Why I like Jim Harbaugh
Most of the criticism of Harbaugh is because he hasn't beaten Ohio State. If one controversial call in 2016 had gone the other way, things would be different. However, here we are.
But it turns out that Harbaugh is a top coach in terms of winning % and recruiting -- unless you think Michigan can get Swinney, Saban, Meyer, Riley, Smart, or Orgeron.
Or unless you believe it is high probability for hiring lesser-known, unproven coaches and see them quickly become CFP coaches. Michigan's own experience prior to Harbaugh, along with recent experince of USC, Texas, Florida State, and Tennessee, to name a few others, are all counterexamples to that. All of those programs have lots of money, fans, football history, recruiting power, and motivation. If it were high probability to find the next CFP coach, they would all do it.
Interestingly, there were lots of Clemson fans unhappy with Swinney. They even invented the derisive term "clemsoning" to describe how Clemson always lost its big games, especially to rival South Carolina. Dabo Swinney lost 5 years in a row to South Carolina (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013). And South Carolina was not as good as Ohio State is. It took him 5 years to get to an 11-win season, and 8 years to get to CFP level. They are now glad that they stayed the course.
Record 2015 (or as early as available) through 12/1/2019:
Swinney (Clemson): 67-4 = 94%
Saban (Alabama): 65-6 = 92%
Meyer (OSU): 45-6 = 88% (2015-2018)
Riley (Oklahoma): 35-5 = 88%
Smart (Georgia): 43-11 = 80%
Mullen (Florida): 20-5 = 80%
Orgeron (LSU): 37-9 = 80%
Chryst (Wisconsin): 52-14 = 79%
Franklin (PSU): 48-17 = 74%
Harbaugh (Michigan): 47-17 = 73%
Kelly (Notre Dame): 46-17 = 73%
Petersen (Washington): 46-20 = 70%
Fisher (TA&M): 16-9 = 64%
Average recruiting ranking 2016-2019:
Alabama: 2.0
Georgia: 3.0
OSU: 5.5
LSU: 7.25
Oklahoma: 10.5
Michigan: 10.75
Clemson: 11.0
Florida: 11.5
Notre Dame: 12.75
TA&M: 13.0
PSU: 13.25
Washington: 20.5
Wisconsin: 37.0
I also like Jim Harbaugh because I think he is an admirable person and a leader with good character. I do not feel that way about all of the coaches in the above list.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:20 AM ^
Shut up...
December 1st, 2019 at 7:23 AM ^
I'm going to start a thread called "Why I Think Ice Cream is Underrated."
December 1st, 2019 at 7:53 AM ^
DID SOMEONE SAY ICE CREAM?
December 1st, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
I like chocolate syrup on my ice cream
December 1st, 2019 at 9:23 AM ^
Frankly I would much rather discuss the merits of ice cream flavors than rehash all the negative hot takes after a Michigan football loss.
MGoBlog should go OT only the day after a loss.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:32 AM ^
I'm so sick of analysis and stats and comparing this guy or that guy. It hurts my brain to put this much effort into figuring something out only to realize that in sports, nothing makes sense. I'm done even trying to figure out answers.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:35 AM ^
Cool.
What else do you like? Do you like puppies? I like puppies. Do you like when you meet super famous people like Miley Cirus or even that crazy comedian guy on TV? I think if i met them I would be too scared to say hello but maybe not. Maybe I'd say hello. Would you say hello?
How about the ocean? Do you like the ocean? I think the ocean is pretty scary.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:41 AM ^
I like puppies well enough. But bunnies see the field better and hit the hole much quicker.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:37 AM ^
At this point, there are about 3-5 programs that are head and shoulders above everyone else. Success breeds success and those top programs seem well-entrenched. Unfortunately OSU is one of them. I don’t see Michigan getting there, regardless of whether Harbaugh of Fleck is our coach.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:39 AM ^
Fleck? Fuck that. Harbaugh >>>>
December 2nd, 2019 at 1:13 AM ^
Fleck is fool's gold.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:38 AM ^
As long as one does not insult poor Jim with legitimate questions.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:43 AM ^
Ive thought about that some since the exchange (would be a nice post to have a discussion on this morning vs the drivel like this one).
