Dallas against Florida and down the stretch face road games at Happy Valley and Camp Randall before hosting Ohio State.
Michigan has recruited well enough that the floor remains high, but a step back even to 9-4 could start bending perceptions of Harbaugh from “crazy genius” back toward “just insane”.
This is a common thread among ND writers/fans. I've seen it from MSU and OSU fans too, but on this particular occasion I've limited my perusing to Irish corners.
Following is some additional noteworthy commentary. (Sources at the bottom)
You have to hand it to Michigan. There was no one - at least, no one who wasn't living in the fantasy land known as Ann Arbor - who genuinely believed that Harbaugh would leave the NFL for Michigan, even if it was his alma mater. The Wolverines were abysmal following the 2014 season, where they fell to 5-7 amidst blowouts, a concussion scandal, and the resignation of the athletic director - the very definition of a college football tire fire. Why would any coach with options walk into that?
Then when you realize Harbaugh is actually insane by clinical definitions it becomes easier to understand why he took the job. Of course, that won't stop the fans from eating him alive when he loses a third straight time to Ohio State. All the goodwill Harbaugh has built up from his two seasons will vanish come 4 p.m. on November 25th.
When does the Harbaugh honeymoon end?
The answer is obvious: 2017. Harbaugh is the only Michigan coach besides Rich Rodriguez to fail to beat the Buckeyes in his first two seasons. It's hard to see a triumphant Michigan squad succeed this year, either. They return so little that the losses spell doom for the Wolverines so much it could result in a 9-win season. That will prompt the very real grumbles from Michigan fans that Harbaugh isn't the right guy after all. The so-called Maize and Blue faithful can only take the abuse from Urban Meyer for so long before they decide it's time for a change.
Notre Dame only wishes it could play Michigan this year, when the Wolverines' loss of so many starters means the chance of a crushing defeat at the hands of the Irish would be surprisingly favorable. Alas, they'll have to wait until 2018, when the Wolverines will be a title contender.
Will Harbaugh still be the coach by then? Keep your eye on the game against Ohio State at noon on November 25. If the Wolverines lose that one (again), Harbaugh might just be given his walking papers, even if he's 11-1. Common sense tells us to never underestimate the delusional arrogance of Michigan fans.
In other news, Notre Dame went 4-8 last season.
Sources:
https://www.18stripes.com/
https://irishsportsdaily.com/
http://notredame.247sports.com/
"2017 seems like the year a long honeymoon starts ending for Harbaugh in Ann Arbor – expectations for year three will still be extremely high despite massive turnover on both sides of the ball."
I love the strawman argument. Other than people calling into 97.1 or commenting on MLive, Michigan fans are understanding that with the high turnover, it is possible that this year we take a step. No fucking person would call for harbuaghs head if they go 8-4.
I've ALREADY given up on Harbaugh and want him fired. Let me be the first to say it (even though I know everybody else is thinking it) BRING BACK BRADY HOKE! He's rested, ready and available.
And make Rich his OC. Dream Team people....Dream Team.
Gotta think big. Those ND fans know their stuff.
I'd rather make RichRod the DC and Brady Hoke the OC.
Imagine those units going up against each other in practice every day. The stoppable force vs. the movable object.
And finally: we beat OSU last year. But we lost to the refs. That's my take, at least...
That's my take as well. I consider Harbaugh to be 1-1 against OSU. I have never seen a team more repeatedly screwed by the refs in one game than that farce that took place last year in Columbus.
#yepstillpissed #neverforget #screwthoseosufanboyrefsLOL
Only in their dreams. MSU and OSU fans seem to think the same thing.
MSU and ND, sure.
OSU fans don't care about Harbaugh staying, at this point at least.
Not entirely true. There's another college fb board I frequent and they were adamant he'd leave after a couple years. They care a little. They cared when we sucked, they'll get more shrill as we suck less.
I mean, they'd rather him leave just because we'd end up with a worse coach; but they aren't intimidated by him, unlike MSU and ND fans.
There was? Where did you hear that - Reddit? I sure didn't see it or hear it, anywhere...
To hell with Notre Dame!
Well, we don't play ND this year. So at least getting that one (1) win will be a bit tougher.
It seemed pretty level-headed at first, because Harbaugh does need to beat OSU to be considered a successful coach here. But when he starts talking about Harbaugh getting his walking papers in 2017, he's out of his fucking mind. Even in the world where he was fired, who would we get that would honestly be any better?
Brian Kelly will be fired looooooong before the idea is even brought up that Harbaugh should be fired. At least our coach makes it to bowl games.
We could actually play ND this year. Both teams go unbeaten and play for the National Championship, or perhaps a bit more likely, UM and ND meet in one of the bowl games. Wouldn't that be a precious and unique opportunity to kick their butts! Oh God, please make it so!
