Embed from Getty Images It was a Rich Rodriguez coached performance the Michigan Wolverines football team put on Saturday afternoon in Madison Wisconsin. Certainly Brady Hoke would have had his team somewhat better prepared. Not too mention, Jim Harbaugh had two weeks to get his troops ready. It looked like he took two minutes.
Out- played, out- prepared, out-coached. On offense and on defense. Why? During the offseason fans and media were told over and over, this would be a new brand of Michigan football. After all they were the Big Ten favorites, on paper.
Saturday was 60-minutes of a comprehensive failure, that has seen Jim Harbaugh hit rock bottom at the school he played at in the 1980’s. 55 games into his coaching tenure Jim Harbaugh has little to show for his efforts.
Harbaugh, brought in Josh Gattis to run the offense. Gattis promised “speed in space.” In two games Michigan’s offense had serious issues. With and extra week to get ready for the Badgers, the Wolverines offense did not improve.
Michigan was consistently blown off the ball on both sides by Wisconsin, something in Jim Harbaugh’s fifth season that simply should not happen. Harbaugh’s failure to win a marquee game is indisputable.
While Saturday’s loss will not get Harbaugh fired, he can not be trusted to build a championship team. After the game Harbaugh said it was “gut-check” time for his team. Someone in the Michigan athletic administration needs to tell the head football coach it is gut-check time.
Jim Harbaugh has lost his fire. Slamming clipboards, throwing headsets and screaming whenever he saw on-field injustices have given way to hands on knees bent over not saying much.
What is a deathblow for any coach, Jim Harbaugh appears to be uncertain, his team is reflecting that during games. Jim Harbaugh needs to find that inner fire again. His team is suffering and will not recover until he does.
Preseason Big Ten favorites on paper. But, paper does not play games, motivate players or wins championships. It does however crumble.
