The team is "close"? Really?
Harbaugh thinks his team is "close". The questions to ask are which team is he talking about and what are they close to?
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30273668/even-loss-indiana-1-2-record-michigan-jim-harbaugh-says-wolverines-just-need-push-forward-keep-going
I just finished watching Arizona State play USC. ASU is a team that's close and very well coached. They deserved to win their game.
Our team isn't even in the same stadium as the other teams. Does anyone else think we are "close"?
November 7th, 2020 at 7:31 PM ^
I don't think that's true. Gattis has a modern scheme and the plays are designed well, but he's not a good playcaller. In all three games I noticed that whenever we made a decent run (or even a half-way decent run) he immediately ran a run right after it. He did that several times against Indiana and it got stuffed each time. It's like in rock-paper-scissors, every time rock works he immediately goes back to it. He's not good at keeping the opposing side on their toes.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:03 PM ^
It's sobering to think that Herm Edwards, a man 10 years older than Harbaugh, has his team more prepared to take on a blueblood team on the road. Especially when Herm came back to coaching out of the blue two years ago.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:36 PM ^
It's supposed to be impressive that Herm blew a two touchdown lead in three minutes against a team that used to be good 10+ years ago? Weird standards
November 7th, 2020 at 6:58 PM ^
Michigan hasn’t had a lead to blow since the season opener.
November 7th, 2020 at 10:38 PM ^
As someone who has the misfortune of watching a lot of ASU games, Herm Edwards is one of the few coaches I probably wouldn't trade Harbaugh for at this point. And if people think Jim is weird...
November 7th, 2020 at 6:05 PM ^
Harbaugh doesn't realize how bad this team has become. There is no depth anywhere on this team. 3 star recruits with 2 star coaching.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:07 PM ^
He’s such a fucking buffoon. Fire his ass now.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:11 PM ^
Wow. Harbaugh sounds just like RR. The problem is Harbaugh doesn’t think there’s a problem.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:13 PM ^
We are close to the cellar of the east division!!!
November 7th, 2020 at 6:15 PM ^
So full of it. It's getting beyond laughable.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:16 PM ^
I bet we’d beat ASU.
And it’s coach speak. What do else do you expect him to say? He knows there’s serious problems with this team, but what is the point of saying that in a press conference?
November 7th, 2020 at 9:37 PM ^
No way. You obviously haven't seen them play last year and today. Jayden Daniels is the real thing at QB, their freshman RB is very good (announcer asked how Ohio State didn't get him when he came from Akron) and their DL is excellent. We would get stomped at this point.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:16 PM ^
Is charbonet injured? I don’t understand why they stick with running back by committee? Pick a two and get them going. The more experience the better
November 7th, 2020 at 6:30 PM ^
They used him in the passing game today -- 3 catches for 28 yds. But then gave him ONE carry at RB.
Haskins was the leading rusher. Six whole carries for 19 yds (3.2 per carry)
November 7th, 2020 at 6:31 PM ^
This has been the issue the last several years. We never have an identity, especially when it comes to rb's. Each week it is different. It is so annoying. This offense is the most A.D.D. Harbaugh has checked out and needs to go. Entire staff. Start from the bottom and build it back up. Recruiting, S&C, etc. Warde needs to clean house. Until there is culture change in Schembechler Hall we are going to see this same thing year after year. I'm tired of wasting my time watching this train wreck. I love Michigan but it is so frustrating watching this team...
November 7th, 2020 at 7:31 PM ^
....but wait, he is a MEECH-I-GAN MAN!!!
November 7th, 2020 at 6:17 PM ^
I am so sick of the Harbaugh-Speak. He is accomplishing absolutely nothing by making all of his big claims that the team is close and that his coaches and players are so awesome.
After a horrific loss like this, I just want to see him say "our coaches and our players failed today. We need to do everything possible to improve because this is not acceptable."
November 7th, 2020 at 6:21 PM ^
And what would him saying what you suggest accomplish?
November 7th, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
It would prove he actually knows there's a problem.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:24 PM ^
You don’t think he knows there’s a problem? He definitely does. He’s not going to talk about it at a press conference though, which is smart.
November 7th, 2020 at 8:27 PM ^
You're assuming he knows there's a problem. He kept Brown after 2 historic L's against OSU so he thought everything was okay there.
It is equally possible that he thinks he knows more than everyone else and blames the L's on youth and just a few blocks on every play.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:17 PM ^
No, not really.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:20 PM ^
13 f'n yards rushing....CLOSE,has he lost his mind.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:22 PM ^
13 rushing yards was close to 14...
