Harbaugh: The Universal Pipe Dream
Living in San Francisco, my only regular contact to Michigan football besides games is Mgoblog, and a few other Michigan blogs (BWS, Touchthebanner.etc) I don't get the full media experience of newspaper, talk radio, and nightly news that you get in Michigan. But I do get the full load for the 49ers. And it has been a funny week. After both teams suffered big home losses after two game winning streaks, all those looking for hope are looking for Harbaugh. (49ers lost 21-0 to Tampa Bay, turns out Troy Smith is not the second comming of Steve Young like all the fans were saying the previous week.) You can't listen to KNBR for more than 5 minutes without someone calling in to say how Harbaugh is ready for the Niners and wants to continue his battle with Pete Carrol. Here's an example from today's paper in San Jose. It seems both fan bases are convinced that Harbaugh is the answer and he would drop everything for the job if offered. Sorry, not all that informative of a topic, just an interesting observation on the universal reaction of fans when something bad happens. They look to the hot name for the quick fix and renewed hope.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:17 PM ^
Total offense 2nd half...... Michigan 325yds, Wisky 185 yards. 2nd half score: Michigan 28 , Wisky 24
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^
Money without a doubt is better, but tenure maybe not, unless you are one of the special few. However, things have been moving in CFB towards the NFL in terms of that.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^
...on the point about Harbaugh being an NFL head coach. But there's a good chance that is will not happen this offseason because of the pending labor issues in the NFL. I was just reading yesterday (SI perhaps?) that because of lack of access to players during a lockout that most teams will be far more likely to promote from within this offseason. Idea being that an in-house hire would already have some familiarity with the team whereas bringing in an outsider might be forced to sit on his hands for months before he can even meet his team.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:49 PM ^
...the NFL labor strife. Excellent point.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:21 PM ^
You may be right but keep in mind that Harbaugh appears to have turned down at least one NFL offer last year. Maybe he knows he is a hot commodity and wants to wait for a better NFL opportunity. However, it may also indicate that he prefers coaching in college.
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:32 PM ^
The jets interviewed Harbaugh, but didn't offer him. He was never considered a front runner for the job.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
He talks shit to the sun, he's just that hot!
/s
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:36 PM ^
"They look to the hot name for the quick fix and renewed hope."
I remember reading in the newspaper about Harbaugh being named the new head coach at SDSU. The first thought in my head was "would be cool to see him end up at UofM after Carr steps down". I think a lot of Michigan fans,especially those who remember him at UofM, have been hoping for Harbaugh for a number of years. Obviously, his success has increased that desire for many.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:23 PM ^
Do you mean the University of San Diego?
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:54 PM ^
Perhaps.
We return to our old friend, Michael Rosenberg. This time, writing in Sports Illustrated. A slurpy, French-kiss of a love letter to all things Harbaugh, in his profile of Jim and John Harbaugh. Written as though it were a cover letter to David Brandon, attaching Jim Harbaugh's resume and application for the Michigan job:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1175724/index.htm
Rosenberg's writing included this deliberately-misleading account of Harbaugh's attack on Michigan's handling of academics within the football program. First, here's what Rosenberg wrote (this is all that he wrote on the subject):
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1175724/1/index.htm
In fact, Rosenberg knows damn well that Harbaugh did not simply "compare" Stanford's academic priorities "favorably with Michigan's." What Harbaugh said was that Michigan's football program deliberately and wrongly steered him and other players into BGS degrees, implying that they were somehow devalued.
From the old, 2007 Ann Arbor News story:
"Michigan is a good school, and I got a good education there,'' Harbaugh said. "But the athletic department has ways to get borderline guys in and, when they're in, they steer them to courses in sports communications. They're adulated when they're playing, but when they get out, the people who adulated them won't hire them.''
With fewer than 100 words, Harbaugh made himself a major topic of conversation on Web sites devoted to Michigan's sports programs and drew the attention and concern of school officials.
