Heywood_Jablome

October 2nd, 2016 at 7:49 PM ^

OSU and Bama are just on a different level.  Not hard to see why Meyer and Saban win everything when they have superior talent.  I could probably coach both of those teams to 10 win seasons.

Hard-Baughlls

October 2nd, 2016 at 7:54 PM ^

It's about to happen for us too.  Harbaugh will be pulling in the same types of classes every year as well.  

He is also a superior tactition to the other two.  Harbaugh won in the NFL.  Give him 90% the talent level and depth that OSU or Bama have and he will beat them more times than not. He beat USC dynasty mode with very limited talent at Stanford.

Harbaugh can win with his, he can win with yours. 

In reply to by Hard-Baughlls

Perkis-Size Me

October 2nd, 2016 at 8:14 PM ^

The NFL =/= college football. As much as I love Harbaugh, I would be shocked if he wins even half the amount of titles that Saban does. Hell I'll be happy with just one.

Sure, if this was the NFL Harbaugh would clean Meyer and Saban's clocks, but this is college. So far Harbaugh has not shown he's at the same level, in college, as either of them. Not to say that he can't do it, and it is a limited sample so far, but you're dealing with two of the best college coaches of this generation. These are the contemporaries of Bear Bryant and Woody Hayes.



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Hard-Baughlls

October 2nd, 2016 at 8:25 PM ^

Harbaugh won at Stanford...built that program.  He took a 5-7 Michigan team to 10 wins in his first year (could have been 11 wins if not for the fluke play).  We were only beaten down in 1 game to a team with superior talent and we had injuries precisely where OSU could exploit it, D-line.

Harbaugh is in that class of great coaches.  Saban went 7-6 his first year at Bama and lost to Louisiana Monroe. Been lights out since then.  Meyer inherited a juggernuat at OSU and just took it to the next level.  Harbaugh will get there.  

Heywood_Jablome

October 2nd, 2016 at 8:59 PM ^

I don't think there's any doubt Harbaugh *can* be in the Meyer/Saban echelon, but he still has to do it.  Meyer and Saban are proven winners and have combined to win 70% of the national titles over the last 10 years. That's just insane.

To say Harbaugh is in their group when he hasn't won anything of substance yet (in college) is bordering on Notre Dame level delusion.

UMxWolverines

October 2nd, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^

Well it wasn't always that way. Saban came to Alabama and was the only one able to dethrone Meyer and with a step down in talent. Alabama had talent from Mike Shula but nowhere near what they have now. Saban made it happen. We will see what Harbaugh can do.

sivaDavis

October 4th, 2016 at 8:33 AM ^

"Meyer inherited a juggernaut" A 6-6 team that lost to Purdue and Miami FL in the same year while losing 4 straight to close out the season? Yeah a real juggernaut there.

Mr Miggle

October 2nd, 2016 at 8:46 PM ^

in talent level. I wouldn't concede anyone is better than him. Saban and Meyer might be, but just where is Harbaugh lacking? Player development, creativity, strategy, assembling a staff? He's shown an ability to get the most out of his players at every level and he hasn't needed to bring in his own recruits to turn things around.

MichiganTeacher

October 2nd, 2016 at 10:00 PM ^

It's not Harbaugh that's lacking any particular skill, it's the Michigan culture that's lacking the will to say FU to the NCAA. 

OSU and 'Bama have everything that we do - elite coaching, blueblood history, national brand, zealous alumni, cash - but they also have something we don't: they pay their players. Flat out, six figures, take your money and play. And they don't care; they're shameless; those fan bases are perfectly happy being dirty as hell. We're not, nor should we be.

Harbaugh's doing everything he can within the rules to leverage our wealth - he's hiring recruits' dads, coaches, moms, last month he offered an analyst spot to the guy who does Najee Harris's dreads* - but we simply won't compete as far into the 'gray area' as OSU and 'Bama. And by 'gray area,' I mean paying players.

And that's why OSU and 'Bama are on a level all their own. Can someone beat them? Sure. But it'll be an upset at the macro level, at least.

