can we stop pretending harbaugh is the answer?

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Last I checked Michigan State resides in the same state as Michigan and has been able to 3 top 6 finishes, win 3 B1G titles, 3 Division titles and make the playoffs in the last decade using talent that Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State and all of the SEC teams don’t want... what’s Michigan’s excuse again?

All we need is for OSU to go into an 8 year turmoil and Michigan can do the same

 

[7Samurai13]

All we need is for OSU to go into an 8 year turmoil and Michigan can do the same

So Michigan State can beat Ohio State with classes barely in the top 35 but Michigan can’t do it with top 10 classes? Sounds like some shitty coaching. Also, despite being in turmoil for 8 years, Michigan won nearly every recruiting battle with Michigan State.

 

[Voltaire26]

eight straight losses vs ranked teams....

It's a little odd that your pretending about anything Michigan. We are just a good team (not great), that no one in the SEC should be worried about. Please, let your doctor know about this, he could possibly give you something to make the obsession stop.

 

[Voltaire26]

So Michigan State can beat Ohio State with classes barely in the top 35 but Michigan can’t do it with top 10 classes? Sounds like some shitty coaching. Also, despite being in turmoil for 8 years, Michigan won nearly every recruiting battle with Michigan State.

What we have with ohio state is personal (and painful), anytime little brother can kick ohio state's ass is fine with me!!!

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

I’d rather go to the playoffs and get blown out rather than never even being close to going. If you are okay with being a third tier team, that consistently wastes NFL talent due to poor coaching, who am I to argue.

no doubt and I’m sure at some point, UM will get there too. They will end up in the same boat as MSU, most likely, getting blown out by one of the elite programs.

There is a HUGE difference between having some NFL talent and having a team filled with NFL talent. MSU had NFL talent when they played Alabama. Alabama had way more NFL talent on their team.

CFB is about who can collect the most talent.

 

[cwerph]

Honest replies here: How many of you Michigan fans praying that Harbaugh goes back to the NFL at the end of this year?

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

So Michigan State can beat Ohio State with classes barely in the top 35 but Michigan can’t do it with top 10 classes? Sounds like some shitty coaching. Also, despite being in turmoil for 8 years, Michigan won nearly every recruiting battle with Michigan State.

We just need some sort of once in a century monsoon to hit as well, then we're good.

 

[7Samurai13]

We just need some sort of once in a century monsoon to hit as well, then we're good.

And what about playing them in a dome and winning by double digits against a team that was already booking flights for the BCS national championship game?

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

And what about playing them in a dome and winning by double digits against a team that was already booking flights for the BCS national championship game?

I'm sure Dantonio had control of the thermostat.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

They pretended they were going to do it with this “speed in space” thing but instead they hired a guy who had never called a play in his coaching career, never built an offense, and his employer at the time had no faith in his abilities and flat out told him he would never be their OC. The entire “interview” consisted of a 20 minute phone call.

The speed in space thing wasn’t a UM concept — it was a Josh Gattis concept.

UM fans are still waiting to see what he was talking about.

 

[PIBuckeye]

Notre Dame’s last national title was 30 years ago. They are in the same boat. They will be in the top 15-20 because of their brand, but will never compete with the top dogs year in and year out.

Oklahoma borders one of the most talent rich states in the US. Hell, their last 3 QB have all come from the state of Texas.

Michigan borders a state where they only have one P5 program and they are born and raised OSU fans. The other states we border lack elite talent.

Nebraska has nothing going for them. They have no talent in state and no state bordering them with elite talent.

You can continue to say it is an excuse, as Minnesota beats you 30. But the fact is — teams like UM, ND, Nebraska — blue bloods without the built in influx of recruits from their home state — it is an uphill battle trying to compete when you rely on recruiting nationally.

fully agree about ND. they survive on their name brand..... absolutely. but that will fade as decades pass.... But they also get that sweet exclusive TV deal that is complete horseshit. In this new world of the NCAA and all of the things that have been implemented in the name of "fairness", I have no idea how they are allowed to keep that "deal"..... and the ncaa looks the other way.

Ohio is another state that is football talent rich, and UM and MSU have both dipped into the pond down south to fill the team with Ohio talent. It fluctuates from year to year, but I can recall a high number of years that michigan has a team filled with Ohio talent. (yes, I still have heartburn over that POS Woodson going to the dark side.) Ohio is a unique situation with no other P5 program, OSU goes after as much in state talent as possible, but they are also very capable of getting kids from across the nation easily...... I remember hearing that Tressel and Urban had a policy that they were going to shut the door to losing in state talent that they wanted, and only let go of talent that we already had filled.

 

[7Samurai13]

The speed in space thing wasn’t a UM concept — it was a Josh Gattis concept.

