SFGate: Why Harbaugh Love Affair Ended

Submitted by ahw1982 on

http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2014/12/23/top-10-reasons-jim-harbaughs-re…

Sour grapes caveat applies, but the slideshow raises some interesting issues that should maybe temper the ITS HAPPENING excitement.  Plus all the discussion has been geared toward "Will Harbaugh Come Here" and there's been little discussion on "Should Harbaugh Come Here."

Bulletpoints:

- Harbaugh is supposedly an offensive minded coach, yet the 49ers really suck on offense.  This year, the 9ers are atrocious on offense (27th in points for, I believe).

- Harbaugh is supposedly a QB oriented coach, yet this year Kaepernick has been a tire fire, despite having Crabtree, Boldin, Davis and a good running game.

- Harbaugh is viewed as soft on player discipline.  Aldon Smith and Ray McDonald are cited as examples.  Michigan has had its fair shair of off-the-field player problems already.

- Harbaugh is supposedly not involved much on defense, which has been the 9ers strength.  SFGate suggests that 9ers success is more about DC Vic Fangio and less about Harbaugh, which is a sentiment echoed by some 9er fans I've talked to.

- 9ers have supposedly been bad in clock management, with the article citing poor timeouts and leading the league in delay of game penalties.  Our team is already terrible in this category.

Thoughts?

Edit: WOW at replies so far.  Let me clarify a few things.  None of these are my opinions.  My opinion is that Harbaugh is probably the best option for Michigan at this point.  I just posted the article for some honest discussion, because I do think the issues are relevant and I've watched a lot of 9er football this year and they are a crappy team.  I watched the Raider game and they showed a Raider fan holding a sign about Harbaugh coming to the Raiders, and the 9er fan I was watching us was like, "LOL why would you want a coach that lost to the RAIDERS," which is, you know, valid.  Still, I'm hoping NFL isn't a good fit for Harbaugh and his better suited coaching people that don't get paid more than him.

Stringer Bell

December 23rd, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^

Hmmmm, let's see here.

 

29-6 at University of San Diego

Turned Stanford from a 1-11 team into a 12-1 Orange Bowl winner in 4 years.

43-19-1 at the highest level.

 

But yeah, because of one mediocre year surrounded by loads of drama and distractions, definitely don't want him.

Vengeful Barbarian

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^

Listen, I love Harbaugh I think he's a great coach and I hope we get him, but I'm going to curb my enthusiasm until I see some results on the field. Harbaugh's 4th year in SF is on a downward trajectory similar to Hoke's 4th year at Michigan (though obviously not as bad), and this just worries me. We were pretty excited about the direction of the team when Hoke took us to the Sugar bowl, and everyone thought he was a genius at the time. I just don't like how MGoBlog is already anointing Harbaugh as Michigan's savior before he's even done anything at Michigan.

Blue2000

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^

You're free to have any concerns you want about Harbaugh, but to the extent those concerns are based upon Hoke's history here, they are absurd.  At every prior stop, Harbaugh has demonstrated he's a tremendous football coach (including, most importantly, in the NFL, where his tenure with the 49ers can only be characterized as a resounding success notwithstanding their record this year).  Hoke's entire pre-Michigan body of work suggested he was, at best, a mediocre one, which he confirmed when given enough time.  If Harbaugh trends towards his historical mean, as Hoke ultimately did, we'll be in great shape.  

Indonacious

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^

Wait are you really sounding panic alarms after what could still be an 8-8 season in the most competitive division in the NFL with the defending champ Seahawks who are 11-4 and the cardinals who are also 11-4. I suppose the steelers should let go mike Tomlin after his 8-8 years (last 2 years) or the saints should fire Sean Payton after his at best 7-9 season this year. C'mon man, harbaugh won 36 games in 3 years (only 21 were won in the 3 before he got there) and is the first coach to make it to 3 straight NFC championship games to start his career. Don't insult him by insinuating that he career is smoke and mirrors.

alum96

December 23rd, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^

Angus it is fine to have broader concerns (Harbaugh is not perfect) but comparing Hoke to Harbaugh is not the right strawman to build.

