For all the talk Jim Harbaugh has had over the last three years at Ann Arbor, it really hasn’t amounted to much.
After getting dominated by Penn State in primetime Saturday, Harbaugh and company are sobering up to a very realistic 8-4 record come November 25th. That isn’t going to sit well with the fans of a team that’s cutting its head coach a $9 million check this year.
His numerous antics, callouts, and promises gave people around the program a hope in believing he’d back it all up, but they don’t feel close to remotely doing so.
The Wolverines figure to finish a grim fourth in their division, and will be the fifth best team in their conference. They are 1-4 against Ohio State and Michigan State in Harbaugh’s three years. I didn’t have them on the Playoff tier coming into this year, but their defense (5th in total defense) coached by the legendary Don Brown and featuring a young, talented group of bodies had most believing a New Year’s Six bowl was a reasonable goal for the team.
Instead, Harbaugh owns the same record as his predecessor Brady Hoke did through 33 games at 25-8. Hoke aimlessly led Michigan for four years, and that’s the same vibe emanating after Saturday’s tune up.
First 33 Games As Michigan Head Coach (Through Tonight)
Brady Hoke: 25-8
Jim Harbaugh: 25-8 pic.twitter.com/6rHl2kDbZZ
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) October 22, 2017
It also looked as if a world-beating was coming their way after falling down 14-0 in the first five minutes of Saturday’s contest, but the offense clawed its way to being down 21-13 at halftime. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit noted during the broadcast at the start of the third quarter that Michigan proved to itself that it belonged in coming back in the first half, but they would ultimately fall flat as the second half moved on, losing 42-13.
Honestly, it sure did look as if Penn State was trying to run the score up to end the game Saturday night.
Mind you, James Franklin is always “on” in terms of the way he acts and goes about coaching, but it isn’t a coincidence he was looking to rake Michigan’s proverbial face in the mud in the waning seconds Saturday. Other coaches don’t enjoy the Harbaugh sideshow.
This isn’t an indictment against Harbaugh or calling for a firing, but what’s the ultimate goal of the program? To compete for titles, or compete for headlines and eye rolls? Is Harbaugh just treading water until his ideal NFL gig opens up? (Looking at you, Andrew Luck).
But what is the main indictment from this corner against Harbaugh during his tenure outside of the immature hoopla is his inability to orchestrate any semblance of an offense.
Here’s a tidbit for you: Michigan isn’t a top-50 offense. Michigan isn’t a top-80 offense. Michigan doesn’t own the best offense in the state of Michigan. Not the second or even the third. That’s correct, Michigan ranks fourth in the state in total offense (361.0), tied for 97th overall.
76. Central Michigan (391.0)
89. Michigan State (372.7)
93. Eastern Michigan (368.8)
That’s unacceptable, even if two of those teams play inferior competition.
After Michigan State’s worst year (3-9) in Mark Dantonio’s tenure, Michigan pointed to be the top dog in the state.
Recruiting matters, and Harbaugh hasn’t failed there. We’re going to discount 2015’s class, which finished 50th due to the quick hire. But, Michigan has finished fourth in the last two classes netting four total five stars, but only one on the offensive side of the ball.
In these last two cycles (according to Rivals.com), Harbaugh scored the commitments of redshirt freshman Brandon Peters (#150 overall, #6 Pro Style) and true freshman Dylan McCaffrey (#131, #7). Those are two young guys in the grand scheme of things, but it might be worth giving Peters a shot considering he’s been in the system for over a year now and how mediocrely mediocre Wilton Speight and John O’Korn have been.
Or, maybe, the offense is totally outdated in today’s game. Those pro style types fit Harbaugh’s bill, but playing a pro style offense hasn’t gotten the job done. Stanford Harbaugh had the program on the verge of elite status, but he also had Andrew Luck and some other studs pounding the rock.
This doesn’t figure to change anytime with the consistently underwhelming quarterback play of O’Korn and Speight when healthy (Is he alive?). Speight’s best outing in his 16 game sample size was against the cold body that was Maryland last season (19-24, 362, 2TDs). That doesn’t scream quarterback guru that Harbaugh was dubbed after coaching Luck and Colin Kaepernick.
Harbaugh is a weird dude.
Quirky is ok, I guess, but not when you aren’t producing results. It’s not just the melancholy season underway that’s providing this early angst in his tenure.
It is the outfit. It’s the roster hub-bub fight with NJ.com. The creepy sleepover. It’s the nearly $1 million team trip to Rome this past summer.
He’s 10-3 the past two seasons, but what about this season? There’s something to be said for that, and Harbaugh will have the chance to write the final word.
Jim Harbaugh isn’t teflon. If the boosters and fans hadn’t started groaning yet, Saturday night served as the earmark for the beginning of such gripes.