No one so closely associated with the football program has ever suggested Michigan was actively cutting corners academically to succeed in football.
Given Harbaugh's history - his dad was a Bo Schembechler assistant, and he led the Wolverines to the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl in 1986 - it was hard not to wonder if he hadn't been misquoted or joking.
But he wasn't.
That became clear during a phone conversation Friday afternoon.
Harbaugh not only stood by his comments, he expanded on them. When asked to defend his claim that Michigan pushes athletes into easy majors, he paused for a second and then dropped a bombshell.
"I would use myself as an example,'' Harbaugh said. "I came in there, wanted to be a history major, and I was told early on in my freshman year that I shouldn't be. That it takes too much time. Too much reading. That I shouldn't be a history major and play football.''
Asked if he saw teammates who graduated from college unprepared for life, he said he did.
Our Host and Proprietor Brian fisked Harbaugh's baseless commentary in about fifty different ways on the essential topic, way back at MGoBlog version 2.0:
http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/destroy-harbaugh.html
So more of Rosenberg. The same thing, only different. The distorter-in-chief of Rich Rodriguez's tenure, has now become the press agent and apologist-in-chief for Jim Harbaugh.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^
Everyone is talking about Harbaugh as potential coach. I am a RR supporter but entertain the thought of a new coach. Wonder why no one brings up Brady Hokes' name. He coached under Carr the went to Ball State and was very succesfull as a head coach then stepped up to the SDSU job and is doing really well there. He builds programs pretty quickly. What do you all think? Maybe someone can post this as a topic as I am not aloud to yet.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:47 PM ^
We don't bring up his name because we can bring up Harbaugh. If Harbaugh was out of the picture, I'm sure Hoke would get a lot of attention.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^
* Let's assume that the Mountain West and Big East conferences are about the same. (Maybe fair, maybe not ...) If so, Hoke is in just his second year in the "big time." RichRod in '07 had at least four years (all good) behind him at the time of his hiring. I think it's still too early to consider grabbing Hoke.
* Hoke is not a spring chicken. He's in his early 50s. I'd feel better hiring a younger coach with more upside. I'm still not convinced that Hoke's ceiling is higher than "Big Ten: Purdue." (Yes, yes, I realize that this is higher than RichRod's current level of achievement.)
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:17 PM ^
If the choice is another year of Hoke vs RichRod, we might as well give him one more year and see how Hoke does in the MWC minus Utah and BYU plus Boise with a team that brings back a great deal of their starters. I'd like to see the guy get a more seasoning before coming to Michigan. Also San Diego State comes to Ann Arbor next year, if he wins that game, job is his. I do wonder if he would bring alot of the former Carr assistants if he were to come back (people like Erik Campbell and Scott Loeffler). Making a change only makes sense if the guy is Harbaugh (the only home run candidate). Anyone else, might as well give RichRod another year.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^
I think RRod deserves another year to prove he can turn the program around, but would understand if Brandon decided to go with Harbaugh (assuming the results of the next two games would support such a decision). While Hoke may be a fine coach, I would only support his hiring if the next two games were complete disasters, we lost a bunch of recruits, and RRod refused to fire Robinson and a number of the position coaches
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
I wish everyone would stop shitting on Harbaugh as a means of supporting Rodriguez. Jim Harbaugh turned an 0-12 team into an 11-1 top 10 team that likely would have won the Big Ten. And considering how their admissions hamstrings their recruiting, it's not like the two situations are equal either.
Support Rodriguez. But don't shit on a Michigan legend in the process.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^
I can't agree more. The dude is a preposterously good coach. Whining about Rich Rod's job security isn't going to make Harbaugh a moron. Harbaugh rules.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:07 PM ^
... but how long did it take him? Isn't is like 5 years? we are at year 3 and IMO, heading to 10+ wins in 1, 2 years max.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
To be fair, Harbaugh took a couple of swipes at UM over the years, so it's not like the anger toward him is completely unfounded. I think he is a very good coach, but he is the coach for Stanford. Right now, all I care about the coach of UM, and that person in Rich Rodriguez.
