Downward Spiral Theories: First 1-3 start since Pre-Bo, Largest Margin of Loss in Harbaugh Era, etc.
*Wisconsin tacks on another TD and PAT to go up 49-11*
*pause and "Baba O'Riley" starts playing*
*JH voiceover*
Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I got into this mess...
Well, everyone has their theories. Why can't the 'baugh get it done at Michigan? Why has this downward spiral occurred?
November 14th, 2020 at 11:54 PM ^
Hubris.
November 14th, 2020 at 11:56 PM ^
He lost his edge after the OSU loss in 2016. Never been the same since.
November 15th, 2020 at 9:01 AM ^
Agreed. I hoped he would become a man possessed after that day. We’ve only slipped further.
November 15th, 2020 at 12:08 AM ^
The bloodletting in Columbus in 2018 sealed his fate. Knowing he couldn’t ever win the division playing man-ball, he tried to evolve and lost his identity. Lots of talk about speed in space... Harbaugh lost the team. As for recruiting the hidden gems of the northeast, is it odd that Dudek hasn’t tweeted in 2 weeks?
November 15th, 2020 at 12:30 AM ^
Did he evolve?
Harbaugh talked up RPO before 2018, hardly ever ran it. He fields stone-hand TEs instead of relying on the speedy guys running around the field. Still running small RBs into stacked lines, just like when Pep was here. No change.
After getting pantsed by OSU, Harbaugh should've insisted on installing zone into the defense. Brown is clearly dragging his feet, despite knowing he had no one like Hill or Long in the backfield. No change.
Harbaugh ran same plays against OSU in 2018 he had run all season, meaning he didn't scout them to prepare RPO to put their terrible LBs in conflict. This season he didn't scout Indiana to prepare plays against their corner blitzes they always run. Most games have same offensive gameplan template without regard for opponent. No change.
I doubt he's tried to evolve at all. New year, same shit.
November 15th, 2020 at 12:59 AM ^
No he didn’t evolve, despite all of the talk and a new OC, it remained all talk. Your points are painfully accurate. We heard reports from camp about how they were I instilling new packages to get speed in space but aside from minor tweaks, they never appeared. I feel like they lost their identity.
November 15th, 2020 at 12:45 AM ^
Harbaugh thought he could compete with the elite with an old school focus on “work ethic” and “toughness”, bringing in a mix of talent and “lunchpail” types and refusing to hand starting roles to blue chips, under the guise of competition. His style endeared some but ran off other players and assistant coaches and his roster management and recruiting has suffered. Roster and coaching churn have led to constant setbacks. After defeats in 2016 and 2018 it has become clear to everyone that OSU is a loss every year. Now this too young team which lost a ton to the NFL or NFL-prep has tried to piece together a season with glaring holes on the roster and has been beset by injuries. Coaching failures have left them with nothing to overcome that. It was a worthy experiment - best hire available at the time and last gasp at the old guard of college football. The gap between old and new has only widened as the teams who treat recruiting as a business and school as a distraction and embrace the most modern of football theory become kings. Sadly the experiment failed and now we must try a new approach. I’m glad Jim Harbaugh was our coach and I’ll be glad to see him go. No revisionist history, just time to move on.
November 15th, 2020 at 12:45 AM ^
I'm confident Harbaugh showed back up at Michigan 100% sure he could bank on his NFL experience, run "pro" style offensive schemes and every future Andrew Luck would want to play under him and a whole other host of 5 stars would be in tow too and there would be non-stop success.
I think Urban Meyer played a decent sized part in the downfall, but ultimatley Harbaugh has never looked comfortable to me trying to play 2020 college football. I say this with the upmost respect, as I sincerely think if we were starting in a program in 2005 he would be outstanding. However, I have never thought for one second he was going to accept air raids, 'risky' downfield passing concepts, pushing the envelope with tempo and allowing the oppositions offense to move the ball in-between the 20's at the expense of limiting explosive passing plays.
One other part that I do not think gets much discussion is the culture shock of gong back to college from the NFL. In my opinion our general sloppiness (penalties, inability to run a decent two minute drill) in game comes from Harbaugh not knowing what to prioritize in the limited practice time. I mean, look at all the offensive formations and personnel packages we use with limited success.
Simply, it's a three pronged problem:
- Constant tweaking on offense that is mostly just reshuffling the deck as opposed to real philosophical changes towards what everyone else is using in this day and age where QB's sling the ball all over the field and put up a ton of points. Note that one solitary offensive player at Michigan under Harbaugh has scored one solitary touchdown in the NFL. Let that sink in. 5 years of offensive players under Harbaugh that have left the program and that's all the better we can do.
- Not as relevant this year as every part of the D is trash, but the inability to accept that our defense was great but not elite in the sense we were not good enough to knock dead teams that could pass block and throw the ball. Granted, there weren't many teams that could do that against our defense but the ones that could made us look silly. When your primary rival can do that, your defensive philosophy should be something to combat them, not a scheme that's going to beat up on the rest of your schedule.
- Urban Meyer was good, yo.
November 15th, 2020 at 3:14 AM ^
Administration probably told him he’s doing a good job. Similar vibe to posters who cite Bo’s overall winning percentage like “oh this is our historic norm Harbaugh is doing a great job better than Hoke/Rod”.
If you’re making $8M and you think you’re job is completely safe, seat is totally cold, then u would slack off too! Honestly don’t blame him at all.
November 15th, 2020 at 7:19 AM ^
I wonder how many times during the RR/Hoke era we went 3 consecutive games without even once holding a lead.
November 15th, 2020 at 11:15 AM ^
It’s all about the jimmy&joes:
2017 Top 100 Commits
UM-6
OSU-12
Wiscinsin-0
PSU-2
2018
UM-0
OSU-13
Wisconsin-0
PSU-8
2019
UM-3
OSU-4
Wisconsin-2
PSU-5
2020
UM-0
OSU-7
Wisconsin-1
PSU-2
2021
UM-4
OSU-10
Wisconsin-1
PSU-1
Yes you read that right,OSU has more talent on paper than all of the BIG teams combined. To say it’s because they are cheating is lazy and wrong. They recruit well because they develop even the best players to reach their potential.Joey Bosa,Nick Bosa,Chase Young,Jeffry Okudah,Dwayne Haskins.Terry McClaurin is a prime example of development. In only his 2nd year after getting drafted in the 5th round he’s a team captain and well in his way 90 catches and 1200-1500 yards obvious all pro year.And he was never more than the 3rd or 4th best receiver @ OSU.
Harbaugh just needs to get more and better talent. Let’s not forget how long it took Osborne, Spurrier and Bobby Bowden to win national championships. The team will get better as your recruiting dies or doesn’t get better.