the secret to an elite team
I think the posters on this board have found it.
Just whine and bitch endlessly, every day, forever. Talk about how trash all of your team's coaches and players are and scream about how they should be defenestrated after every bad play or lost game. Fire your coordinators every other season and your head coach every 3-4.
As someone who's also a Detroit Lions fan, I can confirm the success of this strategy.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:03 PM ^
When they delete the board all our dreams will come true.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:39 PM ^
The secret to an elite team.... not known by the op. Complaining is the twelfth man.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:08 PM ^
Do you honestly believe Harbaugh will make Michigan elite in the next 5 years?
December 7th, 2019 at 10:11 PM ^
Better chance than whatever random g5 scrub they'd pick up after firing him
December 7th, 2019 at 10:16 PM ^
You're making the assumption he's the best we can do? There's evidence all across America this is not the case.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:24 PM ^
Please provide a list of your top 5 preferred candidates to replace Harbaugh.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:29 PM ^
Matt Rhule would be at the top of that list.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:34 PM ^
Flavor of the month. Still waiting for the rest of the list...
December 7th, 2019 at 10:42 PM ^
How so? He actually made it to his conference championship game.
You appear to think Harbaugh is actually a great coach so my list wouldn't matter.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:53 PM ^
So you have no other names but one guy that everyone seems to be in love with right now? Awesome...
December 7th, 2019 at 10:59 PM ^
Harbaugh is far from perfect. But he is, in fact, pretty good.
He has the 8th best power 5 winning percentage in the nation since his arrival. He has done quite well, though not as well as I had hoped when he was hired..
The point: When you have the 8th best record over the last 5 years, the list of coaches that would be worth taking the risk of making a change and starting over is very, very short. Matt Rhule is not anywhere near that list.
December 8th, 2019 at 7:29 AM ^
Who is the best team Baylor beat in that weak ass conference? Luke Fickell had a tougher schedule, we might as well hire him.
December 8th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
This is literally how we ended up with Rich Rod, but ok
December 7th, 2019 at 10:38 PM ^
0-fer against OU.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:44 PM ^
They won 1 game two years ago and made their conference championship game this year. I'll take that stock than Michigan's current trend.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:51 PM ^
The definition of insanity...
December 7th, 2019 at 11:02 PM ^
Delusional
December 7th, 2019 at 11:42 PM ^
Their best win was what? Oklahoma State? 7-5 Texas?
Let's just forget that Harbaugh took over a failing program and immediately doubled the win total in year 1.
December 8th, 2019 at 12:35 AM ^
With Hoke's better recruits
December 8th, 2019 at 12:38 AM ^
That’s the crazy part. It’s year five and Harbaugh is starting walk-ons. If it wasn’t for Hoke Harbaugh would be Indiana.
December 8th, 2019 at 1:51 AM ^
Hoke started walk-ons at safety and DL.
Do you have any other gems to share?
December 8th, 2019 at 12:32 AM ^
Matt Rhule has a losing Big 12 record after 3 seasons and has zero conference championships. Harbaugh has much better numbers while at Michigan in a much tougher division. Some people have awful fucking ideas on this board
December 8th, 2019 at 3:36 AM ^
Didnt Rich Rod do more at WVU? Im not so sure.
December 8th, 2019 at 3:36 AM ^
Didnt Rich Rod do more at WVU? Im not so sure.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
How about we don't go grab a coach from Baylor. Geez, of all places. Who knows what the hell is going on there now.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:37 PM ^
If off the top of your head you cannot list at least 5 coaches that could do as good as Harbaugh than you don't know college football.
Look at the OSU / Wisconsin game for one. Fleck. Fitzgerald. There is another 2.
You really think those three couldn't have Michigan be the 3-4th best team in the B10!? Thats what we are...the 3rd-4th team in the B10. Those 3 coaches could all easily keep Michigan at that level of play.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:46 PM ^
Who cares if anyone can name 5 coaches that could do as well as Harbaugh? Why fire Harbaugh just to replace him with a coach that does as well as him?
You have to name 5 that will do BETTER than Harbaugh. And if your list includes Fleck and Fitzgerald... Nope. No thanks.
December 7th, 2019 at 11:04 PM ^
So you don't think there is a single coach out there, outside of Saban and Dabo, that could have Michigan better than the 3rd-4th best team in the B10!?
December 7th, 2019 at 11:11 PM ^
Saban has proved himself to the the top CFB coach of his generation. Meyer is right behind him.
So what? Neither would take the Michigan job.
Waiting for your list of realistic coaches that would do better than Harbaugh.
December 7th, 2019 at 11:49 PM ^
Norvell
Matt Wells
Satterfield
Both Clemson coordinators
Fleck (he can recruit and his teams don't beat themselves).
You would have been saying the same thing about Les at LSU. Most important thing in college football is recruiting, UM is trending the wrong way on the trail.
December 8th, 2019 at 12:17 AM ^
Norvell just signed with Florida State.
Satterfield's greatest accomplishment thus far is just being pretty good (not elite) at App State.
Matt Wells has done what? Had a couple of decent seasons in the Mountain West? Never really done anything that stands out at all.
Neither Clemson coordinator has ever been a head coach, so that's a complete unknown.
I think Fleck is the only one of that list that at this point it's even reasonable to believe has the potential to be a big time head coach. What he's done at Western and Minnesota has been pretty outstanding. But not anymore outstanding than what Jim Harbaugh's done in his career, and you guys think he sucks so...
December 8th, 2019 at 12:21 AM ^
Norvell is the only name on that list that is worth considering. But FSU has just hired him, so...
Fleck. Hard pass.
