Michigan Football, 2021 Season

[AlabamAlum]

The problem is when a coach with a buyout has a mediocre performance. If he’s really bad, buyout be damned. If he’s middling, “well, maybe he’ll get better.”

[Jeff Buchanan]

I can see Tom's points on this. I like the possibility of the M administration running a game of MYOB to outsiders and factions while playing a game of chicken or chess with Harbaugh. Harbaugh can be a dick. He's also squirrly. It's possible he's being out maneuvered.

The problem in that gamesmanship scenario is that the worst outcome, assuming this is a game of chicken or chess, is that Harbaugh signs a contract for lesser money and a smaller buy-out. In that scenario, M ends up with a HC with questionable commitment to the program going through the motions for a year before it is blitheringly obvious you have to fire him.

Another factor to consider is that 2021 may be another COVID wash-out. There are plenty of signs that the virus will continue to spread at alarming rates just less people will die as vaccine innoculations ramp up. That's a plus but won't stop the lock-it -down crowd from holding some sway........like remote learning continues, no campus life, no fans at games, reduced schedules (count on the BIG to weigh in on that one with another turd) and BT athletic departments hunkering down to weather the COVID storm, laying off staff and cutting expenses.

Like everyone says, "its a business" and going into an entrenched survival mode not caring who the head coach is for another year to break out on the other side still financially sound is a viable approach. In this scenario, Harbaugh is a pawn in sort of neat chess game and deservedly so, IMO.

[iam416]

If any school is making 2021 decisions from a Covid fetal position, it's M. But, jesus, man -- if that's what they're thinking then they're even more cluelessly daft than I even imagined.

I don't think that, by the way. I think they are desperately hoping HARBAUGH!!!! moves on to the NFL.

[Tom W]

I don't think that, by the way. I think they are desperately hoping HARBAUGH!!!! moves on to the NFL.

For anyone who knows, and/or cares, about M football, that's the baseline of our hopes. But that might end up being a disaster. All of the shortcomings that have arisen in the last few years won't miraculously get fixed and can't be avoided in the NFL. Fair or not, comparisons to his brother are inevitable and will not be favorable. He will embarrass himself.

He needs to retire and take up gardening, carpentry or building model ships..

[iam416]

It's really amazing to me just how far M football has fallen in the past 20+ years.

For anyone who knows, and/or cares, about M football, that's the baseline of our hopes.

I'm not sure that those who actually care about M football are actual decision-makers.

That said, hiring HARBAUGH!!!!! was a grand slam. That he has, to date, failed to meet expectations is fairly surprising.

[Mike]

I remember when Harbaugh was hired and the question was posed: What if it doesn't work out? I thought it preposterous to even consider such a thing but here we are. The answer is Michigan is now officially Tennessee and Nebraska. None of those programs will ever reach their previous heights. They are BINOs - blue bloods in name only. Our station is relegated to being a semi interesting draw on TV they way you get semi-excited in September about a non-conference game between two P5 schools. Like if say, UCLA and Oklahoma State were playing on Sept. 18, that might be something you'd put in your viewing rotation. That's our level going forward.

Suffice to say, I'm not interested in paying $100 - $150/pop to attend any of it.

[Hannibal]

That's pretty much true unless we luck out into an elite hire that get overlooked by a legit blue blood. We're too far removed from our success for tradition to matter worth a damn and our population base doesn't provide us with easy Top 10 classes. Tennessee is a very good analogy.

[iam416]

So, I think with HARBAUGH!!!!! you end up seeing some weaknesses that didn't manifest themselves at Stanford or SF. You also had M in the same division as UFM. The problem with that is that it exacerbated what I still think is his biggest weakness -- recruiting at an elite level.

I think M is far better situated than Tennessee and Nebraska. I think they're probably more like Oklahoma. The question remains, though, as to whether M has the institutional ability to right the ship.

[Hannibal]

We are better situation than Nebraska, but not Tennessee. We're similar to Tennessee when it comes to fan base size, tradition, and access to regional talent. We have a mediocre backyard and we have to split it with MSU, and being next to Ohio hasn't done shit for us lately.

The next coach needs to make getting back into Ohio a priority.

[lineygoblue]

The state of Michigan used to turn out some very good football talent. The Saginaw Valley Conference that took in Flint, Pontiac, Saginaw, Bay City and Midland used to be one of the toughest football conferences in the Midwest. Today, the teams from Pontiac Central, Flint Central, Flint Northern and Flint Northwestern no longer exist. Those schools are closed. Its rumored that Saginaw High is on the chopping block soon as well. Saginaw High was one of the toughest football programs in the state for years. If you could beat those guys, you could beat anyone.

The state of Michigan's has been losing population for decades, and that talent isn't as plentiful as it used to be. Whatever talent we do have is mostly being scooped up by others. The Ohio connection needs to be re-established, but I don't know of anyone out there who could make that happen. I thought Harbaugh was that guy, but he's pretty much surrendered Ohio.

Whatever is going to happen, needs to happen this week. Harbaugh needs to sign his contract extension or move on. I don't care which he chooses at this point because the leadership on State Street doesn't care about the program anymore. Just get it over with.

[Mike]

I propose dropping to non-scholarship Division III and playing an annual rivalry game with Slippery Rock. Admission will be 2 non-perishable food items and the roster will be comprised only of players who got into the school on their own.

[lineygoblue]

I propose dropping to non-scholarship Division III and playing an annual rivalry game with Slippery Rock. Admission will be 2 non-perishable food items and the roster will be comprised only of players who got into the school on their own.

I know this is spoken if humor, but I get the impression that a large number of folks within the university's leadership would like to see Michigan continue its progress to being a lesser football school, and become more like the Ivy League, competitively.

I believe Yale has a stadium that can hold 61K people, but they are lucky to draw 30K for even their biggest games. I think there are folks in Ann Arbor that would be fine with a similar situation at Michigan.

[Mike]

I'm only half joking at this point.

[lineygoblue]

If 2021 is another middling season, I think the sale of season tickets is going to start taking a hit.

The people who want the football program to be strong aren't going to keep plunking down the seat license and ticket money to watch Michigan lose to Purdue and Indiana. I have to believe that the folks who watch the game from behind the windows are going to be less enthusiastic about buying those seats as well.

Maybe some serious change will happen when that money starts to dry up. But, television money, and Nike money goes a long way in paying the bills, and that money is there no matter now bad the team sucks.

[Tom W]

So, I think with HARBAUGH!!!!! you end up seeing some weaknesses that didn't manifest themselves at Stanford or SF. You also had M in the same division as UFM. The problem with that is that it exacerbated what I still think is his biggest weakness -- recruiting at an elite level.

I think M is far better situated than Tennessee and Nebraska. I think they're probably more like Oklahoma. The question remains, though, as to whether M has the institutional ability to right the ship.

I don't think recruiting is as big of an issue as his inability to develop the talent that he's brought in mold it into a robust team product. He's gotten plenty of talent, but it's shocking how many times his teams have gotten shellshocked and ended up getting blown out of games. I daresay that his teams "gave up" on numerous occasions. That's bad coaching and nobody expected to see that. It's debatable whether this was a hidden weakness or if something just sort of "snapped" along the way. But that's also why this program isn't necessarily lost- YET. Just decent, not elite, coaches don't lose to pathetic MSU and Penn State teams, get blown away by Wisconsin, need triple overtime against Rutgers and they don't spend the second half begging for mercy from the Buckeyes.

You do have a good point about institutional ability. I haven't had any faith in the Presidents, Regents or Athletic department since Bo and Canham were running the show.