Should Michigan Part Ways with Head Coach Jim Harbaugh?
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
College football mirrors every day life in many ways, especially when it comes to expectations on and off the field. In the mantra of “Keeping up with the Joneses”, Michigan Wolverine fans see their neighbors with flashy rings and new banners hanging around the house every year so where is their bling? In the “I want it now” era of life in the U.S., from drive-thru food to on-demand streaming, Michigan loyalist want their Big Ten Championships and College Football Playoff berth(s) now, but are those demands of head coach Jim Harbaugh and staff realistic?
Off to a 1-3 season, local sports talk radio and national college football pundits have Harbaugh and Co. in their sights. Suffering through three consecutive losses to Michigan State, Indiana, and Wisconsin, two of those at home including the blowout loss to the Badgers (49-11) over the weekend, it is understandable to start asking questions about Harbaugh’s ability to lead this team back to the promised land, especially with another scheduled meeting against No. 3 Ohio State looming on Dec. 12.
Demands verses Achievements
If one goes by salary alone, per the ever day American’s standards, Jim Harbaugh’s yearly $7.5 million earnings do call for more accomplishments on the field. In five full seasons in Ann Harbor, the Wolverines have bested with a 10-3 record three times with a down year in of 8-5 in 2017, not once coming close to a playoff berth.
Even if a “losing” season has never occurred under Harbaugh, beyond beating up on lesser than Big Ten foes for an inflated record, there is nothing else to show for the monetary efforts. Michigan has not won a Big Ten Conference title outright since Lloyd Carr was on the sidelines in 2004 posting a 9-3, 7-1 Big Ten, record. Harbaugh enthusiasts will be quick to point out a shared division title in 2018, but the right to play in the Big Ten Championship Game was lost to… you guessed, Ohio State. Because they lost to the Buckeyes 62-39 in the regular season finale.
With Ohio State in mind, the comparison to the hated Wolverines’ rivals do not come close in accomplishments. Under Harbaugh’s tenure, from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day, Ohio State has won a share of the East Division from 2015-present. Twice OSU has lost a tiebreaker to Michigan State (2015) and Penn State (2016) keeping the Buckeyes out of the running of claiming a Big Ten Conference title, a feat the Buckeyes have claimed over the past three seasons (2017-19).
Perhaps Harbaugh can lean back on in-conference rivalry wins?
Michigan/Harbaugh vs. Top Big Ten Foes (2015-present)
Vs. Michigan State: 3-3
Vs. Ohio State: 0-5 – have not played in 2020
Vs. Penn State: 3-2 – have not played in 2020
Vs. Wisconsin: 2-3 – did not play each other in 2015
Bowl Performance
Another measuring stick all college coaches must live up to is bowl game performances, an area Harbaugh has failed miserably. In 2015, Michigan added their tenth win of the season in the Citrus Bowl beating then- No. 19 Florida 41-17. Since the big win over a top SEC program, Michigan has dropped four consecutive appearing in the Orange Bowl (2016), Outback Bowl (2017), Peach Bowl (2018), and Citrus Bowl (2019). Those losses came at the hands of No. 10 Florida State, Michigan was ranked No. 6, an unranked South Carolina team, a revenge win for No. 10 Florida, Michigan was ranked No. 8, and a 35-16 loss to No. 13 Alabama, Michigan was ranked No. 14.
What’s the problem, is it lack of talent?
The Wolverines 2015 recruiting class ranked No. 37 in the country highlighted by six four-star recruits. Harbaugh turned on the heat along the recruiting trail jumping Michigan to No. 8 in the following recruiting cycle with one five-star and 13 four-star prospects. The 2017 class was rated even higher at No. 5 with two five-stars and a national best 19 four-star players. The 2018 class dipped dramatically, but was still decent ending at No. 22 with seven four-stars. The 2019 haul rebounded to No. 8 with two five-stars and 14 four-stars and the current true freshman class was slotted at No. 14 with 14 total four-star recruits.
The recruiting rankings suggests that the talent is in Ann Harbor, but is that talent being fully developed?
Since 2016, when Jabrill Peppers won the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Paul Hornung Award with a fifth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting, Michigan has not had a national award winner at any position. Perhaps adding to the idea of a lack of development at Michigan, only five players have earned All-American honors in Harbaugh’s five seasons: tight end Jake Butt (2015-16), cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2015-16), linebacker Jabrill Peppers (2016), defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (2017), and linebacker Devin Bush (2018). Worth noting that Jake Butt (2013), Jourdan Lewis (2013), Maurice Hurst (2013), and Jabrill Peppers (2014) were not Harbaugh’s recruits. Only Devin Bush Jr., Class of 2016, was on of his guys.
Is Michigan actually a “blueblood” college football program?
Stats are what one makes of them, and the Wolverines’ optimists will tell you Michigan is one of the all-time great football programs, and for good reason. Michigan has the most wins all-time at 963, outpacing Ohio State (924) at No. 2, and Alabama and Texas (916) at No. 3. But it is worth noting that Michigan has played 1,345 games to get to that mark while OSU has played 1,303 games with Alabama (1,290) and Texas (1,324) kicking off far less times.
A Michigan fan will also point out 11 claimed national championships and five unclaimed. Of the 11 claimed, only one banner raising season has come in the modern era. Ten of the championship seasons ranged from 1901 to 1948 with the lone standout year coming in 1997. Also worth noting, that Nebraska split that championship season with the Wolverines.
Michigan fans may see their program among the elite, even though a national title has not been won in 23 years and it has been 16 years since an outright Big Ten Championship has been claimed, but more current meaningful wins or a lack thereof suggests something different. Tennessee, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Georgia, and Penn State, more so than other programs, remain sold on imagery from over 20- 30 years ago without the reality of simply being a good, not great, college football program.
The Future
Can Michigan, or any of the aforementioned once-was teams, reclaim their glory? Yes, anything can happen in college football with coaching and talent. Is Harbaugh the coach to deliver that grandeur in Ann Harbor, history shows otherwise, but this 2020 team is young giving hope to the 2021 season… a rinse and repeat slogan in sports, “wait until next year.”
Photo credit: bleacherreport.com; Jim Harbaugh