November 7th, 2020 at 6:22 PM ^
Why is he not fired yet!!!
November 7th, 2020 at 6:27 PM ^
Abandon all hope, drink. This is the way.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:30 PM ^
He is just fooling himself. They are lost on defense and still spotty as hell on offense.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:35 PM ^
Dan Mullen took florida from a team that would block each other and couldn’t pick up a first down to dropping 41 points on ga in 3 quarters. That’s what good coaches do. Our coaches took nfl talent, and six years of “close” and just got annihilated by msu and Indiana in back to back weeks. Go F your “close” Jim.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:38 PM ^
Did you have that same opinion when mullen got trashed by A&M this year?
November 7th, 2020 at 6:58 PM ^
Yeah because getting beat by 3 by a decent A&M team is equivalent to getting pantsed by Indiana.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:44 PM ^
Which game of theirs impressed you the most: their 17-12 win over Vandy or their 30 point loss to Bama?
IU isn't chicken shit anymore and the sad reality of 2020 is that they're honestly a shoo-in for second in the east this year
November 7th, 2020 at 8:16 PM ^
Now do Michigan State.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:45 PM ^
There is a BIG difference between losing on the road by three to a top-10 Texas A&M team and getting humiliated at home by an awful MSU team, and then getting your ass kicked by a good but not great IU team that you (supposedly) have better talent than across the board.
Mullen also has a Heisman-caliber QB and a high octane offense with a clear identity to fall back on. Michigan, for what seems like the third time in the last decade, is a team with no identity.
November 7th, 2020 at 6:52 PM ^
Just delusional... he seems to have no clue how bad the situation actually is !!... Rome is burning and JH says.... "nothing to worry about, make S'mores, sit back and enjoy the show"!!
November 7th, 2020 at 7:09 PM ^
You think he should shut up and dribble, huh
November 7th, 2020 at 10:52 PM ^
Funny how that only applies to black athletes, but not people like Nicklaus and Favre. Wonder what what difference is?
November 7th, 2020 at 6:57 PM ^
Just gotta keep pumping that well
November 7th, 2020 at 6:58 PM ^
Isn’t this what former Lions coach Rod Marinelli famously said on their way to a 0-16 record...that they were *thisclose* to turning the corner.....It literally means nothing. It’s the coach’s way of telling the media he doesn’t have the answers, but wants the media to stay off his back. I have no trust that he has the brain power to turn it around. It just feels like a bland, lifeless program. There’s no juice, swag, or excitement.
Anyone with eyes can see they are deficient in key areas. The defensive tackles are atrocious. Kemp and Jeter get rag-dolled on EVERY play. Corners obviously are worthless. Even McGrone seems less stellar this year. Now our running game is non-existent. But hey, they look good in practice
November 7th, 2020 at 7:05 PM ^
Close to what? A collapse maybe.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:08 PM ^
"Close" sounds a lot like "on track." Too bad both takes are delusional.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:09 PM ^
I heard this before. Soon he'll start saying theyre really good kids.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:14 PM ^
Close to being considered an overrated hapless coach of a major school who has taken the program nowhere..... oh, wait .... that already happened.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
Harbaugh has been broken since 2016
November 7th, 2020 at 7:22 PM ^
This team is close to taking a big shit
November 7th, 2020 at 7:32 PM ^
Close the being an elite MAC school
November 7th, 2020 at 7:51 PM ^
UM should be at the point where they are reloading and not rebuilding. That's my biggest disappointment.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
He said something similar after the PSU game last year and they bounced back. They do have a bye, apparently, next week with Wisconsin still caught with C19 cases, so I guess we'll see against Maryland if it's true. I'm not optimistic but if this team had two above-average corners my guess is the defense would look a lot better and they'd be at least 2-1, maybe even 3-0.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:54 PM ^
I think we are looking at it wrong. Harbs isn’t leaving without beating osu. Focus and working on one thing every week. With risk of tanking season to prepare for one and only one team. At all costs...
but in reality, we are all kidding ourselves if we don’t realize the obvious. The “clean house and start over” meme we’ve been uttering for the better part of 2 decades now shouldn’t be mentioned until we are prepared to admit that means a radical shift to “win at all costs” (joining the Alabama’s, clemsons, LSU’s, OSU’s mentality). Game and the whole “process” has unfortunately changed since 2000. And passed us right by.
November 7th, 2020 at 7:55 PM ^
Lmao!