The Athletic story : Jim Harbaugh’s new-look Michigan staff: ‘Jim’s got (the right) guys now. They’ll have his back and Michigan’s’
The linked article is behind the paywall at The Athletic, and most of the information is common knowledge. Quite positive on the changes JH made this off-season.
I would mention a couple of things that were new to me:
1)Harbaugh has gone through 31 assistant coaches, compared with 25 for James Franklin, 20 for Brian Kelly and 18 for Ferrentz. That sums up the instability problem There’s a view that there were too many yes men around
2)Saban reached out to Bellamy
https://theathletic.com/2794190/2021/09/01/jim-harbaughs-new-look-michi…
September 1st, 2021 at 10:31 AM ^
Ah, an article from The Athletic that I actually have some interest in! Good thing I'm paying $1 a month because anything more than that would be tough to get an ROI on.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:50 AM ^
They put out some great stuff. The Bishop Sycamore piece yesterday was outstanding.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:26 AM ^
Thanks for the recommendation! I've obviously seen quite a bit about the story, in general, but will definitely be checking out their piece.
September 1st, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
Does anyone find it shocking that ESPNU showed a replay of that game last night? IMG still won 58-0.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
Yeah, I love "supporting" good writers, but its really touch with so much free stuff available. I really don't need info "immediately" and insider stuff always leaks within a day or so. I was set to cancel my Athletic sub after the $1 per month trial. When I went to cancel, a popup came up and they offered me a full year for $1.40 a month. No idea how they are paying all of these writers at that rate, but they got me for another year at least.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
I mean, twist my arm with that offer! I'll probably be taking advantage of that offer, if I get it... despite my lack of enthusiasm.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:51 AM ^
Ha, I know right? I was surprised that it was the first offer and just popped up right when I logged in and clicked cancel. Best part, $1.40 per month, next best, they made it really easy.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
Lol same here. This was a great article. Probably the best Michigan related article I’ve read since joining The Athletic.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
Quinn had a phenomenal article on Juwan Howard and time growing up in Lowden Homes in Chicago...
If you didn't read that article, I would definitely recommend it.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
yes, to me the athletic is like the physical SI magazine in the 1990's--worth it for the occasional great articles on top of a focused place to get average daily news wire type stuff.
September 1st, 2021 at 2:06 PM ^
Exactly. The human interest features make it worth the monthly cost, and if you like to follow good beat writers from non-local teams, the depth of coverage across sports is incomparable.
And no ads!!!
September 1st, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
The proof in the pudding will be the results we see on Saturdays. It is year 7 and we all know the state of the football program.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:39 AM ^
Yup, right where coach Carr had it.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
Carr:
Vs Top Ten: 19-8
OSU: 6-7
MSU: 10-3
Wisconsin: 7-2
PSU: 9-2
Win percent: 75%
Harbaugh:
Vs Top Ten: 2-12
OSU: 0-5
MSU: 3-3
Wisconsin: 2-3
Penn State: 3-3
Win percent: 69%
September 1st, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Dude, Carr's end of the year record throughout his tenure, is where Harbaugh has been himself.
Carr had a 12 win season, an 11, four 10, four 9s, two 8s and a 7.
Harbaugh has three 10s, a 9 and a 8. And last year doesn't hold much merit
September 1st, 2021 at 11:17 AM ^
Carr's teams only played 11 regular season games for half of his career. Hence why I posted win percentage...Harbuagh's is significantly lower.
Also ignoring the record in top ten games I see.
I didnt even include bowl games. Carr: 6-7, Harbaugh: 1-4
September 1st, 2021 at 11:45 AM ^
This. Kowing how cupcakes are scheduled to get an extra home game on the slate every year, LCs 9-4 is a modern 10-3. 10 win seasons in the 90s should translate to 11 win seasons today.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Nice of you to overlook some facts:
- In only half of Carr's coaching seasons there were only 11 regular season games / 12 games with a bowl vs. Jim has had all his years to play 12 regular season games / 13 with a bowl game - so Jim has more opportunities to win
- Also, look at the record vs. top 19-8 vs 2-12 - really these are not the same!