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^
Harbaugh shat on his alma mater, why should he be immune from criticism?
Stanford was 1-11 the year before Harbaugh hired in. And it took him four years to get the team where it is, the first two with losing records and the third finally bowl eligbile. Sound familiar?
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^
Well, obviously the main thing is putting a great team out thre. The point is that he will improve, in addition to the team's performance, the mind-set that has sunk in. We now look for "positive signs" and "moral victories." The whole mood has changed. We all want nothing more than to beat OSU. But let's face it. The vast majority of fans are thinking, Oh, god, please don't let is got beaten too badly. Hopefully, in a miracle, we'll win. But it's quite unlikely. And everyone -- the team, the fans -- needs something more than RR's "I'm confident we'll put our best foot forward." The team plays hard, granted. RR gets credit for that.
But there's just something about the guy, especially lately. He does not exude confidence, and really hasn't for quite some time. I'm not saying he needs to guarantee victories and so forth. That would be silly at this point. But he does need to project more fire, confidence, swagger (rather than constantly making excuses, then complaining that people complain that he makes excuses). The best coaches never make excuses, even when they could. The Vest never did, even when he took over a middling team. Bo and Lloyd never did. Saban never did. All of this stuff matters.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^
This comment is actually a great follow-up to The Mathlete's recent diary that suggested a 15-to-30% increase in Rich Rod's press conference swagger (PCS) would result in 4.5 additional points above normal (PAN) for Michigan week-to-week.
Of course, he couldn't establish it to a 95% confidence interval, as PCS is one of the more complex advanced stats. It can be a very fact-specific inquiry. Did Rich Rod promise wins? Did he yell/shout/or scream at any point? Was there a sighting of any spittle? Did he stand up and yell "I'M A MAN, I'M 40!!"? The presence (or lack thereof) of these elements can powerfully impact PCS ratings, as I'm sure you're aware.
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
I am particularly interested in the Mathlete's upcoming look at the effect RR trying to suck his head back through his neck in a fit of pure rage has on our young defense's pysche. Other analysis have projected that similar examples of rage exhibited by other college football coaches have a deleterious effect on their defenses ability to get off the field on third down. However, the hilarious nature of this unique rage fit could lead the young players to loosen up, leading to better execution and an increased propensity to take risks, leading to more turnovers. Should be a great read.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^
All those complaining about poor lil Richie not getting "time"--that's life in the $3 Million per year coaching ranks at schools like Michigan.
No one here EVER expected this program to be foundering along at 7-5 in RR's third year when he was hired.
You simply don't get free passes at Big Time schools, and you don't deserve them.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^
MLive quality stuff here with the hilarious nickname for our coach, congrats!
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^
... back in 2007, but I thought it was "too early." I had hoped he would grow into a very good coach and "come home to Ann Arbor" someday. My feeling then was that Harbaugh would be a perfect fit: Michigan pedigree but professional coaching tree. I thought he was a perfect combination an insider who actually had ideas from outside the family.
After the Oregon debacle, though, I became a "spread convert." AFAIC, the only way a team is going to compete for National Championships on a regular basis with a pro set is if they do an SEC and recruit 120 players every four years. The spread is really the most efficient way to score points.
Ironically, if the usually conservative Jim Tressel hadn't gone to "trips," or a spread form of the pro-set, the first half of the 2006 game, it might have been Michigan who went to the MNC game against Florida, and LC may have been able to retire on his own terms a few years later.
Anyway, whether it is out of a pro set or an option, spreading the field is the way to go. It creates a lot more room in the middle and a lot more mismatches all over the field. Call it the run and shoot, the New England offense, the spread option, or whatever, but you have to spread the field nowadays. Cramming everyone into the middle of the field and trying to out-push opponents doesn't work anymore.
