Michigan Football, the 2020 Abbreviated COVID Season

[Mike]

Penn State apparently is.

[lineygoblue]

Franklin is probably going to get another year at PSU. He's had them close a couple of times, and its likely bought him one bad season that he can survive.

As much as I'd like to think that Manuel is going to buy out Harbaugh at the end of the season, it probably won't happen. Manuel seems to be adopting the Detroit Lions model of football success, in giving failing coaches more seasons to keep trying. Matt Patricia would be fired from a lot of HS programs here in Michigan, but not the Lions. Harbaugh seems to be getting that same consideration from Manuel.

I think a lot is going to depend on the final two games. If we get the 40-50 point blowout at C-bus as expected, along with a timid crossover performance, that could force Manuel's hand into letting Harbaugh go. If he gives OSU 'a good fight' and manages to win a good crossover game, that might just save his job. Moral victories and participation trophies are the standard now.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Hanni, you know M's culture. I miss Hack's explanations of it and how it explains why Harbaugh isn't getting fired in the current context. His analysis when he was still posting here were was pretty accurate, IMO. I can recount the basics but I'm also pretty sure you understand it.

[Mike]

Competence at QB isn't really an issue. I mean, sure, Milton looked awful, so maybe finding competence is the bar for 2020. But, look, Shea was "competent" for two seasons. He wasn't 5* great, but he was certainly competent.

So, yeah, M isn't going to be at a .500 level for anything other than this season. They'll be back to 8-9 wins with competent to good QB play.

I still think it's a remarkable problem to be this undertalented in Year 6. I could possibly see it in one position group (OSU, e.g., has mediocre DB talent for very good reasons resulting from the 2018 and 2019 classes). But, to see it so widespread is really astounding.

Yep. This is what the program is now. We're basically Tennessee. The University of Michigan is a large flagship public university that happens to compete in inter-collegiate sports. One of those sports is football where people in Michigan football uniforms run around a play football from time to time. The state of the program is thus: It exists. The end.

[Hannibal]

Penn State apparently is.

True, but Franklin took over a program on probation and won a B1G championship. He also has a signature bowl win and a win over OSU. He at least has a couple of accomplishments to stand on. Harbaugh has jack shit.

[Mike]

I'm still pissed about that inexplicable 2016 Big Ten title for those assholes. 49-10 fuckers.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Losing to UNL should be an automatic firing...

[Tom W]

If I had to put money on an endgame, I'll put it on Harbaugh walking away for "medical reasons" after the season. There's defintiely some evidence to support the notion. He's just not making sound, rational coaching decisions- some of the play calls border on the bizarre and the general lack of a consistent mindset week in an week out, for starters.

In reality, it's not going to be exactly voluntary. Manuel has certainly been hearing from high money alums and donors constantly over the last month, and it's going to be pretty clear that season ticket renewals are gong to take a nosedive if this goes on another year.

[Mike]

And there's the issue of his contract. They either need to part ways after the season or Warde extends him. It should be a no-brainer. Now if Harbaugh had 4-5 years left on his contract, that would be a tough sell in this economic situation. But he doesn't so launch his ass out of a cannon into the Huron River like a clown at the circus.

[lineygoblue]

If I had to put money on an endgame, I'll put it on Harbaugh walking away for "medical reasons" after the season. There's defintiely some evidence to support the notion. He's just not making sound, rational coaching decisions- some of the play calls border on the bizarre and the general lack of a consistent mindset week in an week out, for starters.

In reality, it's not going to be exactly voluntary. Manuel has certainly been hearing from high money alums and donors constantly over the last month, and it's going to be pretty clear that season ticket renewals are gong to take a nosedive if this goes on another year.

Great post, Tom. This brings up something I hadn't considered before. Harbaugh's departure could be handled in a way that is not messy by simply buying out his contract, and then offering him a position in the athletic department. He could be made "associate athletic director" or "associate director of recruiting" or some such thing like that. That way he's not exactly fired, but kept as a 'valuable asset to the program". He could also be consulted as to who should be his successor.

Manuel isn't going to make it messy. He doesn't want to piss off the Harbaugh family, especially Jack Harbaugh. And, lets face it, there are a lot of people who like the Harbaugh's in Ann Arbor, and they would be angry if Harbaugh is let go in a messy separation. Manuel isn't going to let that happen.

[Whitley]

And there's the issue of his contract. They either need to part ways after the season or Warde extends him. It should be a no-brainer. Now if Harbaugh had 4-5 years left on his contract, that would be a tough sell in this economic situation. But he doesn't so launch his ass out of a cannon into the Huron River like a clown at the circus.

That is part of it. The other part is who do you get to replace him and are there going to be factions that insist on it being a Michigan Man?

[Mike]

Finding a new coach is step two. You have to get rid of the one you have first. That’s step 1.

But if anyone puts forth this notion of “who can they get that’s better”? (and I’m not suggesting YOU are), I’m gonna shove that shit up their ass. Sideways. It’s also likely at this point that the idea a coach has to have Michigan ties is clearly not the case. We tried tried the “Michigan Man” route the last two times and failed. BTW, Hoke’s best season was better than Harbaugh’s best, record-wise. How ridiculous is that?

I found this poll interesting. Eleven Warriors asked 1,200 OSU fans which coach would make you the most nervous if Harbaugh were replaced.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ele...ts-fired%3famp

What do our guests think of these candidates? Hafley wasn’t even on. my radar. Matt Campbell is still probably my personal favorite and Fitzgerald is rising quickly. Eric Bieniemy also has a lot of appeal but I imagine he’ll be a HC in the NFL in the next year or two.

There’s plenty of intriguing coaches out there who could mail in the same results as Harbaugh.

[iam416]

I’d be really pissed if Hafley ended up at M. I wouldn’t care if Fickell went there. Hafley would concern me. He’s legit.

[Jeff Buchanan]

That would be like Mattison going to OSU ..... only waaaay better.

Not gonna happen though. Hafley will get snapped up by some P5 program without M's culture baggage.

[lineygoblue]

I think Steve Sarkesian, Brian Ferentz and Doc Holiday should get phone calls before anyone else.

Holiday's age may be against him, but he could probably go for another 5-6 years or so.

Ferentz may be the heir-apparent at Iowa waiting for his pops to retire.

Sark deserves another chance as long as the bottle is a thing of the past. It seems to be so at Alabama.

Fitzgerald will never coach at Michigan.