Great Moments In Harbaugh: 1984 Miami
I was bouncing post ideas off my brother last night when he mentioned he didn't know much at all about Jim Harbaugh's playing career. I realized that outside of the pre-OSU guarantee, I didn't either—after all, Harbaugh's senior season occurred a year before I was born. I'm sure I'm not alone here, so I thought I'd do a series of posts on Harbaugh's best games at Michigan, with a huge assist from the incomparable WolverineHistorian.
The natural place to begin, of course, is Harbaugh's first start, when Michigan opened their 1984 season against the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes.
The Highlights: Part One, Part Two (WolverineHistorian)
The Setup: After winning the 1983 national title under Howard Schnellenberger, Miami looked to continue their dominance with Jimmy Johnson at the helm after Schnellenberger bolted for the fledgling USFL. By the time the 'Canes traveled to Ann Arbor, they'd already begun the season 2-0, defeating #1 Auburn and #17 Florida to rise to the top of the polls—and extend their winning streak to 13 games.
Michigan entered the game ranked #14 in the country after going 9-3 in 1983. Much of the pre-game attention centered on Harbaugh, the kid with deep Michigan roots making his first start after attempting just five passes as a freshman backup to Steve Smith. Bo Schembechler went so far as to say his team could throw the ball around 25, maybe even 30(!), times in a game.
[Hit THE JUMP.]
The Game: This didn't go down as one of the all-time great contests, as turnover issues plagued both teams, especially Miami. The Wolverines struck first following a 'Canes fumble, with two critical throws by Harbaugh—including the dart to the far sideline GIF'd above—setting up a six-yard touchdown plunge by Bob Perryman. Michigan missed the extra point, a sign of the sloppiness to come.
Star Miami QB Bernie Kosar tossed a bad interception to Doug Mallory, fumbled on a sack by Tim Anderson, and had a tipped throw picked by Rodney Lyles in the first half, but Michigan wasn't able to turn those turnovers into points, carrying a 6-0 lead into halftime.
What transpired in the second half later inspired a lengthy passage on "sudden change situations" in Bo's Lasting Lessons. Miami struck early in the half on a touchdown pass to All-American Eddie Brown, then a Harbaugh interception set them up in Michigan territory again, but the defense forced a three-and-out.
A second Perryman touchdown gave the Wolverines a 12-7 lead entering the fourth quarter. Harbaugh's second interception, a throw to the flat that hit a defender in the numbers, set Miami up near midfield. The defense came up huge again when lineman Mark Hammerstein recovered from a cut block to pluck a screen pass out of midair then rumble his way to the Miami 25. It was Michigan's fourth interception of Kosar, and this time they'd capitalize on yet another short scoring run by Perryman, set up by a roughing the kicker call.
Miami responded by covering 80 yards in just 36 seconds, capped by a 44-yard Kosar touchdown pass to Stanley Shakespeare to cut the lead to 19-14, and their subsequent stop of the Michigan offense provided a chance to avoid the upset. Rodney Lyles would have none of it, however, intercepting Kosar deep in Miami's end to set up a Bob Bergeron field goal, then cutting the 'Canes last-gasp drive short with his third pick.
Michigan ran out the clock to seal a 22-14 victory that would vault them all the way to #3 in the polls.
The Harbaugh: This wasn't a tremendous statistical game from Harbaugh—11/21, 162 yards, 2 INTs—but he showed off his strong arm on several occasions. He certainly outplayed Kosar, who finished just 16/38 for 228 yards, 2 TDs, and 6 INTs, with a lost fumble to boot. Most importantly, he won his first start, and those don't come easy when opening against the reigning champs.
The Most '80s Screencap of the Game: Jimmy Johnson's hair—which hasn't moved in three decades, so you can't claim it's not an '80s thing—and Bo's aviators, plus the hilariously outdated Katz Sports graphics package, combine for one hell of an image:
I'll end the post on that note, and ask for your suggestions for future posts in this series.