This has been Yet Another Reason I Hope the NCAA Burns to the Ground.

*That's a joke, ok, guy who takes every /s post seriously and then concludes "Sad!"

UMxWolverines

October 3rd, 2016 at 12:20 AM ^

You really think OSU and Alabama are handing out six figures to players? I'll have what you're smoking. Maybe a car or few hundred handshakes...but c'mon. They have two of the best coaches in college football with proven success...they have no reason to hand out six figures to anybody. 

It's laughable to me people think nothing like that happens here. Maybe not as blatant as the Pryor stuff but athletes get deals on cars in Ann Arbor. And handshakes happen. 

Nevermind Michigan has been on NCAA probation for paying basketball and baseball players before. We just don't have to do it nearly to that level in football because of proven history. 

MichiganTeacher

October 3rd, 2016 at 7:45 PM ^

See above. Sam Webb has talked publicly about it, but yes, it happens. I've personally seen $20k/year, not all in cash but in expenses/tuition/car, for a player in HS TO PLAY IN HS. And that guy didn't even end up making a splash of any sort in D1.

pescadero

October 3rd, 2016 at 8:44 AM ^

Saban and Meyer might be, but just where is Harbaugh lacking?

 

At this point - college football wins and national titles.

 

Harbaugh may be that good. Saban and Meyer have shown they're that good.

 

There is only one coach in college football history with more national championships than Saban, and there are only 5 with more than Meyer - and one of them is Saban.

 

 

massblue

October 2nd, 2016 at 8:48 PM ^

You have no way of knowing how good or how bad Meyer will be in NFL. You also have next to nothing in terms of evidence that Jim could not be as good as Saban or Meyer.  One important part of college football is recruiting and that is affected by location. So, Jim may never be able to get the type of players that Meyer or Saban bring, but that has nothing to do with coaching. We saw how great Saban was at MSU.  One could argue that D'Antonio is a better coach than Meyer. Look at his record versus Meyer and then compare the talent level.  

erald01

October 2nd, 2016 at 9:09 PM ^

Completely agree, people forget how rich in talent ohio and the south is. There is a huge discrepancy in talent between state of michigan and ohio. Ohio guys use to come play for us because they knew we were a powerhouse but the has changed for awhile now and the ohio guys see ohio as the best school currently. It also helps when you have a coach (Tressel) who cheated and let players do whatever they wanted. Also winning two NC since 2000s is a bigger bonus.



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The Fan in Fargo

October 2nd, 2016 at 9:05 PM ^

I'll take this second year of Harbaugh's over Saban's and Meyer's. Take everything into consideration and look what Michigan is doing now. I guess guys like you won't shutup until they waltz into Columbus in November and blitz the hell out of that finessed and pikaboo playing offensive attack and whoop their candy asses. I hope the slogan for the week is Michigan telling the sucknuts to come at them like men.

AZBlue

October 2nd, 2016 at 10:38 PM ^

Can you please stop with the "Sucknuts" and "Shartans" stuff. Part of being an MGoBlogger / arrogant a-hole Michigan fan is pointing out how we don't resort to the stuff you find on Bucknuts and RCMB. You do this quite a bit and sooner or later other newbies on the site are going to think it is acceptable.

Oscar

October 3rd, 2016 at 2:13 AM ^

"sooner or later other newbies on the site are going to think it is acceptable" What is wrong with "Sucknuts" and "Shartans"? We are on a Michigan blog. If an OSU or MSU fan is getting their feelings hurt from that, well their real life must be a mess... Oh, point taken.

DHughes5218

October 3rd, 2016 at 11:56 AM ^

It's unacceptable to call childish names, but it's okay to say any team that is better than Michigan are cheaters? You sound just as whiny and childish when you call someone a cheater as you do when you call them names like the "Suckeyes". Also Peppers called them Suckeyes so it's okay in my book.

