Harbaugh Fails To Live Up To Hype...So Far
Jim Harbaugh.
The temperamental-quarterback guru and "savior" for the Michigan Wolverines didn't bring much to the table last night other than his patent khakis on the sideline.
The season is just about over for the Wolverines after losing the opening game 24-17 to the Utah Utes on Thursday night.
This is not to say his entire career at Michigan is going to be a failure after just one game, but this season is essentially done.
The team can still put together a good year. It's possible Michigan can make a run for a conference title, but with all the hype during the off-season, a loss in the opening game is very anti-climactic.
The story for the complete off-season was that Harbaugh, a former quarterback at Michigan, is going to make his triumphant return to Ann Arbor and lead the team to glory.
That all ended in just one game.
It would have been interesting for the team to win its first five or six games so the headlines could all read, "Can Harbaugh Really Lead The Team To A Championship?"
But that's over...after one game.
From this point on, the story goes from Harbaugh the savior, to can Harbaugh redeem himself?
As opposed to the NFL, if a team loses one game during the season, it becomes extremely tough to make a case for the playoffs.
Nick Saban, the Alabama head coach, has said many times in the past, there's more pressure week in and week out as a big name in college football because every single game matters. If you lose one game, your championship aspirations could be over.
If we were all being realistic with Michigan and the talent on the team, nobody was picking them to even make it to the four-team playoff, but with all the hype surrounding Harbaugh, anything less was going to be a disappointment, at least in the eyes of the media and fans.
If Harbaugh remained in the NFL and lost the opening game, it's not a headline.
That's the difference between the pressures of college football and the NFL.
Again, this is not to say his career is over at Michigan. In fact, Harbaugh lost his first game at both San Diego and Stanford before turning both of those organizations around, but the coach dropped from the high pedestal he was on and now has to climb his way back up.
For those who watched the game last night, did you happen to see Harbaugh take a jab at the San Francisco 49ers?
Take a look at this:
Harbaugh with a not-so-subtle jab at the #49ers? pic.twitter.com/7Jun33EaZS
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattCSN) September 4, 2015
Of all things he could have put on the sign, he chose the Seattle Seahawks. Sorry Niners fans, but it looks like this man holds a grudge.
One last note from Thursday night's game.
Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock went 27-43 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Harbaugh is supposed to be a quarterback guru, right?
Good luck with that quarterback, Coach Harbaugh.