It was a valid question but not sure how Harbaugh could legitimately answer it other than to say "obviously everything and it's my job to fix it and i will".
The issue i think is the reporter (Jordan Strack) is from here in Cleveland and i think Jim was a bit touchy about the source of the question as much as the question itself.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:51 AM ^
If memory serves, he was asked to choose between talent, execution, and coaching.
If he said "talent," he'd be throwing his players under the bus.
If he said "execution," he'd be throwing his players under the bus.
If he said "coaching," he'd spare his players but generate a ton more questions about what he meant.
Perhaps "We'll go into the film room and figure that out" might have worked.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:12 AM ^
Not only was it a shitty question, it was also asked in a shitty way. 'Why did you lose, are your players worse than theirs, or are their coaches better than you?' That is not a "legitimate" question - it's a shitty thing to say. That reporter essentially said 'tell me why you suck'.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
I would honestly like an answer to that question.
We repeatedly punched ourselves in the balls during the biggest game of the year, at home, against a rookie coach.
If the team played with discipline we could have won that game.
December 2nd, 2019 at 8:57 AM ^
I'll agree with the playing stupid line. The PF penalties were just asinine. What the hell were Hutchinson and Kemp thinking? McGrone made one of the dumbest hits anyone could ever make - Fields was five fucking yards out of bounds!!! Lining up offsides on a punt? WTF?
But that's a different question than 'why do you suck?'.
Personally, I was kinda hoping that McGrone would sit the rest of the game for that hit. I mean, it was over by then, anyway...
December 1st, 2019 at 9:02 AM ^
Harbaugh's response was fine. The reporter was just being an asshole, acting as if he had some upper hand. He has a pen and paper.
December 1st, 2019 at 7:52 AM ^
It's a scientific experiment to see how many douchebags would see the title, then come in here to complain.
So far, 4.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:34 AM ^
We take it you have a lot of feelings? Butthurt cream might help you.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:12 AM ^
I upvoted the OP because I generally feel the same but I just can't understand what they can do about the defense short of firing Brown to try somebody else. OSU says we don't take The Game seriously enough maybe an assistant should be hired just to focus on beating OSU on O and D...god knows if the team is good enough to beat (or just stay with) OSU then other teams will go down too. Who knows, I just want a discussion but I think we'll hear not much from Brian during December on this and that sucks.
December 1st, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
I agree with everything in your post, but the win-at-all-costs crowd certainly won't like it.
I think the Swinney comparison is probably the best. I can't stand the guy but he did a good job of putting together a winning program. Clemson also doesn't face nearly as many obstacles to winning as Michigan does.
I just hope we take the bowl game seriously this year. Winning 10+ games is just, psychologically, significant. If Harbaugh can continue to win 10 games a year he will continue to recruit well and hopefully thinks will really come together. He just needs that one special year where he beats OSU and makes the playoffs to take the next step forward in recruiting.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:08 AM ^
Michigan brand and network + unethical coaching staff = never losing a game again.
Sounds pretty good to me. Let me know what bank account to deposit my contribution into.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:23 AM ^
You forgot to add: he’s paid over 7 mil a year to drop at least 3 games, never beat his rivals and finish ~3rd place in the east division!
Whats not to like?!?
December 1st, 2019 at 8:58 AM ^
Rival, singular
December 1st, 2019 at 8:59 AM ^
This is a stupid comment.
First, who are the rivals? He has completely restored our dominance over MSU (two straight beat downs), just kicked the living shit out of ND and is running close to 50-50 with PSU. The only rival he can’t beat is OSU. But I’ve got news for you - nobody has really beaten OSU over the past few years. They are currently running at full on dynasty level.
Second, who cares what his salary is? Are you paying it? Would ticket prices be a cent lower if he made $4 mil and not $7 mil? This is a nonsensical point.
Third, look at what the OP wrote. Since his hire, Harbaugh has one of the ten best winning percentages in CFB. And, that includes inheriting a pretty unstable, dysfunctional program from Hoke. Hell, that includes 2 years where the QB was a combo of Speight, Peters and JOK.
