Jim Harbaugh became himself again. And it paid off.
By: Jackson Pugh
When Jim Harbaugh was hired in 2015, many expected a quirky, young, fiery, often awkward leader. The man who hounds the referees after questionable calls. The man who made the bold decision to start Collin Kaepernick over Alex Smith. The man who builds his identity off of toughness and grit. And the man who guaranteed a win over Ohio State, slapped Jim Schwartz in the back, and did many other things that drew the ire of his opponents.
Early on, Michigan got that Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh began his career 19-3, with a team that built its identity on physical, smash-mouth football. Harbaugh also made headlines off the field; his satellite camps drew the ire of SEC schools. His comments on "chicken being a dirty bird" certainly turned some heads. His feud with Mark Dantonio in 2018 highlighted his "won't back down" mentality.
However, as the losses to Ohio State piled up, so did the pressure on Jim Harbaugh. Without question, seeing your name on every "hot seat" article is a great way to lose confidence. It's even worse if you entered your job with as much fanfare as Jim Harbaugh.
"The higher you climb, the harder you fall". That proverb has been retold for centuries, in many different forms. The Greek tragedy of Oedipus. The Bible's stories of Moses and Joseph. Disney's The Lion King
Oftentimes, when the king gets knocked off his throne, the shame and humiliation is too much to overcome.
It seemed like Harbaugh was headed down that path. After an embarrassing 62-39 loss to Ohio State in 2018, a game many expected him to win, many thought the camel's back was broken. The pressure mounted, and on that dreaded day, the Jim Harbaugh that arrived at Michigan was gone.
Jim Harbaugh was still on the sideline, but it was hard to tell. Lifeless, observant, coy. Harbaugh seldom argued with calls, and was much quieter in the press conferences. Michigan finished 9-4 in 2019, but came out flat in its biggest games against Wisconsin, Alabama, and Ohio State.
2020 was even worse. With the Big Ten season originally canceled, it seemed that Harbaugh could focus on his family and restore himself. Then, the season was called on at the last minute. Michigan looked lethargic, uninspired, and unenthusiastic, en route to a 2-4 finish. The worst part: all of those unpleasant adjectives could apply to Harbaugh's demeanor, both on the sidelines and in the press conference.
The once quirky, enthusiastic coach was now a shell of himself. The calls to fire him could be heard all over the Midwest. The Buckeyes had all the recruiting leverage, as Harbaugh failed to close Michigan's gap with them. It seemed like this was going to be a Greek tragedy, like Oedipus.
However, Harbaugh's story ended up being a one of redemption. Despite the ostracization, the fanbase frustration, and the trash talk from Ryan Day, Jim Harbaugh climbed back to where he was. And then, he climbed a little past that.
From 2019-2020, Michigan was not lacking quarterback talent. What they were lacking, however, was quarterback leadership. Shea Patterson was reportedly late to several practices due to playing golf. Joe Milton showed a lack of urgency in the Michigan State game, both during the game and in the press conference. These two quarterbacks failed to inspire their teammates, failed to demand more, and it was reflective of the team's 11-8 record in that two-year span.
In 2021, Harbaugh sacrificed a bit of raw talent for leadership. Cade McNamara isn't a quarterback with explosive speed, elite arm talent, or a Houdini-like ability to avoid sacks. What he is, however, is someone who commands the huddle and demands the best from his teammates.
"He's really trying to lead, he's really putting the effort in, he's not afraid to tell you when you need something or he wants something from you. So it's been nice to have. Nice change", said OT Ryan Hayes before the season.
As a result, the careless mistakes were limited, the offensive penalties were few and far between, and Michigan had one of its best offensive output in school history. A three-star running back ran for 1,288 yards and 20 touchdowns, despite many groaning about the departure of five-star Zach Charbonnet. What this says is that Harbaugh put attitude and desire over raw talent.
And this is who Harbaugh is; while the recruiting rankings may not look astounding, Harbaugh proved that gritty, silver-spoon players can triumph over the talented, high ceiling prospects. Nobody at Michigan is good enough anymore to not give 100%, and this is the type of program Harbaugh wants to build.
Jim Harbaugh's toughness was questioned, as from 2015-2020, he was just 14-14 after November. Michigan never seemed to overcome the tough losses, whether it be the Iowa game in 2016, the "trouble with the snap" game in 2015, the Penn State loss in 2019. Quite simply, Michigan was not good at responding to adversity.
On October 30, 2021, adversity hit Michigan in the face like a whipped-cream pie. The Wolverines blew a 16-point lead in the second half, and dropped a tough one to rival Michigan State. The frustration was mounting again; the Ohio State became a must-win game for Harbaugh, who was 3-9 vs. his in-conference rivals at that point.
How did Michigan respond? Beautifully, and emphatically. The Wolverines finished the season 5-0, including a 42-27 win over No.2 Ohio State. Harbaugh finally slayed the dragon, and he did it by playing smash mouth football. Michigan only threw the ball 4 times in the second half, and they needed no more. No gimmicky blitzes, no crazy coverages, just a 4-man rush and a fundamentally sound secondary.
In other words, Harbaugh did not change his identity. He didn't need gimmicks, trick plays, an "offensive revolution"; all he needed was a team that could execute his basic schemes.
During Don Brown's reign as defensive coordinator, Michigan made their money off of exotic blitzes and gimmicks. Harbaugh's switch to Mike Macdonald proved that Michigan didn't need tricks or flashiness to defeat quarterbacks; they just needed fundamentally sound play. Harbaugh's teams in San Francisco were always strong fundamentally, and finally, he went back to that emphasis this season at Michigan.
Harbaugh's staff overhaul also mirrored the bold moves he made in San Francisco, when he chose Kaepernick over Smith. Firing Brown after five years was not easy, but it was a bold business decision that paid off. Harbaugh has shifted his philosophy back to accountability, as opposed to blind loyalty.
Jim Harbaugh is fiery again. Jim Harbaugh is tough again. Jim Harbaugh is bold again. Jim Harbaugh is a fundamentals-oriented coach again, not a gimmicky one. And as a result, Jim Harbaugh is a winner again.
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