UMForLife

October 2nd, 2016 at 9:48 PM ^

He has gone through 1 season and a few games and you already know he is not at their level? Based on what. I remember Saban's first year record in Alabama. And you will be shocked if he wins half the title? The playoffs only make it easier for Harbaugh. Basically don't lose more than one game and beat OSU. You are most likely in playoff. No guarantees, but Harbaugh has shown in his career that he is capable of doing it. It is not like Saban was at MSU and took them to multiple title games. It is Alabama's name that helped him. So will Michigan's name for Harbaugh.

jabberwock

October 3rd, 2016 at 8:51 AM ^

you mean Saban's 1st year at Alabama AFTER HE ALREADY WON A NC AT LSU?

He kind of already proved himself there pal.

I think Harbaugh is great, and I wouldn't trade him for Saban or Meyer but he is absolutely NOT in their league.  Could be in a couple years, with a couple big 10 championships and a NC.

But a very impressive turnaround st Stanford isn't even close to a NC, let along multiple ones at multiple schools.

Heptarch

October 3rd, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^

I don't really understand this argument.

What, exactly, has Harbaugh shown that is not on the same level as Saban and Meyer?  He took a 5-7 team and turned it into 10-3.  He absolutely destroyed an SEC division champion in the bowl.  In his last college job he took a historically awful team with major recruiting disadvantages and turned them into a powerhouse.

Yes, he lost the one game his team has played against Meyer.  But that's an awfully damn small sample to make a sweeping statement like you did.

jabberwock

October 3rd, 2016 at 9:24 AM ^

Saban:
196 -60-1
5 National Championships (2 Schools)
6 SEC Championships
9 SEC Western Division
1 MAC Championship

Meyer:
158-27
3 National Championships (2 schools)
2 MWC Chamionships
3 SEC Eastern Division
2 Big Ten Leaders Division
2 Big Ten East

Harbaugh:
73-30
2 Pioneer Football Leage Championships
Turned around historically awful Stanford team over 4 years (best finish 2nd place PAC10)
University of Michigan (best finish so far, 4th place)

One of these tthings is not like the others.

If you want to add NFL results that fine, it certainly boosts Harbaughs resume (although I don't think there's a 100% corelation) but then you also have to conclude that "Saban couldn't hack it in the NFL" because of Miami, which I think is laughable.

Everytime I bring up these objective stats I get labeled a hater, which is absolutely false.  I fucking love Jim Harbaugh and think he's perfect for Michigan.  However, so far his resume is that of a genius turn-around specialist with a great potential for NCAA Championships.

Right now I'd settle for a Big 10 Championship.

Heptarch

October 3rd, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^

One of those things is not like the others because you're comparing apples to oranges.

Harbaugh hasn't been in college fooball long enough to compare total number of wins or championships.  If you want to use those numbers for comparison after he's been in as long as the other two, that's a more reasonable comparison.

Compare the other two coaches to Jim at the point in their careers that he is at right now.  

 

Jim Harbaugh

FBS Record (five years):  39-24

Conf. Champs:  0

National Champs:  0

 

Urban Meyer

FBS Record (First five years):  48-11

Conf. Champs:  2

National Champs:  0

 

Nick Saban

FBS Record (First five years):  34-24-1

Conf. Champs:  1

National Champs:  0

 

Using those data points, Meyer is a little better and Saban is a little worse.  Certainly nothing that would justify saying that he's "not on the same level".

In reply to by Hard-Baughlls

BlowGoo

October 2nd, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^

I agree.

But also, recruiting is a numbers game in a way that I don't think people often consider.

The fact is that there are a LOT of kids who can play at a very, very, high level. The "pick of the litter" from high school classes is, after a point, really subjective.

It's the COACHING that really makes the difference between a good athlete and a superstar.

So it's not so much that we have to "outrecruit" Alabama or OSU. We just need to be in the same orbit, because the pickings at that level are really, really, similar.

 

Then we (out)coach the bejesus out of them.

And if we're not there already, we're THISCLOSE. So many top recruits have us on the list already, so we're already breathing rarefied air.

And it will only get better.

So don't get too hung up when any ONE given athlete goes Alabama or OSU and their (arbitrary) star count is higher. We're getting effectively the same quality athletes now. And Harbaugh & Co. are turning them into superstar talent.