It may get a team like Wiscy an occasional very good year, but, Alabama notwithstanding, a team with a predictable, compressed offense is going to lose more elite-level games than it will win, because they will almost always run into someone they can't push around as they "climb up the ladder."
It's like when Michigan ran into USC in the Rose Bowl: they couldn't generate push with either line, and they were too predictable to fool anyone. Consequently, they lost. With the spread, there is always the "puncher's chance" to win.
Harbaugh is doing a great job at Stanford. But a spread team beat him, and is the best team in the conference. If the unthinkable happens, I will support whoever is the head coach, but I would really prefer a spread offense.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
The type of offense doesn't determine how good a team is going to be or whether or not they have a "puncher's chance" to win. A pro style offense can score just as many points as a spread offense and can get athletes in space just as much, if needed. At the end of the day, as even RR has said many times, it's all about the players on the field and not necessarily about the scheme (and of course about the other 2 phases).
Harbaugh is doing a great job at Stanford. But a spread team beat him, and is the best team in the conference. If the unthinkable happens, I will support whoever is the head coach, but I would really prefer a spread offense.
That's a silly thing to say to try and strengthen your case. Stanford's talent level isn't even comparable to Oregon's. With the exception of Andrew Luck, I would take Oregon's 3rd stringers at almost every position over Stanford's first stringers. And if you want proof of the opposite, USC was able to dominate Oregon with a pro-style offense for many years. Pitt beat WVU in 2006 running a pro-style set. But that doesn't mean that either style is better or doesn't work.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^
I have no idea if David Brandon will pull the plug on Rich Rodriguez after this year, but if he does we could do a hell of a lot worse than Jim Harbaugh. JH has Stanford playing at a very high level in all facets of the game.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^
If the Rrod experiment fails, and let's face it, it may, one of Martin's biggest failings will be to have ignored Harbaugh the first time around. Martin could have had him as the coach of Michigan. But instead of being confident and identifying his guy, similar to the Jim Tressel hire, he had to hire a big name coach who was not as good of a fit. Rrod may turn things around, but 2008 speaks for itself. This offense was not ready for the transition to the spread. We will never know, but if Harbaugh is hired, Mallett stays as do many others, and I doubt Michigan misses a bowl game. Who can doubt that, given what Harbaugh has done at Stanford, he would not have experienced similar success, both on the field and in recruiting, had he been hired as the Michigan head coach.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^
... from the coaching search is that Harbaugh quickly said "I am not a candidate for the coaching position at Michigan", so no, he was not available. I am at work so I could not get access to a site that has that quote, to link to it.
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:00 PM ^
Harbaugh had just completed his first season as a BCS level coach. I don't think he would have been under serious consideration for the HC position regardless of who the AD was.
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:42 PM ^
I dont give two shits about Jim Harbaugh, he is not our coach and never will be. Did any of you see the totally classless piece of shit at the end of the ND game. Calling timeout up that much just to get face time with his daddy. He has forgotten how to win for a program it is all about Jim. Granted I hate the domers but you do not pull Woody Hayes shit to get this job. I never saw Bo mock another team. If he did and I missed it correct me. Until something changes we have a coach and his name is not JIM. Sorry about the rant but you pissed in my corn flakes this morning.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
how do you know? just curious, as i don't remember seeing any firm evidence of this either. With Michigan, at least he is currently a college coach, has been one for what? 10 years? seems to love the college game, love the kids, etc. played at Michigan, lived in Ann arbor, dad coached at Michigan, loved Bo, etc. Do you think JIm's act would go over with NFL players? just curious..... he seems to me like more of a College guy.
anyway, i'd be curious to hear from those that believe he is "destined" for the NFL, why they believe this based on evidence? He's night and day from his brother btw, his bro is totally different, conservative, quiet, etc.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:28 PM ^
involved with the NFL, even if only a QC Coach... Having played there too, a brother who coahces, and a couple million $$ seem enough for most people...