Loved every moment of this post...
Then shuddered as I wished the 1988 vs. Miami had turned out the same way.
Then read the post again and felt better...
Then thought about 1988 again...when Miami scored 17 points in the last 5:43 to win by a point.
Then read the post again...
I love being a Michigan fan.
How can you be class of 1817? Michigan was founded that year. Did you spend three years at Harvard and then transfer to Michigan to graduate? If so, good move.
I think he was a fifth-year graduate transfer.
is still processing my transfer request.
Well done, sir.
I was at both the '84 and '88 Miami games as a student. I remember shuddering when, with 10 minutes left in the '88 game, the student section started singing "Hey, hey, hey - goodbye." Unfortunately my concern that the taunting might be a tad bit premature was correct (sucks to be right sometimes).
Wrenching, gut, one each.
I am blessed to have some great memories from being at the Big House over the years. They might not always be happy memories, but still great (though I can state with certainty that I far prefer the memories from the '84 game to those from the '88 game . . .)
Man, I remember this game too. We had them down by 16 points with less than 7 minutes to go and then Steve Fucking Walsh went ham and Carlos Huerta crushed everyone in the stadium with a 29 yard field goal with less than a minute to finish us off.
I remember cursing that "Hey hey hey - goodbye" chant in the fourth quarter of that '88 game as well. That game was a classic example of Bo playing not to lose. Except Mike Taylor hit Chris Calloway late in the game on an out that would have given Blue a first down and a take-a-knee victory. The ref started to signal a catch but win-at-all-costs Jimmy Johnson went screaming and pumping those chubby arms up and down and the ref agreed that Chris Calloway bobbled the ball going out of bounds. We punted and the Canes hit the game winner moments later. Replay says that Calloway had the ball tight.
The first 3.5 quarters of that game was total domination by Blue on both sides of the ball, and Bo called an agressive game until the end. That bad ref call, and a Mike Gillete game winner that was not-to-be the week before in South Bend and Michigan wins the NC that year.
Ace -- Harbaugh memories: '85 ND, '86 ND and '86 Iowa. I think the '85 ND game set the tone for his career coming back from the busted wing in '84.
when the stadium started chanting "OVER-RATED" with about 3 1/2 minutes left vs. Colorado in 1994. My gf asked what was wrong...I told her we still needed on more first down.
Anyway...HARBAUGH!
Was at that game. Awful, just awful. Nothing worse for me personally though then that 74 Ohio State game. That was horrible. Bad mood for day's. Mother asked me what was wrong. You wouldn't understand I replied. Come on she knew I loved the Wolverines. I knew she loved Notre Dame. She was not feeling to bad for me. We both disliked the hairless nuts though. Miss you mom.
Season didnt end lime it started; Jimmy lost to UW, broke his arm against Staee, and we went 6-5 to pkay for the national championship, which we lost by 7 on a late Robbie Bosco TD. (Ok BYU was playing for the chMpionship, we were just there to play)
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
This Fall will be awesome. And all Falls that follow. Go blue!
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
The first Michigan game I believe I went to was the 1986 Illinois game which Harbaugh won 69-13. A true Golden Era Drubbing.
Yeah, Bo, had a real hard-on for Illinois after the way they unceremoniously ran Gary Moeller out of town. Any chance during the 80's he got to run it up on the Illini, he did.
I think the 30 for 30 The U skipped covering this game for some reason.
"Occurred the year before I was born."
You really know how to hurt a guy. That was the year I graduated from high school and enrolled at U-M.
You too really know how to hurt a guy. Harbaugh's senior season was my son's tenth year.
Was he working on a PhD or was he doing the John Blutarsky undergrad program?
Hard to believe Bernie Kosar ever spent a day in the NFL based on this game. That sidearm delivery...
Been a few or more quarterbacks with bad deliveries who quarterbacked in the NFL. Billy Kilmer comes to mind. Had a pretty good career. I can think of other's. Anybody care to list some other's?