- Even if you exclude OSU because they are on a "different level" it is then 13-1 vs 2-7 - still a HUGE difference.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
Win percentage vs top ten:
Carr 70%
Harbaugh 14%
September 1st, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^
When looking at Carr I think it extremely important to look at the first half vs. the second half of his Michigan career against OSU and in bowl games:
First 6 years:
- OSU: 5 - 1
- Bowl games: 4 - 2
Last 7 years:
- OSU: 1 - 6
- Bowl Games: 2 - 5
Thank you for 1997 and the first 6 years. 2006 was awesome up until the last two games.
Lloyd took his fair share of lumps against OSU and in Bowl games those last 7 years. It's more honest to point out Michigan's problems with OSU started during Lloyd's tenure.
September 1st, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
Correct which is why most people are glad that he had to go, but Carr's "bad" last 7 years are STILL marginally better than JMFH's first 6 years, so we got that going for us which is nice!
September 1st, 2021 at 11:30 PM ^
To be fair, OSU is on a lethal level now, Jim could probably beat ol’ sweater vest at least 4/10 times with his uncreative offense.
And Penn State’s most mediocre years were late 90’s/early 2000’s. So that skews it a little bit as well.
Also, football was a simpler game back then to game plan a defense against, haha. Don’t forget Carr’s deer in headlights defenses almost every time we faced a spread team with a mobile QB.
But, yes, Harbaugh is slightly below Carr right now, primarily because of last year and a couple awful OSU games.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:26 AM ^
Minus win percentage, beating good teams, B10 titles, a NC, Heisman winner but otherwise, yup right there.
September 1st, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
I cannot believe how often Carr is bagged on by people on this site, when by any measure he was Michigan's last undeniably great coach.
September 1st, 2021 at 1:36 PM ^
In 10 seasons, Fritz Crisler shared 2 conference titles and won a national championship.
In 13 seasons, Lloyd Carr won or shared 5 conference titles and won a NC.
One guy is hailed reverentially as a genius and has an arena named after him.
The other guy is constantly belittled by Michigan fans, especially on MGoBlog.
September 1st, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
Whatever narratives MgoBlog pushed on the heels of the Rodriguez hire--Carr held Michigan back for years, etc.--were internalized a little too much by the blog's readership.
September 1st, 2021 at 2:16 PM ^
IMHO a large part of the bile expressed here toward Carr is directly a consequence of Appalachian St.
If he'd stuck to his guns and retired after the '06 season like he wanted to, I think the perception of him, at least around here, is significantly different.
September 1st, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
Good point, I probably shouldn't give my favorite blog a hard time. That last year was rough, no doubt.
September 1st, 2021 at 3:34 PM ^
Absolutely, I don't think he was ready to go in 2007. It took until late that season to get things settled in any way. The Florida game was a great way for him to go out.
September 2nd, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
Yeah but... would have been interesting to see the offense he unchained against Florida play all year.
Feel like app st and Wisconsin woulda been wins. Less sure about Oregon and osu.
Going completely from memory here which assures me we lost the first two (app st Oregon) then won out until the last two (Wisconsin Osu) before unleashing the kraken on FL and their Heisman winning qb. If I'm confusing those details I apologize.
One thing I'm quite certain on is we owned those gators and the scoreboard didn't even do it justice. One of my all time favorite UM games.
Cheers.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
Nobody will ever doubt Saban's eye for talent. Bellamy is a rising star, let's hope that his on-field coaching is every bit as good as his recruiting and in a couple years he's getting offers to be a coordinator or even for his first head coaching job.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:37 AM ^
The assistant hype never fails. We got Nussmier from Alabama! We got Gattis from Alabama! Saban reached out to Ron Bellamy! Our assistants have so much more NFL experience compared to OSU!
September 1st, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
Using the Ravens defense as a proxy for MM scheme at Michigan is a bit of a reach - I understand it is required as a vehicle for discussion since we don't have anything to look at otherwise, but still, tempering expectations here.