I agree that recruiting is the single most important factor. But even on recruiting, JH has been very good, albeit still a level below the most elite. Part of that is on JH. But part of that is...no matter who the coach is, Michigan is never going to do some of the things that Clemson, or LSU, or OSU are doing. None of this merits considering Fleck as a better option that Harbaugh.
For the record, I would NOT have argued to keep Miles at LSU.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:53 PM ^
Fleck and Fitzgerald's teams would be worse than Harbaugh's if they played in the B1G East.
December 8th, 2019 at 1:54 PM ^
Lmao Pat Fitzgerald.
December 8th, 2019 at 1:50 AM ^
Fickell (better results than Harbaugh)
kiffin (before he was hired)
Tom Herman (brilliant, MENSA)
Bob stoops (great coach)
Bert beilema (had a better B1G record than Harbaugh has)
December 8th, 2019 at 5:59 AM ^
Ye, gods.
Kiffin did poorly at USC and was fired. Herman still can't get Texas going, despite a bunch of great players, lots of money, huge fan support, and playing in the weaker Big 12. Let's get those guys! Even though we can't because they aren't available.
"Fickell (better results than Harbaugh)" -- only if you make up shit that isn't true. Fickell's record at Cincinnati 66% wins. That is in the much easier AAC conference. Harbaugh's record at Michigan in Big 10 East is 73% wins.
Stoops. A great coach. He retired from OU, meaning he didn't want to continue being a college football coach. Currently an XFL coach. So . . . not available.
Beilema. "better big 10 record than Harbaugh". No. It's about the same as Harbaugh (specifically 73.9% vs. 73.4%). But Harbaugh has harder competition in the current Big 10 East. Unlike other guys who aren't available, Beilema might be available because his 5 years at Arkansas have gone poorly.
Congratulations. You have put together a list of guys who aren't an improvement, aren't available, or both.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
I can't name 5, but there are 4 coaches better than Harbaugh in all time NFL win pct.
The 3 in the modern era are John Madden, George Allen and Vince Lombardi. Granted, this is the NFL. College coaches are far better, obviously. But I would consider these guys, at least...
Unfortunately, Allen and Lombardi are dead. But 83-year-old John Madden is available.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/
December 8th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
Easy. You go throw moneybags at Meyer.
December 8th, 2019 at 5:28 PM ^
Just throw the money bags at the players like OSU, Clemson, Bama, LSU and Georgia.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:13 PM ^
Absolutely, it’s a new season every year
December 7th, 2019 at 10:20 PM ^
who is the miracle worker who will fix everything, then? It's fine to want a coaching change, so who's the guy who's gonna bring us NC's every year?
December 7th, 2019 at 10:27 PM ^
How many people expect a NC every year? Maybe beat OSU once in 5 tries and don’t lose to every good team you play away from home every year.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
I was being hyperbolic, since some people here act like 12-0 every year is the only acceptable outcome.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:50 PM ^
Harbaugh’s a great coach. He’s does more with less than any other coach. The problem is, he’s too loyal to coaches and players and he’s the shittiest recruiter Michigan has ever had as a HC.
December 8th, 2019 at 6:22 AM ^
Except Michigan is a top-10 recruiting school, about tied with Clemson, Oklahoma, and Auburn.
Only Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and LSU are 2 or more ranks better than Michigan.
Cool, eh?
Average class rank, 2015-2019:
Alabama 2.0
Georgia 3.0
Ohio State 5.5
LSU 7.25
USC 9.5
Texas 9.5
Florida State 9.75
Auburn 10.25
Oklahoma 10.5
Michigan 10.75
Clemson 11.0
December 7th, 2019 at 10:26 PM ^
I believe Harbaugh will work tirelessly to improve the team. He is not complacent and will make the necessary changes in recruiting, coaches or starters to win. It may take some time, but I feel confident in that belief. It doesn't mean he is guaranteed success, but I know he won't rest to produce a winner.
December 7th, 2019 at 10:41 PM ^
What objective evidence do you have to believe this. Really seems quite delusional. I understand you wanting this to be true. I want it to be true. But looking at our roster and how this team has performed the last two years, I don't see an upward trend. Looking at our QB and RB situation I think you can pencil in 3 L's next year already.
December 7th, 2019 at 11:21 PM ^
Hmmmmmm...
QB/RB?
If you voiced concerns about DL or secondary for next year maybe I could see the immediate concern but QB/RB with the return of Chris Evans, in particular, hardly looks like the weak point.
December 7th, 2019 at 11:28 PM ^
Since he's been here, he's gone through multiple OC's/running/passing coord's to find something that worked. Fisch left on his own for an NFL job. Drevno Peter Principled when he went above OL coach. Pep got fired because the pass game was absolutely stagnant. He brought in Gattis to utterly modernize the offense and coupled him with one of the best OL coaches in the country. Defensively, he gives the whole show to a coordinator and stays out of the way because offense is his thing.
Pep's passing 'attack' would not have done anything remotely close to the last five games. Nothing. And you know it. To say he won't change for improvement is just plain wrong. To say there is no upward trend is to turn around and not look.
December 8th, 2019 at 7:17 AM ^
100% agree. Harbaugh has been very good about developing a winning coaching staff. It's taken him a little longer than I would have preferred, but I think he has slowly built a winning coaching staff.
Meanwhile, the staff at OSU was amazing under Meyer. He consistently picked up extremely strong coordinators that can coach and recruit at the highest level.
I believe our coaching staffs are a lot closer now (and hopefully even), but I think this is the first since the early 2000s. Think about it. Even going back to the end of the Carr era, we had major questions on D coaching. Then, we all know about RR and BH coaching inconsistency. I think Harbaugh had a bigger hill to climb but he has shown a willingness to adapt and make significant improvements in coaching.