Fourth, take a look at the teams above him on that list. More than half are teams we would all agree are not exactly bastions of ethics. I, for one, don’t want to see Michigan getting i. The recruiting mud with Swinny, Meyer, Saban, et al.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:05 AM ^
Couldn't agree more.
December 1st, 2019 at 12:19 PM ^
Ditto. Couldn’t agree more. I’m as disappointed as anyone but right now it’s time to focus on whatever bowl game we get into and win that 10th game for no other reason other than recruiting.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:25 AM ^
I still think Jim is the guy for us. He's adapting and improving year over year. It sucks that OSU is as good as they've ever been with Urban's death machine down in Columbus - possibly the best coach of this generation.
December 1st, 2019 at 11:31 AM ^
As much as we admit that Urban is one of the best College coaches ever - and I truly believe he is - has he somewhat underachieved at OSU? Only 1 National title with all the teams he has had seems disappointing - no?
December 1st, 2019 at 11:42 AM ^
That bastard lost 4 conference games in 7 years. I’d take that underachieving
December 1st, 2019 at 8:25 AM ^
And before someone says something about Clemson doing more with less you’re wrong. Their classes are talent loaded but they take small classes and rarely deal with the mass transfer exodus that schools deal with
December 1st, 2019 at 8:31 AM ^
I am so sick of the Dabo Swinney comparisons. When he took over Clemson, he was a position coach (maybe WR or ST, I can’t remember). Fair or not, Harbaugh has not lived up to coaching reputation, which Swinney didn’t have. Their trajectories couldn’t be more different. Big difference between Harbaugh in year 5 versus Swinney in the same time. It’s pretty obvious he can’t get it done, but I’m also not going to fire him because it can and will probably get worse.
I had zero expectations going into yesterday. Game over, spent the afternoon with my daughter, put up holiday decorations, started a new book. No point in letting a game you have no control over ruin anything.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:53 AM ^
Your last paragraph is me.
Jim fits the definition of "enigma" for me. In the small picture, I believe he is a very average on-the-field college football coach. In the large picture Jim Harbaugh is one hell of an off-the-field college football coach-unrivaled as far as I know. I do not wish to give up the large picture...but I wish the small picture was much better.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:09 AM ^
I didn’t really grow up watching Michigan football. I started following late in high school and my first game was when I was a student: App State.
If fans take off the homer glasses and analytically look at Michigan, in the modern era we’ve been an average to slightly above average program. And that’s by any definition of modern era after WWI. Not really counting the WWII years. We’ve never been this elite program the fan base thinks we are. The athletic department has done a helluva marketing job. Once people accept that reality, this isn’t that bad. Beating OSU more frequently wouldn’t bad though.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:19 AM ^
Yeah. When I was there in the early 90’s we had two 8-4 seasons. We got toasted by FSU. Undern Carr we leveled up a bit overall with one glorious year.
yet people seem to think we have this Bama like history and Harbaugh is holding us back.
its not the case. I believe we can get there, but it will take time without cheating. And an acceptance of objective reality.
December 1st, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
Facts say otherwise.
5th most in total wins since 1970.
link: https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Texas-Longhorns-Georgia-Bulldogs-College-football-winningest-programs-50-years-130939670/#130939670_11
December 1st, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
I don't really care about beating up on the Northwesterns or Purdues of the world. 9 outright Big Ten titles since 1970, 4 Rose Bowl wins (not even going to count the number of post-season bowl losses God Bo put up), maybe a handful of seasons where we were true national title contenders, including 1997 and 2006, sub-.500 against OSU during that time. Like I said, good, above-average. Not elite by any stretch.
December 1st, 2019 at 1:20 PM ^
Sorry. You lose the argument.
When you qualify the team that has the 5th most wins since 1970 as merely "good' and merely 'above average' then you lose.
December 1st, 2019 at 2:28 PM ^
So, you honestly think Michigan is elite for beating up on Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota, and the likes of those teams? That's my question, because if that's your criteria, then we're am elite program now. Have we had moments of being elite during that timeframe? Sure. But I don't measure being elite as an overall by how many wins we have against the little sisters of the poor.
