Michigan Football, 2021 Season

[paul daugherity]

I don’t think the Covid year had a huge impact on the decision about Harbaugh. I hear people like Webb and Balas saying this was just an off year and people are upset because this year - and only this year - was a bad year. They are ignoring the trend since 2018 vs OSU, and acting as if this year was in a vacuum and just weird. I fully believe that is how Warde and the decision makers looked at it. So if UM went 2-7, they would brush it off as an odd year.

I disagree with them, and fully expect a losing season next year. Harbaugh has demonstrated that he is a disorganized manager. I don’t see that magically changing overnight.

[Hannibal]

I don’t think the Covid year had a huge impact on the decision about Harbaugh. I hear people like Webb and Balas saying this was just an off year and people are upset because this year - and only this year - was a bad year. They are ignoring the trend since 2018 vs OSU, and acting as if this year was in a vacuum and just weird. I fully believe that is how Warde and the decision makers looked at it. So if UM went 2-7, they would brush it off as an odd year.

I disagree with them, and fully expect a losing season next year. Harbaugh has demonstrated that he is a disorganized manager. I don’t see that magically changing overnight.

I think that Covid may have indirectly saved Harbaugh's job by eliminating losses against Maryland, Iowa, and OSU,. and more importantly, by insulating him and Manuel from the national embarrassment of Michigan stadium loudly booing him and the team.

If full crowds are allowed in the stadium next year, the booing of Coach Harbaugh will be loud, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear some lough "fire Harbaugh" chants.

[Hannibal]

I see us going 4-8 or maybe 3-9 next year. There aren't many wins on the schedule for a poorly coached recreational JV football team. WMU and NIU are likely wins. Rutgers is a tossup. Everything else either leans to loss or is a 100% guaranteed loss.

[THE_WIZARD_]

7-5...easy win in Lincoln...a non conf sweep...Rutgers...MSU...Merryland...

C'mon man

[paul daugherity]

Hmmm. They had to go to OT to beat Rutgers. MSU beat them and Maryland would have. I would not put those in the W column.

i still think Harbaugh would be back even if they played all of the games this year. I think Warde wanted him back, but this is all just guesswork, so who knows.

[lineygoblue]

Here's the 2021 schedule. Hard to see a .500 season, but I suppose over achievement is possible.

9-4 ... WMU
9-11 .. Washington Huskies
9-18... Northern Illinois
9-25... Rutgers (HC)
10-2... At Wisconsin
10-9... At Indiana
10-16.. MSU (Home?? really?? 2 years in a row?)
Bye
10-30.. At Nebraska (Do I go and sample the 7th best wings in Nebraska?)
11-6 .. Northwestern
11-13.. At PSU
11-20.. At Maryland
11-27.. OSU

.....

WMU is probably a win, Washington is a loss. NIU is probably a win.
Rutgers? We needed OT to beat them in 2020.
At Wisconsin and Indiana? .. Permanent ink losses.
MSU .. Tossup at best
At Nebraska ... Its a big ten road game. Loss.
Northwestern and PSU ... losses. Both are better coached.
At Maryland .. See Nebraska
OSU ... LOL.. Won't even be competitive. Michigan has surrendered.

....

3-9 is not out of the question. A winning record will be over achieving

[WM Wolverine]

Harbaugh has yet to develop a QB, the talent at RB, WR should be solid to very good next season. The OL will be a year older and with Warinner more than a year better. That leaves a gaping hole at QB and I'm not that excited about either Milton or McNamara. McNamara looks good enough to be a game manager and give M a higher floor at QB than 2020...

Defense needs to improve in the defensive backfield, there is a talent issue there that will be hard to scheme around, M misses on every corner in recruiting and isn't even getting their plan B's. Green improved after game 1, but they have zero after him. They've recruited well elsewhere but NT to compete with everyone but the Buckeyes.

Bigger issue is who is Don Brown's successor and who coaches under him. If he new DC comes from John Harbaugh's tree I'm impressed as I've always liked John more as a football mind. Way too early to project 2021 not knowing whose the DC/defensive coaches, any transfers, etc. M isn't losing a ton in departures, at least not yet. They are positioned pretty well for a rebound to 8 wins.

[froot loops]

They are pulling Jeff back in.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Nope ...... read my posts in this thread carefully. I'll respond with my opinion when asked but rarely post. The only recent post in this thread is the link to Harbaugh's contract details. I did that to offer a lead in to my through condemnation of Harbaugh's extension.