Nuss and Gattis looked great running offenses with Bama personnel... I am expecting MM to experience similar challenges (which in all fairness Seth article does mention in his article)
September 1st, 2021 at 11:47 AM ^
It's not even just McDonald. Sometime back early in Harbaugh's tenure someone in the program was touting how much NFL experience Michigan's staff had compared to OSU. Here's something similar.
September 1st, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^
This is a very underrated comment. I couldn't agree with you more.
September 1st, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
These types of fluff articles are written about every D1 program out there. Tenn beat reporters gushing over Milton. Longhorn media wanking it to Sark. It's not exclusive to M and doesn't mean jack shit. Everyone knows this except for yourself. You seem to take it literally.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:45 AM ^
I would be one to be included in the view that there have been too many "yes-men" around. And, I believe that Jim has done a poor job of managing the give-and-take and disagreements that naturally arise with the coordination required between position groups. Perhaps/hopefully this new staff can forge a better path-even if they do it on their own.
September 1st, 2021 at 10:47 AM ^
I want to believe
September 1st, 2021 at 10:53 AM ^
I feel like assistants come and go and they are hard to keep around, particularly the good recruiters unless you promote them. That's just kind of a part of CFB today. The larger problem IMO is the coordinator turnover. Depending on if you want to call Pep a coordinator we're on our 6th coordinator in 6 years (3 on offense and 3 on defense). That's way too many for stability. Although I'm not sure that's any more than Bama for example. But, one thing I heard the other day is Saban runs the same offense no matter who the coordinator is, which helps to maintain stability. I'm not sure if JH can get away with that or if that's even accurate, but it would be nice if the HC could keep those systems in place for stability as coordinators come and go.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
Can't access the article. Does this imply that last year's staff did NOT have Harbaugh's back?
September 1st, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
The most important task of any HC in college or the NFL is to assemble a top-flight staff of assistants, and keep them around for stability's sake. On that metric, Harbaugh has been decidedly sub-par at Michigan.
Some of his staffing decisions have been downright weird, such as hiring McElwain for a single season, and keeping Shoop on all last year.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:29 AM ^
I'm curious what "calling Harbaugh on his tension" looked like. And no, I'm not paying for a subscription.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:31 AM ^
I read this quote and I think of aging veterans saying "I'm in the best shape of my life."
Show me you can beat up on the crappy teams, run with the decent teams, and look semi-competent against OSU.
I have a signed, framed Harbaugh jersey that's sitting on the floor in my basement. I'd love to feel compelled to put it back on the wall.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
My favorite is in boxing/MMA, before the fight everyone is motivated, healthy, never felt better. After the fight it turns out they were nursing an injury all through training camp. I'm not buying any preseason hype this year let's just see what happens.
September 1st, 2021 at 1:42 PM ^
Pretty much.
Though I will say that the "best shape of my life" guys usually aren't hiding something and truly believe they are in the best shape of their lives. Or at least I take them at their word that they believe that.
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people in and around the program believe Harbaugh now has his guys. The question is whether that shows on the field or not, and we have a lot of reason to believe it won't.
September 1st, 2021 at 11:32 AM ^
Subscriber and read the story. Put me in the "I want to believe" column. Reasons to believe:
1. Harbaugh health appears better - losing weight and being more active cost something and implies commitment. This leads to a higher energy coach, something lacking lately.
2. Michigan former player presence - love having, all things being equal, more ties to the program.
3. Younger Coaches - more energy and enthusiasm, relate to payers better.
This could all be BS and it is 4 days to kickoff. But I want to believe.
September 1st, 2021 at 12:24 PM ^
Show me the offensive proof. I need to see an offense that makes sense and doesn't shoot itself into space. We haven't seen that since 2016. 2017 probably would've been okay had Speight not gotten hurt, and/or not having had to play JOK against OSU. But other than that, we haven't seen an offense that can beat a good team.
If we don't have that this year, why are we bothering to care? Show me an offense that can hang with the better teams, and we have something to build on...
September 1st, 2021 at 12:30 PM ^
Yeah, my son and I have stayed many times when seeing replays from 2015: man, I miss that guy!! What happened to him?!
I am cautiously optimistic that this year begins the trend up that we all have been longing for.