Their own program has been almost entirely a disaster for well over a decade and they are trying to believe that Michigan is still as screwed up as they are. The unfortunate truth for them is that we have our guy and their program remains a train wreck. Sorry Domers :(
Da fuq did I just read?
Why would any coach with options walk into that?
Hold that thought, Notre Dame.
Saying Harbaugh will leave after this year seems to be a common coping mechanism for Irish and Sparty fans.
"They return so little that the losses spell doom for the Wolverines so much it could result in a 9-win season."
Only nine wins with returning ''so little''..... I think we are officially back, boys!!!!!!!
Rashan Gary 4.57 40. 'Nuff said.
I post them so we can make fun of them. Learn to live a little.
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First and foremost, I wish I could bring myself to actually care when an ND blog thinks may or may not happen, I really do. It's just not in me.
That being said, however, barring some sort of catastrophe, I very much doubt that anyone uses the word "fire" after this season in any realistic scenario. Anyon who does really hasn't learned the principal lessons from the last several years.
Notre Dame is talking about Michigan firing their coach? that our honeymoon is over?
LOL YOUR COACH IS BRIAN KELLY LOL
There have been some people on this board this summer saying "UNACCEPTABLE!" I guess the ND writers think they will be listened to?
Fun fact. Harbaugh would have to go 39-25 going foward to equal what Kelly has done at ND so far. That's an average season record of a little bit better than 7-5 going forward. Yep, Notre Dame fans should be the ones talking about coaching standards when they have the mediocre Brian Kelly still in charge.
he thinks ND would be the favorite if we played this year, Harbaugh on the hot seat, even though he admits next year MI will be contending for the playoffs.
Let's fire the guy setting us up for title contention for the foreseeable future!!
He's basically saying we are so delusional we won't keep a coach who goes 0-3 to Ohio State.
I agree the 11-1 comment is nuts, but I guess he supposes we value the rivalry with OSU over anything else.
I would claw my eyes out if we lose to Ohio State a third straight time (technically a 5th straight time), but firing Harbaugh over it is straight up dumb.
We'd be favored by 10+ even if the game was played on a leprechaun's butthole.
As others have already pointed out, claims that Harbaugh will be fired is wishful thinking.
First it was Harbaugh will never come to Michigan.
Then it was, Harbaugh's not really an excellent coach (he just got lucky over and over and over again).
Now it's either Harbaugh will jump to the NFL the first chance he has, or the fans will turn on him and he'll be fired.
What people like that are really thinking is "Harbaugh is one of the best head coaches in all of football, and it terrifies me that he's at Michigan."
An 8-4 record will def upset some people and I am sure there will be a few questioning Harbaugh. I doubt any will actually call for his firing though.
I expect an 8-4 season. So much youth. And any potential gamebreaker(s) are freshman.
Guy needs to shut his mouth. Any fan of collegiate athletics knows ND has long been established as the most delusional fanbase of all time.
We might go 11-1 this year and that might spell doom for Coach Harbaugh...but we also are title contenders in 2018...so...
why would we fire the coach of a title contending team? Super clear and logicial thinking there.
1. ND would love to have a floor of 9 wins.
2. Assuming the combination of Harbaugh and Brown won't have our offense and defense ready to go by OSU is foolish. Yes, we'll be incredibly young this year, but by that point that team will have played a Florida team on a neutral field and have faced road tests in Happy Valley and Camp Randal. Is it likely that we'll lose at least one of those? Yes, it is, but those are the games that young players grow from. I don't expect the first and second year players we'll be relying on this year to be playing like first and second year players by the time OSU comes to town.
3. Even with our young players, we'd still be favored to beat ND this year, or any year in the foreseeable future. I can't wait to whoop them again!
I completely stopped paying attention to this clown when I read the following:
Notre Dame only wishes it could play Michigan this year, when the Wolverines' loss of so many starters means the chance of a crushing defeat at the hands of the Irish would be surprisingly favorable.
Did this nutjob forget the ND went 4-8 and lost...at home...to a 3-9 MSU squad? Talk about a delusional fanbase...
Why are you so convinced that Michigan will lose to OSU this year?
Projection? Much?
Secondly, let's dispell this myth that OSU is this unbeatable dreadnought. Yeah, since Tressel took over they have been good, but they have also been unspeakably lucky when they play us. Let's take the 15 games OSU has either Tressel or Meyer as head coach. Let's also assume they clearly should have been favored to win all of those games (debtable against Carr or Harbaugh), say 75%. I'll spare you the math, but OSU going 14-1 or 15-0 in those 15 games would happen only 8% of the time. The odds drop rapidly if you assume some of those games were more closely matched. Talent aside, the chance of Harbaugh going 0-2 in the next two games against Meyer is 25%, or less.
Look at it another way, who has upsets over the Buckeyes? Michigan State (twice) in Columbus and in the B1G Champ, Penn State at State College, VA Tech in Columbus. Those teams got lucky against OSU. So far, we have not, but luck can change in an instant.