??? update ???
December 8th, 2020 at 3:28 AM ^
Michigan Man - The Art of Making Excuses
Has anyone else noticed that the great programs haven't made excuses about how Covid has affected their season while Michigan has? Instead, they adjusted, adapted, and still won, things Michigan is not good at.
December 8th, 2020 at 6:53 AM ^
So here it is, the Tuesday before The Game and here is where we are at:
- Covid outbreak that is affecting several players (but we have no idea who)
- Practicing in shorts (only part of the team)....for a team that has a hard time blocking and tackling.
- Even before the covid outbreak, the team was ravaged by injuries and opt outs
- As far as we know, there is one scholarship QB available to play....a 2.5* true freshman who has never taken a snap in a college game.
With all this going on, during the week of the game, the athletic director decides that NOW is the time to make an offer / non-offer and negotiate a contract extension with your head coach IN PUBLIC?!? Just when this team could not afford any more distractions. Warde couldn't have made this offer / non-offer in July? He's forced to do so now that the threat of the recruiting class imploding is hanging over their heads. The only thing missing with this story is the sailboat.
This is what people mean when they say Michigan football problems extend beyond who the football coach is.
December 8th, 2020 at 8:17 AM ^
Yeah I would hope Warde isn’t dumb enough to have Harbaugh sign an extension and then get historically embarrassed by OSU. The game better be canceled. But like you said this athletic department seems to do lots of dumb things so who knows.
December 8th, 2020 at 9:29 AM ^
The "outbreak" could be as many as 24-30 players. Rivals reported today that it is possible that Michigan would have around 40 scholarship players available. Some are expecting a late day announcement or Weds press release canceling the game Saturday. Still hoping for a graceful departure from Harbaugh. (Could be wishful thinking). Hopefully he lands an NFL job.
December 8th, 2020 at 9:40 AM ^
Umbig11, I gotta ask. Over weekend it was an extension. Now hopeful for NFL. You thinking he signs extension and weights nfl options come time in 3-6 weeks? I appreciate you and all the others who bring insight here. Just curious how things are changing or how you seeing this play out?
December 8th, 2020 at 10:28 AM ^
Offering an extension and going to the NFL are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Per Bacon, Warde offered an extension and everything is now in Harbaugh's court. He could negotiate/decline the extension then take an NFL job.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:25 AM ^
I know. But timeline says the extension would need to be signed before NFL gig is available to him. Unless no decision is officially made and we ride out the 12/16 signing day. Would he sign extension then possibly leave for NFL few Weeks later?
December 8th, 2020 at 11:48 AM ^
He could, but there are 3 (maybe 4) NFL jobs open as we speak. And a couple more (i.e. Chicago) that likely have already made the decision to make a coach change. A potential scenario is that Warde offered an extension over the weekend and Harbaugh has 7 days to accept/decline (there's likely some room to negotiate in there). Harbaugh can now easily talk to several NFL jobs and make a call.
December 8th, 2020 at 8:03 AM ^
What makes anyone think "good assistants" want to come and work for Jim Harbaugh? The guy obviously has a reputation for rubbing people the wrong way. The attrition speaks for itself and this is simply prolonging the inevitable. Perhaps Warde will be making some Dave Brandon moves of his own with his inability to right the ship. I guess we will see in a couple years if Michigan repeats the 2014 season with a new A.D. and head coach.
December 8th, 2020 at 8:34 AM ^
Ugh...burn it down. Fire everyone. I want Warde to succeed, but the fact he is letting harbaugh stay is laughable. High salary or whatever to get top assistants won’t matter when you have harbaugh at the helm. It’s clearly noted he will run the offense as he sees fit. What a nightmare
December 8th, 2020 at 8:34 AM ^
Ugh...burn it down. Fire everyone. I want Warde to succeed, but the fact he is letting harbaugh stay is laughable. High salary or whatever to get top assistants won’t matter when you have harbaugh at the helm. It’s clearly noted he will run the offense as he sees fit. What a nightmare
December 8th, 2020 at 9:16 AM ^
If he’s back next year I have little interest in watching this team. The fact that the school is okay with mediocrity and inexcusable losses is beyond comprehension. He doesn’t even seem to act like he cares anymore. Harbaugh has turned Michigan into a laughing stock once again, except this time the spotlight is even brighter.