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:26 PM ^
Also, he interviewed for the J-E-T-S before they hired Rex Ryan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Harbaugh
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:21 PM ^
Speculated that he'd go to the Carolina Panthers, and promptly draft his current QB Luck to bring with him (Panthers stand a very good chance at drafting first).
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
I am not sure why I clicked on this thread, I am tired of the Harbaugh talk. But seeing that he might being go to the NFL actually made me happy.
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:32 PM ^
Universal pipe dream implies he's everyone's pipe dream. The rest of the fanbase can forgive him waiting for his death to throw Coach Schembechler's program under the bus, but I won't forgive it quite so easily.
I vote no thanks, he can stay in CA.
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
I never heard of a universal one, but I bet we can get one in 1/2" to 3" sizes!
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
I can only imagine some of the other results from this google image search...
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:59 PM ^
I think if we can get him now, and he's happy with finishing his career here, we should fire Rodriguez and go after him.
If he can't promise that he won't rule out the NFL, we give Rodriguez another year.
Yes Harbaugh is an asshole. Many football coaches are. He happens to wear his emotions on his sleeve. He's always been very intense. He punched Jim Kelly in the face for questioning his toughness. He also guaranteed a win over Ohio State when he was quarterback. He converted. And I have no doubt he will tell Jim Tressel to go f*** himself in the literal and proverbial way if we bring him back. Sorry, but i'll take the good with the bad on this one.
Bo was an asshole too. But Bo had charm and wit.
The Yorks are buffoons. I hope that Harbaugh sees this and stays away from the Niners.
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
Rich Rodriguez is Michigan's coach. Until either him or David Brandon decides to make a change, we need to refrain from linking Harbaugh to Michigan's HC position, pipe dream or not. Recruits and families read this blog, and posts like this puts the current staff in an extremely awkward position.
With that in consideration, I am a Michigan alum who lives in Palo Alto, and, am a huge fan what Jim Harbaugh is doing at Stanford. Jim Harbaugh is a fine example of how Michigan (in this case, Bo Schembechler) prepares its alums to be successful in their careers. I take pride in sharing the same alma mater as a coach being mentioned in the same breath as Pop Warner and Bill Walsh.
We should take pride in what Harbaugh has accomplished, but, please keep in mind that he is not connected to the Michigan football program other than as an alum.
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:31 PM ^
Stanford under Harbaugh has...
- Recruited prospects with strong academic backgrounds across the nation.
- Emphasized toughness and physicality, especially in defense, over speed. (The main reason why they lost to Oregon earlier.)
- Implemented elements of the zone-read / spread offense, but not at the expense of a punishing power running game. (Tavita Prichard, the QB before Andrew Luck, was a run-pass threat who operated out of the shotgun > 50% of the time)
- Won 10 games this year in front of a half empty stadium.
Harbaugh graduated from Palo Alto High School. His wife and kids are comfortable here. He is familiar with the 49ers and the Yorks, as well as the Raiders and Al Davis. I suspect that he will end up with the Raiders sooner or later.
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:07 PM ^
and i hope he has the foresight to stay away from Al Davis. No one in their right mind, much less a man with the options of Harbaugh would want to deal with a meddling, domineering, senile owner like Al Davis.
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
Hey! Look! Rich Rod is yelling kinda like Bo (and every other college football coach)!
He can yell too. Make for good corch? FIRE RICHROD! MONKEY CORCH IN '11!
ALL HAIL MONKEY CORCH!!!!
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:08 PM ^
Harbaugh at UM is that he would galvanize the fan base. After reading this diary and all of the comments on both sides, I am thinking not so much. Sounds like he would have the same split that RR must endure.
November 24th, 2010 at 12:08 PM ^
The ultimate "galvanizer" is the number in the win column.