UM fans are still waiting to see what he was talking about.

Gotta give him 5 years to get his guys in there.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

So, here's my opinion on this topic. Harbaugh isn't worth $9 million, Harbaugh has underachieved and Harbaugh struggles in road games. I'm also not sure stating "harbaugh isn't the answer" is correct either. Even if Harbaugh leaves tomorrow, the program is in much better shape development-wise than before he got here. We're now disappointed to only win 10 games and not hopeful we can just make a bowl game. But I also don't see anyone else who would be the answer. If people want Harbaugh gone, then they should also have to say who we should hire to replace him. Because "home run" coaches are hard to come by and coaches to even win ten games a year aren't easy either. So I don't know. It's discouraging that teams like OU and OSU can promote coaches with almost no head coaching experience combined and have them hit the ground running, on the other hand there's far more teams that hire "sure things" that aren't as good as expected.

 

[socaljim242]

" can we stop pretending Harbaugh is the answer"
Doesn't it depend on the question?

 

[7Samurai13]

So, here's my opinion on this topic. Harbaugh isn't worth $9 million, Harbaugh has underachieved and Harbaugh struggles in road games. I'm also not sure stating "harbaugh isn't the answer" is correct either. Even if Harbaugh leaves tomorrow, the program is in much better shape development-wise than before he got here. We're now disappointed to only win 10 games and not hopeful we can just make a bowl game. But I also don't see anyone else who would be the answer. If people want Harbaugh gone, then they should also have to say who we should hire to replace him. Because "home run" coaches are hard to come by and coaches to even win ten games a year aren't easy either. So I don't know. It's discouraging that teams like OU and OSU can promote coaches with almost no head coaching experience combined and have them hit the ground running, on the other hand there's far more teams that hire "sure things" that aren't as good as expected.

If I’m Michigan my first call is to Matt Campbell. He has turned a shitty job into semi-respectability with next to no talent and no national draw that a Michigan has.

Although you can’t get him, you do your do diligence and call Pat Fitzgerald. Similar to Matt Campbell but already has the ties to the B1G footprint.

Next you back the Brinx truck up to Brent Venables and ask him how much. Bring someone in from a program that has a culture of winning that everyone has to listen too.

That’s where you start.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I'm also not sure stating "harbaugh isn't the answer" is correct either.

Agreed. He's totally the answer.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

If I’m Michigan my first call is to Matt Campbell. He has turned a shitty job into semi-respectability with next to no talent and no national draw that a Michigan has.

Although you can’t get him, you do your do diligence and call Pat Fitzgerald. Similar to Matt Campbell but already has the ties to the B1G footprint.

Next you back the Brinx truck up to Brent Venables and ask him how much. Bring someone in from a program that has a culture of winning that everyone has to listen too.

That’s where you start.

But you could argue that those guys could just as easily turn us into a Hoke team, as they could move the program beyond what Harbaugh has done. We aren't pulling Fitz away from his alma mater. Brent Venables might have the same problems with offense that we're currently having. And there's a reason no one has pulled Campbell away from Iowa St since 2015. Might happen this year, but he hasn't really done anything of note. A couple 3 win season, and a couple 8 win seasons.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Agreed. He's totally the answer.

I've given up on the idea we're beating OSU any time soon, no matter who the head coach is.

 

[7Samurai13]

But you could argue that those guys could just as easily turn us into a Hoke team, as they could move the program beyond what Harbaugh has done. We aren't pulling Fitz away from his alma mater. Brent Venables might have the same problems with offense that we're currently having. And there's a reason no one has pulled Campbell away from Iowa St since 2015. Might happen this year, but he hasn't really done anything of note. A couple 3 win season, and a couple 8 win seasons.

Alright continue to sludge through mediocrity and wasting scores of NFL players because your head coach is completely fucking useless.

Campbell has more of a track record than a Saban did before he went to LSU. Dabo was a nobody. Dantonio was not good at Cinci before going to MSU. Any of the sure things aren’t going anywhere. Harbaugh was your “sure thing” and has done nothing but shit the bed in every big game put in front of him.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Alright continue to sludge through mediocrity and wasting scores of NFL players because your head coach is completely fucking useless.

Well, that's the dilemma isn't it. I know this is going to be weird, but I still feel like Harbaugh is a good coach. You don't do what he's done in his career as a bad coach. But I also don't know what the issue is that's preventing our success. It makes me nervous to fire someone who will probably be scooped up by an NFL team to go after coaching potential that could blow up in our faces.

I'm hoping that at some point soon the breaks start going our way. Balls aren't dropped in the end zone. Debatable 1st downs turn into debatable 4th down stops. Last second miracle plays don't happen. Part of my hesitation with trashing Harbaugh is how close this team has been so many times.