85 South Carolina
85 Ohio State
86 Fiesta Bowl vs Nebraska
86 Ohio State (the guarantee game)
My 1984 UM-Miami story - I sat in the first row behind the Miami bench. Late in the 4th quarter the Miami back up quarterback starts to throw and get loose, anticipating playing in the game. Miami gets the ball back and Kosar is put back in again. He throws interception #6 and Michigan runs out the clock to win. In my slightly inebriated state I yelled "Hey #14, you must really suck. Kosar is still playing after 6 interceptions and you are not". #14 didn't really like my commentary, meeting my taunt with a nasty glare. It turns out #14 was Vinny Testaverde, future Heisman Trophy winner, who probably didn't suck.
I cannot find that Katz Sports intro song anywhere(by itself that is), otherwise it would be my ringtone right now.
Good fucking LORD is Bernie's form horrible on that throw. Feet close together, and somehow managed to throw of the wrong foot resulting in a flutter-ball that my nine year old daughter could throw harder.
But for the record - that guy - pisspoor form and all - was the LAST decent QB my beloved Browns have had under center.
QB BROWNS?
Good fucking LORD is Bernie's form horrible on that throw.You just summed Kosar's career up very nicely. That guy had the worst mechanics.
Just to give everyone a huge Harboner. A full on Jimmyrection.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
But didnt Jim break his arm in the State game? not his leg????
Great idea for the series. I believe in this game Michigan came up with a defensive strategy that confused the hell out of Kosar, with the 3-4 OLB/DEs dropping into coverage when they would normally pass rush. I'm in my 50s and that's the kind of thing I remember instead of what happened 10 minutes ago.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
after all, Harbaugh's senior season occurred a year before I was born.I know Ace isn't intentionally trying to stick it to us old guys, but it feels like he's sticking it to us old guys.
The real news of the game was Kosar's interceptions, of course. After the game, Kosar was whining about something in the press. On Sunday, spray painted on the Diag were the words, "Kosar is a punk!"
Who doesn't love college?!?
I loved that first gif because it showed a QB completing a pass and a WR catching it.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
Cover the bowl game against Nebraska in'82 or '83 I think. My memory isnt as good as it used to be but we were down 21-0 early and Harbaugh made one of the smartest plays Ive ever seen by a QB. Well smartest or luckiest. If memory serves me it was 3rd and goal, a pass play was called and Harbaugh had no where to go. He took off and it looked like he would be stopped short but someone came open just over the goal line and Jim shovelled it to him , as he was going down, for the TD. That game and that play has stuck with me as one of the greatest Ive watched involving Michigan.
broke his arm against MSU! I don't think we would have been 6-6 more like 8-4 or 9-3. Though the Washington upset was tough a week later after beating the number 1 team. The team may have been over confident!
I remember at the tailgate my dad saying the new Michigan QB is a kid from California like Elway and Cali QB's love to throw the football. I believe the kick off went to a Miami player named JC Penney who ended up having a decent game. Great memories.
was my next door neighbor in South Quad my freshman year. Cool guy; smart. Hadn't heard that name in a while. Oh... the memories.
I was hoping there'd be a shot of me in the north endzone, but no :(
For those other fucking disgusting disasters mentioned, the next Miami game and Kordell krapola I was about 30 rows up around the 20 on the press box side.
On the hail Mary it was ridiculous that everybody played the ball and nobody was behind it to stop the rebound! It reminds me of when Marion Body just stood there waiting for that punt of a pass to drop at ND & timed a hit instead of easliy stepping in front to knock it down, which set up the Harry fucking Oliver miracle. Too many fucking miracles happen against us! I was down at that game too! I'm one and three in South Bend! :( But the one was the classic Leach/Montana renewal of the series. 1 & 3 at the Rose Bowl also, but the 1 was the NC game!!!
Comments