December 8th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
I agree 100% with watching Michigan and IF attendance will be allowed next year with the oncoming vaccinations then attendance will be down in the Big House with Harbaugh returning. I do think Michigan's leadership is in a TOUGH situation with Harbaugh though because of such a large buyout being in place during this crazy ass pandemic. There is no doubt that Warde Manuel is being hammered by alumni with what is going on under Harbaugh. The loss of the locker room is a HUGE issue because the word spreads quickly about that stuff and even more so with today's so called journalism. If there is ANY truth to what has been said about Joe Milton running his mouth then he should be sent packing back to Orlando before Saturday. HOPEFULLY that kind of stuff is all rumor because that will kill a recruiting class and Michigan cannot afford for that to happen. If Harbaugh does stay then the ONLY way he gets back on track like he was in 2015 and 2016 is to clean house with his coordinators and assistant coaches. Start fresh with good experienced coaches and coordinators and begin recruiting OHIO and Michigan once again. What would absolutely throw a wrench into this entire thing would be for Michigan to upset Ohio State if they play this Saturday but that is NOT happening. Can you imagine that?
December 8th, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
I'm not sure how you attract good coordinators when your head coach was given an extension that makes it very easy to fire him financially. The rumored details of the contract essentially tells me that "we will extend you, but you are on the hot seat and you may be fired next year." Even so, there are major issues with the defense talent wise. There are glaring holes in the roster and a lot of depth issues and I really don't think anybody will be able to significantly turn them around in a year. I also don't get the argument about keeping Harbaugh to save the recruiting class. At some point you are going to have to deal with that issue if you fire him, so if it's not now then it's later.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:13 AM ^
I am still holding out for Urban Meyer.
He has wanted to coach here. Had it as an out in his contract while at Utah and at Florida.
He was essentially fired at OSU, lets not forget that. And yet it is because of him the program is where it is... all of it.... And hes been stewing lets hope.
He can beat Day and OSU.
And say he brings Michigan ahead in the rivalry, he would become the master of it... winning at both schools, he would be the most glorified coach of both programs... and he would be bigger than the game and rivalry, itself, for years...
We have the money to pay him.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:57 AM ^
I believe I echo Warde Manuel and the university leadership in this, but I'm just not willing to support any coaching candidate with a questionable ethics record as a coach. If ohio pushed Meyer out for ethics concerns, how the hell can we justify going after him?
December 8th, 2020 at 12:11 PM ^
Delusional... Meyer isn’t leaving OSU for Michigan... read that statement you made!
Absurd.
December 8th, 2020 at 6:37 PM ^
Urban Meyer was a mandatory reporter who covered up spousal abuse.
That's a bridge too far for me. Even if it guaranteed a perfect season and national championship, I wouldn't stomach that.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:50 AM ^
Coaches should get a per win contract -- say $750K per win, $1M bonus for beating ohio, conference title and $3M for national title. Idk, something like that, numbers can be changed of course and throw in a base salary maybe $3M or so.
Otherwise it's dumb to pay a huge salary to win 2 games.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:10 PM ^
Well obviously this is a backhanded slap to both Don Brown and Gattis... hopefully, they have refreshed resumes. Needs to fire recruiting coordinator and Jay Harbaugh also.
Not sure this is the best alternative, but when there is no place to go but up?????
December 8th, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
I've actually read through almost all of these comments... I can see both sides of the argument. His record has been "ok" for the most part vs. he hasn't won any big games. This year is a cluster fuck vs no excuses. Lets keep him around and pray because who else is available vs there has to be somebody better...
Here is the thing, I don't really need to look at historical data right now. When you watch this team play, does "good coaching" jump out at you? I think that Brian was on to something when he said he missed "organized" Harbaugh.
I'm not sure what happened, but something is so horribly wrong that it can't be ignored. I could get great annual reviews at work for 5 years, but if I start showing up naked, its time to go... When I watch this team play, I'm literally wondering if the coaching staff has, as a whole, developed a serious drug problem.
It's just depressing any way you look at it. There is no easy solution.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:51 PM ^
As a side note... The Rich Rod years were horrible and the defense looked god awful. He was obviously trying to fit a round peg in a square hole in the hopes that he could recruit the right players for the system. Be patient with the spread, take your medicine, eventually the results will come. The team improved slightly each year (defense still sucked). Get a good D coordinator and it might have worked out?
I could at least look at the offense under RR and say "I see what he is trying to do." I can't do that with this team. It makes no sense.