Hoke went to Ball State and it took him 6 years to take a 4-8ish type team to a very good team.  He left nothing for the next coach - he didnt build a program, he built a senior laden team, The year he left the team fell apart.

Harbaugh went to Stanford and took a 1-11 team, beat USC in year 1, and in 4 years had them 12-1 .  He left a hell of a foundation for the next coach - he built a program, not a senior laden team.  The year he left Shaw took that team to 2 losses, and again the next year.

Then compare Hoke's 2 years at SDSU vs Harbaugh's 3 years at U-SD.

Then compare what Harbaugh did with 6-10 San Fran with NO offseason in year 1.  Remember there was a lockout that year.  Then the next 2 years - then overlay that with 3  years of Hoke.

Again there are holes to punch in Harbaugh as there are any coach.  I can find some in Saban if I worked hard enough.  But these 2 guys have very different resumes that are not in the same solar system.

How do you think Hoke would do if he was named say Chicago's HC in a week?

lilpenny1316

December 23rd, 2014 at 10:08 PM ^

I mean this in all seriousness.  They played the entire season shorthanded defensively, either due to injury or suspension, and still the defense is not why they're on the outside of the playoff chase.  They only gave up 19 and 17 points to Seattle.  Only 13 points to Seattle.  Your offense, if good, should be able to win a couple games there at least.

The offensive "weapons" his GM gave him are highly overrated.  

Anquan Boldin = 34, not the same player he was two years ago

Michael Crabtree = Not as explosive and dynamic of a player they thought he would be coming out of college

Vernon Davis = Has always been an inconsistent player

Frank Gore = Old, old old.  Injury prone.  No breakaway speed

And they were still 7-4 on Thanksgiving.  And they were still competing Saturday night in a game they should have won.  There is still good coaching going on.

 

Blue2000

December 24th, 2014 at 6:53 AM ^

Harbaugh had one good year at Stanford, and so did Hoke at Michigan.

If you honestly think that Harbaugh only had one "good year" at Stanford, after inheriting a program that went 1-11 the year before he arrived, or that his time at Stanford is in any way comparable to Hoke's time at Michigan, you should go ahead and stop watching college football.  You're obviously not getting it.  

westwardwolverine

December 23rd, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^

The truth is, the 49ers suck this year because Kaepernick isn't that great of a QB. He's been figured out and once teams take his legs out for the most part, he's a mediocre thrower. Couple that with injury issues and some good old fashioned back luck and you get the 7-8 season they've had. 

 

115109

December 23rd, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^

Kaep sucks. Probably not jims fault.

Also, lots of "supposedly's" in this post, which makes me not concerned with whatever you are saying.

samsoccer7

December 23rd, 2014 at 5:36 PM ^

1.  Kaepernick has regressed hard.  How much of that is on Harbaugh?  Crabtree has lingering injuries.  Boldin has been really good within the confines of this offense.  Vernon seems out of it completely.  Running game has been stuck between Gore and Hyde.  They should have made a decision on one workhorse but the injuries haven't helped with the RBs or the O-line.

2.  Fangio is supposedly a very good DC.  He might be the new head coach in SF when this is all said and done.

3.  Who knows how much of the discipline issues came from the coach or from the top.  My guess is the GM and owner had a role in this b/c they seem like the meddling type.  And honestly it shouldn't really be considered meddling when players get into trouble.  However Ray McDonald, FWIW, was cleared of the first incident.  Yes, I think there were issues, but I believe it won't be an issue as Michigan.

4.  I believe Harbaugh is actually great with time and strategy late in games.  I'll let deep researchers get into it later (hopefully), but I have been impressed in what I have seen.  Maybe not this season necessarily, but in the past.

5.  Taking off maize & blue colored glasses now.