How many times have we won outright Big Ten titles? How many times have we been in national title hunts? How have we fared against OSU? How have we been in the post-season bowls? Looking at those metrics rather than just thumping "top 5 in wins since whatever year I choose" like that means anything without any context, Michigan is not elite. Sorry, when your position doesn't hold water.
December 1st, 2019 at 5:08 PM ^
Don't put words in my mouth. I never used the word elite.
You argued that MIchigan is only "above average." I showed you the facts. Once again the facts: 5th most wins since 1970.
More facts. Bill Connelly quote 12/30/19: "Michigan is currently 7th in 5 year S&P+ -- He's [Harbaugh] done an outstanding job."
Another fact: Over the last five years JH has Michigan 8th in total wins nationwide among power 5 schools.
So...your argument that Michigan is merely "above average" is wrong. 5th best, 7th best, 8th best among 130 schools in not merely "above average." It is not even debatable.
The only merely "above average" run since 1970 for Michigan was the combined RRod/Hoke years, when Michigan was a combined 46-42. Before that Michigan was merely "above average" during the Bump Elliot years--51-42.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:16 PM ^
Ok, fine so they’re not elite and they’re not just good or above average - What is the program in your eyes? Very good? Again, if that’s wiping the floor with the bottom of the big ten and still losing the big games when it counts, then I’m going to disagree with you. All the advanced stats and wins over Big Ten bottom dwellers and whatever tomato can out of conference team we schedule aren’t going to change what people see with their own eyes: consistent embarrassments on the biggest stages when it counts and really not much to show for all those wins at the end of the day.
December 1st, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
100% agree. Swinney is also personable and the high school coaches love him. Harbaugh is a weirdo and arrogant as hell.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:27 PM ^
I'm guessing you don't know Harbaugh personally even in the slightest, never even read a book about him, or have even met him.
Basically, that makes you full of shit on that topic.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:43 AM ^
Only eight power five schools have more wins that Michigan since JH arrived (last five years).
That is a very strong result, but still short of the level people hoped for when he was hired.
JH has certain quirks/flaws that have prevented him from getting Michigan to the top 5 program level (Alabama, Clemson, OSU, rotation of Oklahoma/Georgia/now LSU).
But if you want to replace JH, please name the replacement that will be (1) likely to produce a better result than 8th best nationally over a five year period, and (2) will take the Michigan job (thus ruling out Saban, Lincoln Riley, etc.).
The best solution is to keep JH and hope that he improves in the self-audit/continual improvement area. JH has done o.k., in this area. He has been willing to see flaws in the program and then try to address them (hiring Gattis, Brown, etc.). But to get Michigan to the next level (make playoffs, beat OSU, etc.) he has to be even better in this area.
For example, it seems like he is continually one year late (or more?) in making these changes. Only in the second half of this season did we even begin to see an offensive approach that is compatible with jumping from the lower half of the top ten programs to the top 4/5 level (the hardest jump to make in CFB). Too slow. Should have happened 24 months ago. And when it did happen (Gattis hire) it should not have taken more than half a season for it to even begin to look coherent, etc. No reason to believe that the offense would work well enough to beat OSU when the 'good' offense only began to appear late October.
There are a few other areas that need improvement too. But the basic idea is that JH has overall been very good, but just short of elite at Michigan. To get the the elite level he needs to improve the annual self-audit and then move faster and more completely to leave no stone unturned in fixing the problem areas.
December 1st, 2019 at 3:14 PM ^
This is a great post, and I think a realistic assessment. If someone wants a better coach, then they should have a realistic option in mind. Blowing things up for a vague hope of improvement is folly.
December 1st, 2019 at 8:45 AM ^
Why I don't like Jim Harbaugh:
Makes head scratching decisions constantly and players play undisciplined every year against our biggest rival
December 1st, 2019 at 10:13 AM ^
Don’t forget. “Sucks on the road”
December 1st, 2019 at 8:34 PM ^
Except for
2015 Minnesota
2015 Indiana
2015 Penn State
2015 Citrus Bowl
2016 MSU
2016 Ohio State
2017 Purdue
2017 Indiana
2018 Northwestern
2018 MSU
2019 Illinois
2019 Indiana