Change My Mind: Jim Harbaugh
Today’s Take: Jim Harbaugh is the most over-rated coach in college football.
The Argument: Let’s keep this short and sweet…just look at the facts. The reason why Harbaugh gets credit for being a great coach is he has a great record. Under Harbaugh, the Wolverines have notched a .731 winning percentage, which is the 10th best in FBS since Harbaugh took over in Ann Arbor.
Even Harbaugh himself is perplexed by these numbers.
But, that’s far from the whole story; that’s a lot more about who Michigan doesn’t beat under Harbaugh. Here’s the cold hard facts:
FACT: Under Harbaugh, Michigan has never appeared in the B1G Ten Championship Game
FACT: In four seasons under Harbaugh, Michigan has three 3rd-place or worse finishes in the Big Ten East.
FACT: In the Harbaugh Era, Michigan has a 2-7 record against traditional rivals Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State
FACT: Against those three traditional rivals, Michigan is 0-4 at home under Harbaugh.
FACT: Since Harbaugh became Michigan’s head coach, the Wolverines have a 1-9 mark against teams ranked in the Top 10: the last five losses by an average of 20.6 points per game.
FACT: Harbaugh’s Wolverines are 1-3 in bowl games. They’ve lost three straight; the most recent being a 3-touchdown-plus seal-clubbing at the hands of the Florida Gators.
Having said all that, the most problematic fact for Harbaugh is being the first Michigan coach to lose his first four games against the school’s biggest rival, Ohio State. Not only does not doing well in this rivalry bode badly for head coaches on either side (just ask John Cooper or Lloyd Carr), but this is a particularly bad time to be hanging up an “0-fer.” Michigan has lost seven straight to the Buckeyes; the most recent being another 3-touchdown-plus seal-clubbing.
In an era when Michigan has only beaten Ohio State three times in this century, and they are selling shirts like the one above in Columbus, you have to believe that if Jim Harbaugh doesn’t notch a “W” against the Buckeyes this year, his job is going to be in serious jeopardy.
Despite all that, Harbaugh is constantly being lauded as one of the best coaches in college football today. I think his record at Michigan suggests he does not deserve such accolades. I also don’t think that if he goes 0-for-5 against Ohio State, he’s not going to get many more chances.
Change my mind.
Got a question, comment, or just want to yell at us? Hit us up at dubsism@yahoo.com, @Dubsism on Twitter, or on our Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook pages, and be sure to bookmark Dubsism.com so you don’t miss anything from the most interesting independent sports blog on the web.
About J-Dub
3 comments on “Change My Mind: Jim Harbaugh”
Drop Your Comments Here
The Man Behind Dubsism
Dubsism on Pinterest
Click On JoePa-Kenobi To Feel The Power Of The Jedi Photoshop Trick. Besides, you can get the best sports-related recipes ever. This is the sports-related content you are looking for.
Blog Directories
Dubsism 
Harbaugh’s latest blast was rich as well, accusing SEC coaches of “cheating.”
I’m not exactly sure what these coaches are cheating at or how they’re doing anything different from the rest of the college football elite but that last accusation came off sounding petty.
Listen, ultimately Jim from State Farm (khakis) will be judged by his record against the big boys which, as you mention, is grossly sub-par.
Urban’s gone now but his ghost lives on. If Harbaugh can’t get it done this year against the scarlet and gray, I think you’ll be hearing a lot more rumblings coming out of Ann Arbor.
LikeLike
Pingback: The J-Dub Gambling Challenge 2019: Week 8 – “Double Indemnity” | Dubsism
Pingback: The Eleventh Annual Dubsy Awards | Dubsism