ak47

September 5th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^

Its Harbaugh's offense. At some point people are going to recognize that. He hires guys like Drevno and Pep because they allow him to maintain control. Fisch left partly because he wanted control over the offense so he could continue to move back up the coaching ranks. All of the flaws stop with one person and its the head coach. Either he needs to take the blame for it or find an offensive coordinator, give him control, and step aside.

Joined: 05/05/2011

MGoPoints: 33614

Fezzik

September 8th, 2018 at 1:19 AM ^

Roster turnover? This is year 4 under Harbaugh. There is zero reason why we do not have sufficient depth at OL when a coach is in year 4 of his job. Other than Newsome we have not been that unhealthy at OL. Again, year 4 and only 1 major OL injury. 

But yeah man lets keep using these same "reasons" every year.

Joined: 09/11/2015

MGoPoints: 5552

Blau

September 5th, 2018 at 2:10 PM ^

I hate this. Maybe I'm just so outside the loop of what it means to be an offensive coordinator in college football but how many cooks do you need in the kitchen?

On the flip side, does Mattison call DLine changes or Zordich call DB blitzes on his own? I'm pretty sure it's just D Brown calling everything.

Joined: 01/23/2014

MGoPoints: 35366

LSAClassOf2000

September 5th, 2018 at 2:49 PM ^

There's a lot of anecdotal evidence that Harbaugh is the de facto OC (but nothing explicit, and again, we've all heard the "by committee" talk), but I would be very interested to know what the actual decision-making structure is and who has input. Apparently not Jim McElwain, who strangely goes out of his way to point this out, but who precisely? 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130669

Blau

September 5th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^

I’d like to know too. Coaches need to gameplan to establish a rhythm and add in a few wrinkles when the time comes. Better yet, it should primarily be one coach calling the plays and if someone in the booth recognizes a mismatch, send it down to the field. 

Instead it sounds like 3 or 4 coaches are busy taking turns at Madden and nobody knows who should hold the controller.

Joined: 01/23/2014

MGoPoints: 35366

Fezzik

September 8th, 2018 at 1:24 AM ^

This x 100! Everytime time a question like this has been brought up to staff there is never a clear answer. I kind of think its the committee system but Harbaugh doesn't want his staff to suffer any of the blame since he is the head guy even if they do suck so they keep their system ambiguous to the public and Harbaugh can control the finger pointing.

Joined: 09/11/2015

MGoPoints: 5552

Wolvmarine

September 5th, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^

we know that in the Jake Ruddock year it was Jed Fisch and Drevno calling the plays. 

Sounds like its all Harbaugh now. Who was responsible for the 43 different offensive formations in the first half against Michigan State last year? Harbaugh? Pep? 

5 games between now and Wisconsin on Oct 13. If that game is a debacle offensively? It’s all on Harbaugh. 

Joined: 08/28/2008

MGoPoints: 6156

Wolverine91

September 5th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^

This is a joke right? McElwain is by far the best offensive coordinator on our staff and the fact that he's not even involved is  straight garbage if true. He should be handed the keys. My gosh pep and harbaugh are totally clueless. Unreal

Joined: 01/12/2014

MGoPoints: 10414

jamesjosephharbaugh

September 5th, 2018 at 1:55 PM ^

with repeated comments like this, i'm thinking he'll be permanently out of the way before 2019.  he's not happy about something.

Joined: 10/17/2016

MGoPoints: 495

jbuch002

September 5th, 2018 at 2:39 PM ^

Throwing a lot of shade here at mgoboard on the M coaches regarding play calling and scheme.

Harbaughoffense is fine. It's worked in varying forms everywhere he's been. The fact that he is calling the plays (or not) as the case may be if it's done by committee is overblown, IMO.

There were execution errors that compromised its efficiency v. ND - a lot of them. That may be the central problem in the loss at ND and potentially going forward; those are all fixable even the OT problem which, IMO, is also overblown.

Space Cyote in the thread below (you'll have to scroll to the find them - there are two) get's it exactly right. Worth a read if you haven't read both of them already.

https://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/you-are-coach-now-fix-m-football

Joined: 08/19/2009

MGoPoints: 530

UMfan21

September 5th, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^

I mean, this was the exact same thing McElwain said during Spring camp interviews. I remember it being discussed here.  He is not distancing himself from the ND game, he is doubling down on what he said before the season started.

Joined: 09/28/2009

MGoPoints: 51231

Wolverine62bc

September 5th, 2018 at 10:24 PM ^

I guess, not knowing the total context of the Nick B. interview, that Coach McElwain is just being honest and knows his role on the M coaching staff. As they say, “ lead, follow or get out of the way.” Would hope he provides more input, as Coach Mac’s Michigan track record develops in a positive way on passing downs. Play calling aside, would think his experience and perspective could help the offense get stronger and equal more receptions, TDs and wins. Go Blue!

Joined: 01/28/2014

MGoPoints: 365

1971woverine

September 6th, 2018 at 8:43 AM ^

So Coach MAC...Its been a year since one of our receivers has caught a TD Pass.  What do you plan to do to change this trajectory?

Can you believe this stat?  A year since we have a WR TD?  Seems impossible....

Joined: 05/05/2017

MGoPoints: 209