As a diehard a college football fan, the offseason can be a bit slow and boring. Much of the focus is centered around former players leaving for the NFL draft, as well as new players coming in through recruiting. It leaves plenty of time to ponder thoughts about the upcoming season. The particular thought that came to mind recently was whether or not Jim Harbaugh’s seat as Michigan’s head coach is starting to get a little warm.
Despite having two ten-win seasons in his three years as head coach, it still feels a bit like the Wolverines haven’t been performing up to par with expectations. Now to some that may sound like an absurd claim as the program is in far better condition than it was under Brady Hoke or Rich Rodriguez, but still, as one of the most storied programs in the sport, it’s not crazy to expect more.
The most notable struggles for Michigan during the Harbaugh era have undoubtedly been their performances against their two biggest rivals. Of course, the rivals I’m referring to are Michigan State and Ohio State. Harbaugh has gone just 1-5 against those two teams during his three-year tenure.
Another issue that I’ve noticed is that the breaks seem to fall off towards the end season. In 2016, the team got off to a 9-0 start before losing three of their last four games. Last season the team lost their final three games.
When it comes down to it, if the Michigan athletic department honestly has any thoughts of firing Harbaugh (yet), they’re fucking nuts. And by “yet” I mean the team would really have to tank over the next two seasons, like winning only three games. Regardless, everyone invested in the program would like to see an improvement this season, and according to an article on ESPN.com, Harbaugh is already on top of it.
He has started by breathing new life into the coaching staff in an attempt to strengthen the on-field product. One of those coaches is former Ohio State linebacker (oh, the irony) and defensive coach Al Washington. He will be focusing on working with the specialized package players in the team’s defensive system. The other hire Harbaugh made is that of new tight ends coach Sherrone Moore. He will be focusing on…tight ends.
The two coaches will also be putting an emphasis on recruiting. Michigan’s recruiting class for 2018 was not relatively bad, but did drop from being number six the past two seasons to 13th. Some say this could be due to their on the field performance. The best players go to the best teams right?
Taking all this into consideration, there is little doubt, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines could certainly use a big year in 2018. However, I don’t believe Harbaugh’s job should or will be riding on the team performance this season.
I must add though, as a die-hard fan of Notre Dame (Michigan’s first opponent this season). I hope the Wolverines season gets off to an absolutely horrendous start.