I've made it perfectly clear that if I were the AD JH should probably been fired after the MSU game, for sure after the PSU game. Leadership collapse.

I don't remember when I joined World Crossing but it was long time ago. My Avatar has alway been the M football helmet with the #24* on the side - where it was when Ron Johnson wore it playing RB in 1966 - my first year at M. My Mom and Dad drove me to Ann Arbor and East Quad. Ron Johnson, who I had no idea who he was at the time, came to our car and helped me carry my stuff up to my dorm room. I'll never forget that. We said a few things back and forth, no mention of football, but after I had my stuff in the dorm room, my new room mate, Terry Halverson asked me, do you know who that was? No, I said. Sure was nice of him to help. That's when he told me it was M's star running back. Instant hero. Instant life-long connection to M football ..... until now. I'm done anticipating the start of every football season since 1966, every Saturday as it approached, hours spent researching opponents, learning about strengths and weaknesses devouring insider information on M football, studying play books and doing post game analysis, spending hundreds of dollars, nay, thousands buying tickets and traveling to wherever and whenever M played. IOW being obsessed with it.

Look at my avatar that I put up after learning Harbaugh had signed an extension. I abandoned a symbol for me of excellence and determination. That's gone and Jim Harbaugh is more responsible for that than any of the former coaches since LC. His behavior in the last month with regard to his future employment would make Bo sick. Bo may not have fired him under the conditions I would have and for reasons having to do with that he's a Michigan man, but I am absolutely certain he would not have tolerated what Jim did nor given him an opportunity to coach at M after his dalliance with the NFL. Period. Full-stop.

I liked Bo a lot. A man worth emulating. So, I am even though it's in spirit.

* Ron Johnson actually wore #23 but I couldn't find an M winged helmet with that number on it small enough to use as an avatar.

[froot loops]

Ok Jeff I apologize, but I kind of still think you will come around. It's OK not to prepare like you have, to be honest that stuff was impressive but kind of overkill in my eyes. Most fans go through stages where they have coaches that need to be fired and you have to endure the shit until it turns around.

I laugh about Harbaugh and have fun with it with you guys but he can turn it around. He is not going 3 and 9 next year.

[paul daugherity]

Froot, what makes you think Harbaugh can turn it around? Seriously, that is not a sarcastic or trolling question. I’d like to know what you see that I am missing. Also, what do you mean by, or consider, turning it around? UM might not go 3-9, but they are also not going to go 12-0 and are not beating OSU, so I’d like to know how you qualify it.

[froot loops]

I think you will be helped a.bunch by not having Don Brown, he was awful all the time. I never got the infatuation with him. I think Harbaugh is going to want to prove the doubters wrong. I always talk about having an underdog mentality in here and this is maybe where they show some of it.

I'd say 10-2 or 9-3. Right now I don't think 12-0 is actually an attainablle record any time soon no matter who you have as coach unless it is Urban.

[WingsFan]

It's January after a disastrous year, Covid and no wins over Ohio State in 6 years . Most all Michigan fans are frustrated and angry. Give it 8 months and a good start and I guarantee you they' will all be coming back. As for me 8-4 have to lower your expectations to get any enjoyment out of it at all. Now that dantonio is gone, I don't even hate Michigan state that much. Mel Tucker seems like a fairly stand-up guy.

College football is nowhere near as fun as it used to be, with the same four or five teams making the playoffs every year I knew it would come to this with playoffs. The bowls don't mean shit. I used believe it was the only Sport with the playoff was the regular season. Yeah I know I'm in the minority I was in the minority when I didn't want a playoff, oh well so be it.

[lineygoblue]

Wings, I don't know how you see 8 wins with that schedule. OOC, they're no better than 2-1. Washington is going to smash them.

Everybody on the conference schedule can beat them. There are no soft spots in the conference schedule. Indiana whipped Michigan this year, in Ann Arbor. Rutgers took them to overtime. Northwestern played for the B1G title. Maryland has an excellent coach, and just wrapped up one of their best recruiting seasons since Boomer went there. PSU and cryin' James Franklin continues to recruit well. Even MSU beat Michigan in 2020, and they had no business doing so.

I just don't see those 8 wins. I think they'll be fortunate to get 5.

[froot loops]

I wouldn't get too caught up in this season for prediction purposes.