Catchafire

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:17 PM ^

Win or lose, I would want this team to play and get as much experience in.  It's the only thing we can hang out hat on for next year is building experience...

And, I'd like to play osu... As long as you play there is a chance to win.

UPMichigan

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^

I agree with your assessment however I think not playing OSU is good. I’m probably in the minority saying this but I think if we get pounded by OSU by 30 (or 50) this year I think those same players that play next year are going into that game remembering how lopsided the game was last year. They already lose the mental edge/ confidence needed to win a game like this when they think back to how they got pounded last year.

Damn straight

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:39 PM ^

I don't think that a 2 & 4 team needs to worry about losing it's 'mental edge'.

If it turns out that they are ducking Maryland and Ohio and using COVID as an excuse (only the players would know), that would have a much more negative effect on the psyche of a team than losing.

 

 

 

 

colonel

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:55 PM ^

Nobody is ducking anybody. If, according to the COVID procedures, they could play, they would play. Simple as that.

 

I do think it's good we're not likely to play though. Getting blasted by OSU, as seems likely to happen (obviously), will not help anybody.

trueblueintexas

December 2nd, 2020 at 3:56 PM ^

Little known fact, Jim Harbaugh had a clause in his contract that if he lost 5 games in 2020 he would be immediately let go without further payment. I guess he will be back next year.

 

Joking aside, I agree with you. If there is one thing Harbaugh will always be in favor of, it is playing a game of football.

Robbie Moore

December 2nd, 2020 at 4:36 PM ^

We should all get over the idea that Harbaugh is going to be gone after this season. Unless he chooses to leave. No way he gets fired after playing a bizarre on/off/on schedule with insufficient practice time. 

Doesn't mean I believe keeping him is the right thing. I do not. However, there are enough excuses to allow the powers that be to duck a decision.

MGoBlue96

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:48 PM ^

If prominent donors want a change they would pony up the cash to make it happen, that would not be part of the equation. Particularly when over the long term there are candidates you could hire and not pay as much as Harbaugh. The question is whether enough of those donors want that change yet, and I don't doubt there are some who are currently on the fence. No more data for the rest of the season means no change in their position or for any other parties who are fence sitters who might have influence.

Michael Burnham

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:16 PM ^

Stop it with the "prominent donor" meme.  It's insufferable.  I doubt very much that some rich person or persons is going to come up and plop millions of dollars to buy Harbaugh's contract out unless they get something out of it like the "I Terminated Jim Harbaugh's Employment Chair of Economics|".   You're better off starting a MGoBlog Kickstarter campaign and letting fans donate to that.

colonel

December 2nd, 2020 at 3:04 PM ^

I'm not so sure. Another trucking by OSU will kickstart yet another newscycle about Harbaugh's inpeptitude. The calls for Harbaugh's removal will be really loud, and will potentially come from notable alums, out in public. Brian Griese already said something, right? I imagine more people would weigh in. Seems like the pressure on the AD to make a move would be really, really intense.

But maybe the decision has already been made. The collective mindset of the fanbase is certainly already made. Maybe Warde is in tune with that and knows what he has to do. 

 

 

monkeybiz

December 2nd, 2020 at 4:15 PM ^

Hopefully Warde's decision process is affected very little on the collective mindset of the fanbase and instead based on his intimate knowledge of what's happening inside the program (i.e., actual reasons - and not theories - for transfers, opt outs, assistant coaching turnover, playcalling issues, recruiting issues, etc.) as well as the players and coaches collective mindset.  I'm not necessarily advocating for a Harbaugh extension, but I would trust/hope that the AD is in a much better position to assess the situation than a bunch of fans watching games on TV.

Teddy Bonkers

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:47 PM ^

If there's a chance he's getting fired I doubt the next two games matter much. AD must be assuming they'd get blown out by osu, playing them might only help retain Jim if Michigan looks decent. Maybe looking bad against Maryland could be the tipping point but in my opinion the sample size has been large enough, over last three seasons, for everyone to reach a conclusion regarding if he should be retained for next year. 

MGoJukes

December 2nd, 2020 at 2:36 PM ^

 

It feels like we're in the minority on this.  I would add that despite the team performing like butt for much of the season, the pandemic impacts everything (I get that other teams are impacted too, but each is different).  If there was a slam dunk replacement for JH et al, then go for it... but keep in mind that Harbaugh already is the slam dunk replacement we needed just a few years ago...

 

RockinLoud

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:46 PM ^

getting blown out by OSU would likely be the final straw in Harbaughs tenure

If getting beaten by the least talented MSU team in recent memory with a new underwhelming last-second coach that had zero spring ball practice, getting beaten by an 0-5 PSU team by 2 scores, surrendering the worst half-time deficit in program history and 2nd worst margin of victory loss in program history, while looking like JV coached team that has glaring roster holes all over that even amateur fans could see coming a mile away that very obviously has zero trust in their coaches, all causing the program to implode like has never before happened in the entire history of the program didn't already break the camel's back, then Ward should not be director of an AD at a school like Michigan.

MGoBlue96

December 2nd, 2020 at 1:56 PM ^

I mean for you, me and alot of people it is enough evidence but we are not the people making or influencing the decision. Also it's not just Warde with sole influence on the decision, we have no idea where all of the parties with influence are at. Some may be in the change camp, others may be on the fence and there may even be some who want to extend him for God's knows what reason. I find it kinda funny that people believe Warde is the only party with input on the decision here, I mean the final call is his, but it is definitely influenced by other parties.