SFGate: Why Harbaugh Love Affair Ended
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.
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.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
I mean if that's impressive, Hoke turned Michigan into a Sugar Bowl winner in 1 year, so does that really even count?
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^
Hoke took a 7-6 team with the reigning Big Ten offensive player of the year and a offensive line chock-full of NFL players and went 11-2 with it, and then watched the program disintegrate around him over the next three years. So no, not remotely comparable to what Harbaugh did in his four years at Stanford.
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.
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.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
Yours and the right one.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
I thought opinions were like assholes?
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:02 PM ^
Your opinions are Col. I think you visited the wrong orifice.
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
I just mean there are more than two, that's all.
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.
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^
And your worried about his trajectory?
Are you also concerned about Exxon with this downturn in gas prices?
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:16 PM ^
No I actually don't think gas prices will stay this low for too long, however I don't think you are the real Batman. The real batman would refer to the superbowl as "The Superbowl", not the NFL final, so you've been outed.
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^
The NFC Championship Game, hence the NFL Final Four comment. But nice try at "outing" me I guess.
December 23rd, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^
Ok, well you got me there.
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?
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:08 PM ^
Hoke would clap A LOT - like WAY more than Trestman does. Actually I would say the Bears played a lot like Michigan did this year. We might not notice any other difference?
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
Please do not read this as support of Hoke in any way...Aside from he's a nice guy and all!
December 24th, 2014 at 7:53 AM ^
Not to mention Harbaugh has a track record of identifying great coordinators, which is a Great attribute as a head coach.
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.
December 24th, 2014 at 9:07 AM ^
I'd be inclined to agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong
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December 23rd, 2014 at 10:23 PM ^
The lockeroom. He took the high road and never once talked about it. He wont have to deal with that at Michigan. We could not find a better fit.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:59 PM ^
Hell yeah, it's impressive. The man took Stanford from a laughingstock to conquerors of USC.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:08 PM ^
Hoke took a team that was trending upwards for three years and continued that trend on the back of miracle victories and a great turnover margin. Harbaugh built an Orange Bowl winner after starting with nothing.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^
You make it sound like everyone was expecting 11-2 in Hokes first year, but that wasn't the case. Hoke won Big Ten coach of the year for the job he did in his first season.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^
Few were expecting 11 wins in 2011, many were expecting 9. So again, not remotely comparable to Harbaugh's Stanford tenure.
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
Anyone who looked at the roster, schedule and Tressel getting the boot knew we were in for 10 wins+ as long as the coach didn't screw it up.
So Hoke has that going for him. And recruiting. And niceness.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:29 PM ^
Well, Hoke had one great year and three mediocre to bad ones at Michigan. Harbaugh had three great years and one mediocre one with the 49ers. One of these things is not like the other...
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December 23rd, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
...was that if we couldn't land JH, then keep RichRod and get a real defensive coordinator in here. So there are a lot of people that thought 11-2 was possible.
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
Alright, I'll bite.
11-2, 8-5, 7-6, 5-7 as opposed to 4-8, 5-7, 8-5, 12-1
See the difference?
December 23rd, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
so 31 wins vs 29 wins? honestly they both have just have 1 good year.
December 23rd, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
You have to be trolling at this point. I refuse to believe that a person with over 1000 points here is being 100% serious when they respond the way you just responded to those facts.
December 23rd, 2014 at 9:30 PM ^
In his defense, he might not be trolling. He could just be clueless.
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^
don't call it trolling because you disagree with me. Harbaugh had one good year at Stanford, and so did Hoke at Michigan.
December 24th, 2014 at 12:03 AM ^
And context means absolutely nothing you.
I think I'm done here. Good day, sir.
December 24th, 2014 at 2:30 AM ^
Good Lord.
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.
December 24th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
Double post FTW!
December 23rd, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^
a copy of Excel?
Because with it, I could make this very easy for you to see (even if you're a third grader)
December 23rd, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
Nailed it
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^
Shut it up, you.
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.
December 23rd, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
Sounds a lot like how Michigan's season went. Bad QB play and a lot of injuries. Both coaches are getting fired.
December 23rd, 2014 at 10:08 PM ^
The difference is one has a history of excellence while the other is mediocre to bad. But you knew that.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:35 PM ^
this article talks about him coaching qb's but seemed to forget one. ANDREW FUCKING LUCK
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
Alex Smith. Harbaugh brought Alex Smith's career back from the dead.
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^
I'm sure Harbaugh helped Andrew Luck a bunch, but he always seemed like the type of player that would have been good at a lot of places. Dude seems to define student of the game.
I would say the better example would be Alex Smith, who was riding the bust bus before Harbaugh came in.
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.
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.