How is Harbaugh changing college football? Oh let me count the ways!

Submitted by Hab on

Under the general heading of, "Who's got it better than us?", I was spurred on by the recent summer camp tour announcements, first at Baylor, second in Missouri, to think back to all the rage of last summer when the sattelite camp circuit was announced and the near certainty of just about everyone outside Michigan that the camps would be forever banned.  It was like they said, you got us on this one Jim, but we're going to shut you down going forward.  Never again.  And yet, here we are.  This got me to thinking of the other ways coach has done this or may be likely to in the future.

Because this is the kind of thing that oozes out of the Harbaugh persona, and because we are likely to see more of it going forward, because my memory sucks, and because this might be something enjoyable I thought I would post something to collect the community's ideas.  Obviously, if you must, downvote, neg, and delete as appropriate.  I welcome your snark and abuse.

Some examples that readily come to mind:

  • I thought a NFL coach would never willingly return to the college game
  • I thought Oakland was still in play
  • I thought the summer sattelite camp tour was going to be banned
  • I thought it would take 3 years to see results
  • I still think Bert Billema's wife is hot

Next year, we'll add "I thought they were going to ban spring break camps..."  I can't wait for the Polynesia tour...

 

MGoBoard

superstringer

March 24th, 2016 at 9:41 AM ^

How can you leave out:

- all those tweets

- return of the 4-TE sets, FB runs up the middle for 30 yards, and Houma!!!

- Harb's wife aint all that bad either, plus she actually seems to have a personality (the "dad pants" PSA will ive forever)



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Wolfman

March 24th, 2016 at 9:46 AM ^

simply because I don't know the usual number for offensives that rely heavily on TE production. However, not counting the former TE, now moved to FB, we have 8 TEs on the roster and only one to my knowledge - Gentry  - is the result of a position change. However, the number, 8, would still be the same if Hill and Gentry had not changed positions. Three in the last cycle alone. This is  definitely more than smash mouth football where we line up two TEs and attempt to jam the ball down your throat. He has plans, and I think it probably involves using TEs in a manner we haven't seen yet.  And while there are a few that would make you think of just another big lineman added for blocking purposes, a few of these young men have skills that can tear the heart out of a defense in a hurry.

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Kwitch22

March 24th, 2016 at 9:50 AM ^

Bert's wife is fun to look at, but she obviously doesn't have any self respect otherwise she wouldn't let that pig anywhere near her. Some people will do anything for money, even Bert I guess.

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VoiceOReason

March 24th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^

JH is very good at identifying value and delivering it, which all great leaders / CEOs etc are good at. He takes advantage of resources and builds a great staff to deliver value.

In general, he is seeing that there is value--to potential recruits, fans, and the current team--in almost everything the team does through out the year, not just the games and not just winning them. For example, win or lose, us fans love our team. So he promotes the "mundane" and lets us get closer to it all year long (open practices, signing of the stars, etc).

He is also capitalizing on the fact that our culture loves football in general and I think he does a good job articulating why we love it by reminding us of what football is about. 

He also believes in rising tide raises all boats -- he increases competition with all teams (seems to want to work with other coaches, doesnt care about rules that no one else could recruit in our back yard...I dont think Harbaugh would like a B1G rule saying MSU couldn't recruit near Ann Arbor and vice versa) which will only make his better, and make it more fun. 

Examples of big shifts in perspective. 

1. Signing of the stars. Sees that we care so much about recruiting, and recruits want to be part of something great, so it's "obvious" to make it a public official ordeal. 

2. National perspective. Football is national now and has been for a while. So he recruits nationally (internationally too--Australia, Canada). One way is by taking the program on the road more (summer swarms). This also means that just because you're local does not mean you are more relevant than someone from a different state. He's leveled the playing field and forcing increased competition regionally. 

2. Practices. It's "obvious" that having your team all in one place during a practice would be a great way to showcase and let fans/recruits get closer to the team. Hence Florida IMG practice (plus--he knows that teams benefit from shared new experiences).

3. Using football clinics -- "obvious" that kids want to get better and coaches want more exposure and to learn. His staff loves to teach, so he makes it happen. 

4. Inviting in other head coaches from rival teams. Baylor for example. 

5. Works with NFL players and coaches (entire Ravens staff, Tom Brady, etc)

6. Following hip hop / current culture -- seems to actually find it interesting?

7. Coaching staff--size, positions, and experience. Night and day difference between his and Hoke era. Remember the "football mom" position? So much NFL experience too. I'd like to know how much bigger this staff is than previous staffs--has it grown?

 

 

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