Michigan needs to make a change
By Justin Donofrio
Jim Harbaugh’s team once again got taken to the woodshed, this time by Wisconsin, for the second straight year. The 28-point deficit at halftime was the largest since Michigan Stadium opened in 1927. Harbaugh is now 0–11 as an underdog as the head of Michigan, losing by an average of 19 points, and the Wolverines have lost 18 straight games as an underdog. He is 0–6 vs his biggest rival, Ohio State and 1–3 at home vs intrastate rival Michigan State. They already lost to Michigan State this year, and every other team Michigan State has played this year, has been a double-digit loss, and one of those teams was Rutgers, at home. The last two years Michigan have given up 56 and 62 points to Ohio State. If you watch Michigan football games you can see that the effort is just not there.
The issue with Harbaugh is that he doesn’t evolve with the game. His offense is stuck in the past. Harbaugh’s specialty is developing quarterbacks, but he hasn’t had one since coming to Michigan. They have no identity on offense. Michigan always used to have a top running back but, they have not had one in the last 15 years. When Harbaugh first got back to Michigan, he was always upbeat and energetic. At one of his press conferences a few years ago, he was talking about how he loved Spongebob Squarepants, because of how Spongebob is always positive and is a go-getter. Harbaugh would try to be like him, but I do not see any of that Jim anymore. I think that it is starting to take a real toll on him. Don Brown, his defensive coordinator, also is a guy that will not change. Michigan’s best corner back, Ambry Thomas, opted-out, so they have a lot of inexperience in the back end of the defense, and game after game, they just play man-to-man defense, and they get burnt. They did have some opt-outs, but that should be no excuse they are still Michigan and they have talent.
Since 2008 Michigan has only had 11 All-Americans and 10 skill position players drafted. While Lloyd Carr was the head coach between 1995 and 2007, he had 25 All-Americans and 27 skill position players drafted. Year in and year out, they are still getting top 10 classes recruiting wise, yet they have not been able to develop them to compete with Ohio State.
Before this season, I never agreed with the idea of firing Harbaugh. He has had a 10 win season and a couple of 9 win seasons, now though, I think it is time. The only person Michigan could realistically get, and have a shot to beat Ohio St, is Urban Meyer, who probably would not drop his gig at Fox Sports though, to come to Michigan. My opinion at the end of last year is just to stick with Harbaugh, but now that this team just looks flat out defeated, it might be time for athletic director Warde Manuel to start looking at other options. Just a few candidates I like if they decide to pull the plug on Harbaugh are Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell, Toledo head coach Jason Candle, Miami’s offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell.
After this year, Harbaugh has one more left on his contract: the buyout to fire Harbaugh is $10 million dollars with COVID-19 still just leaving havoc on athletic departments, they would need some help from boosters to pay some of that, but I think they should give it some serious consideration. If you want to hold to any ounce of dignity that this program has left, before you become Tennessee and finish in the middle of the pack in your division, and allow your biggest rival to choose what the score will be year after year. Jim Harbaugh was supposed to be the savior of this program and that has not happened.
Justin co-hosts a weekly podcast called Sports Talk with R & J. It airs Wednesday’s at 2pm with Clovercrest Media Group. You can learn more about it here:
CMG Link: https://www.clovercrestmedia.com/sports-talk-with-r-j
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sports-Talk-with-RJ-1799991903659815
