A Big House Divided

This may seem like an odd topic to discuss for a team that is currently sitting at 8-1 and still has a chance for not only a conference title, but a playoff berth as well. I promise you though, there is some merit here. 

The Michigan faithful are, and have been, divided on Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. I will be transparent and say that I never wanted Harbaugh at Michigan. I understood why so many did; his ties to the program and Bo Schembechler, his success at Stanford and San Francisco. To me though, his offensive style was from a by-gone era, one that was better suited for the analytical nature of the NFL. I'm a modern Michigan fan, I believe in the spread offense, I like alternate uniforms, and I don't even care if they change the helmet for a game or two a year. I don't worship at the altar of Bo Schembechler and I believe three yards and a cloud of dust only leads to a lot of punts. Nothing about Harbaugh appealed to me. None the less he was hired, and admittedly he's turned the program around from where Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke had it (the bar wasn't very high). Michigan is back to where they were at the end of Lloyd Carr's tenure, on the surface at least, a 9 win team and a loss to Ohio State. And that's where the debate begins.

Harbaugh was hired for a reason, to bring the program back from the abyss that Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke took it too and to beat Michigan State and Ohio State on a consistent basis; the latter of which has only happened twice since the sweater vest Jim Tressell was hired at OSU in 2001. At both Michigan and Ohio State, a coach’s job and players legacies are often based on how they perform in "The Game." Jim Harbaugh knows this better than most, he played quarterback for Michigan and in 1986 he guaranteed they would beat Ohio State - and backed it up. Since becoming the head coach at Michigan however, he is currently sitting at 0-5 vs the Buckeyes. Adding to the misery, after starting off 3-2 vs Michigan State he's now lost two in a row to new Spartan Head Coach Mel Tucker. A 3-9 record vs Michigan's two biggest rivals with a date with Ohio State left this year, that many have penciled in a W for the Buckeyes, has left many to doubt whether or not Harbaugh should still be the guy at the helm, myself included. 

There are 2 major, or at least loud, factions in the Michigan fan base on social media and the message boards right now. You have the Harbaugh out people, people like myself who hold our coach and program to a fairly high standard and can not only see, but also admit when they're not meeting those standards. And to be more partial, we tend to be a bit more dramatic and reactionary. And then there are the Michigan traditionalists, the elitists if you will, who still see Harbaugh as Bo's guy. They will often excuse his record vs Ohio State and Michigan State and compare his overall record to Brady Hoke and Rich Rod. They will also call the Harbaugh out folks not "real fans" for not supporting the coach. They are the human piñatas, they keep taking hits yet spit out candy. 

The battle lines were drawn when Harbaugh was hired, over the last 7 seasons I've watched them shift more towards my side then that of the Harbaugh elitists. 

Harbaugh is 57-23 at Michigan, a more than respectable 71% win percentage. But when you break it down to who he wins against, a narrative starts to form. Harbaugh is 2-13 vs top 10 opponents, he's 55-10 vs everyone else. He's 36-8 vs all Big Ten teams not named Michigan State or Ohio State, but that 3-9 vs them is too bright to see past.  His teams do very well against the middle of the road to bottom teams in college football, but when the big games come around, Harbaugh's Wolverines forget to show up more often than not. For reference, Lloyd Carr, who was let go following the 2007 season, had a 20-8 record against teams in the top 10. That little fact dispels the argument that Harbaugh's record is in line with Carr's, or that these Michigan teams are comparable to Michigan teams of the past. 

Now most of us didn't expect Harbaugh to be on par with Carr's record vs top 10 teams. Not with the teams he inherited, however a .500 record or somewhere close should always be the expectation. Bo Schembechler, who is revered, heck practically worshipped, by many Michigan faithful (I am not among them) was 16-19-1 vs top 10 teams. That's around the percentage that should have been expected of Harbaugh and really the bare minimum for a head Coach at Michigan. Harbaugh has 2 wins, a 13 win percentage. Michigan's fight song says "the leaders and the best," not the leaders of the rest. 

For the last two decades I've witnessed a fracturing of the Michigan fan base that goes even deeper than Harbaugh. There are many, who are the epitome of the elitists that dream of past glories and want to relive them. They view the term 'Michigan Man" as meaning one of "Bo's guys" or has ties to the program. Which is interesting considering their ultimate Michigan Man was first a Buckeye. Any change they reject, and if the team doesn't look like it did in the 70's and 80's then they are not for it. 

On the other hand there are us moderns. We enjoy the history of Michigan football, I grew up in the 90's with Tim Biakabutuka, Brian Griese and Charles Woodson. It was a fun time, but we realize that the game has changed. There is a higher emphasis on the passing game today, and spreading defenses out. Recruiting has changed, it's more of a show now days. The prestige of coming to such an elite academic institution no longer holds the weight it once did. In the words of former Buckeye quarterback Cardale Jones, "we ain't come to play school."

When a regime has come to its end, when it no longer has the relevance it once did, it's often necessary to burn it to the ground and start anew. It's long past the time to let the old guard of the Michigan faithful wither away and start fresh. Jim Harbaugh is part of that old guard, he's a relic of the 80's style of football that was bestowed upon him by Bo and Mike Ditka after going to the NFL. Michigan needs to adapt, or continue to watch the team get past by the likes of the Michigan States and Ohio States of the world leading to their eventual death. We can't let the future of Michigan football be dictated to by those who are stuck in the past. 

Michigan is 8-1, why in the world am I talking about a regime change during a season that most people would look at as successful so far? Michigan's eight wins are against opponents who have a combined record of 34-40. The sole loss for the Wolverines came 2 weeks ago against 8-1 Michigan State, a game where they blew a 16 point lead late in the 3rd quarter, another top 10 and rivalry loss. This goes back to the narrative, beating the also rans but losing to quality opponents. 

Proponents of keeping Harbaugh use the years prior to Harbaugh's arrival as a reason for keeping him, we could sign another Rich Rod or Hoke, it could be worse. That isn't a defense of Harbaugh though, it's an argument based on fear and a lack of faith in the administration's ability to hire someone better. It's spineless, it's a narrative reserved for those who just go about their daily life, never taking a chance nor achieving anything. It's no wonder they love Harbaugh so much, they are the Harbaugh's of the real world. Yes the coaching carousel is a risk, but the question that is often ask by the elitists is who could replace Harbaugh and do better? Well obviously Mel Tucker could, and who would have predicted that 2 years ago? We don't know what we don't know, unfortunately with Harbaugh, I think it's safe to say we know. His ceiling in this program has most certainly been reached. 

Michigan has 3 games left on the season, an away match against Penn State this weekend followed by a road trip vs Maryland. And then there is the annual, end of the year meeting with #4 Ohio State. It's yet another opportunity for Harbaugh to change the narrative of his career and shut the naysayers like myself up. He almost certainly won't be fired even if he finishes 9-3, not with the expectations that Michigan had going into the year - but the clock is ticking closer to midnight for him and his tenure. We haven't struck the match yet, but I can assure you that the gasoline has been laid down.