It Feels Like Jim Harbaugh Beat Ohio State And Is Now Running Away While He Can
That's what it feels like, doesn't it? Ohio State dropped 62 points on Harbaugh in 2018, and he vowed never to play there again. Only gave up 56 the following year at home, cowarded out in '20, won in '21, and now he needs to get out before losing another 500 straight times. And that's not just me saying it as an Ohio State fan. Our resident Michigan blogger Chris Castellani said it well this morning in his piece titled The Jim Harbaugh Era At Michigan Should Be Remembered As A Disappointment.
Some of my favorite lines:
He was National Coach Of The Year in 2021 after exceeding expectations. Those expectations were low mainly because, in the previous year, Harbaugh was the architect of one of the five worst seasons in Michigan football history in 2020.
When Jim Harbaugh took over in December 2014, would you have been happy knowing he would go 1-5 against the Buckeyes and 3-4 against the Spartans with one Big Ten title in seven years?
On separate occasions, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Florida, and Indiana beat Michigan by three scores or more. Yes, last year was incredible, but last year didn't erase six years' worth of painful losses. It just made them hurt a lot less.
Those are just facts. And another fact is that I cannot take this season from Jim Harbaugh. Michigan beat us, won the Big Ten Championship, and made it to the College Football Playoff. There's nothing I can say until next year.....and now Jim Harbaugh isn't giving me that chance. I agree with his move. He took Michigan to the best season he could possibly take them to, and now he's out. 6 years of failure but leaving on a high note on your own terms is the best way to leave the best possible legacy can. How else would he exit? Because he lost to his rivals for another 5 years until Michigan decides to part ways with him? No, this is a genius strategic move by Harbaugh to get out now and look like he's moving upwards, just like it was a genius strategic move to use covid to cancel the 2020 game in Columbus.
The fact of the matter is that Jim Harbaugh is a big loss for the Buckeyes. We'll truly miss him.
Wow. If he didn't beat Ohio State this year, his tenure at Michigan would be looked at as an epic failure. But he did, and now he's got to get out while he can at least trick people that he's on top.
And let me say this….I am VERY interested to see who Michigan gets to replace him. That is not a good job, and everyone knows it. I bet they hire from within. Blah.