So is Harbaugh officially on the hot seat yet?

[gamecockcat]

After posting yet another disappointing season and getting blown out by a Bama team that surely wasn't playing at full strength, is Harbaugh truly on the hot seat? While winning 9 games or so every year is not shabby, it can't be what Michigan envisioned when they hired him. Add to that the horrible record vs OSU (including multiple blowouts) and the powers that be at Michigan are surely starting to wonder exactly what they're getting with the money they're throwing at Harbaugh.

Closer to home, is Malzhan finally being exposed as an average to above average coach and nothing more? No excuse to be dominated (statistically, anyway) by Minnesota who has no local recruiting base and no tradition within the past 40 years. Seems like he's been on the verge of being on the hot seat but survives with a big win (ala, Iron Bowl this year). But, bottom line, he, like Harbaugh, is topping out at 9 wins a year and I'm not sure that's acceptable much longer to Auburn fans.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

He Gone

 

[K_TIME]

1. Harbaugh has been less than expectations at Michigan...but he's not been terrible and he's done better than Brady Hoke, Rich Rod, etc.. before him. So I'm not 100% sure what they do there.
2. I don't get why Malzahn is on any hot seat. Is it that big of a deal to lose an exhibition bowl game? We see all kinds of teams that just don't get up for these games when they miss on playoffs. (Another reason to like Stoops as his teams have been up for bowl games IMO).
- He just beat Saban for 3rd time (4th if you give him credit for Cam Newton season)
- Auburn is the only team to really push LSU to the wire (Bama was close in the end but LSU had a solid lead most of that game).

Again, if you fire Gus you can easily go backwards with the next hire. I think Malzahn is a really good (but not elite) coach. Who is the coach they can get at Auburn who we believe is better?

 

[Comebakatz3]

Malzhan continues to beat Alabama somewhat regularly... that will continue to buy him some time.

 

[gamecockcat]

1. Harbaugh has been less than expectations at Michigan...but he's not been terrible and he's done better than Brady Hoke, Rich Rod, etc.. before him. So I'm not 100% sure what they do there.
2. I don't get why Malzahn is on any hot seat. Is it that big of a deal to lose an exhibition bowl game? We see all kinds of teams that just don't get up for these games when they miss on playoffs. (Another reason to like Stoops as his teams have been up for bowl games IMO).
- He just beat Saban for 3rd time (4th if you give him credit for Cam Newton season)
- Auburn is the only team to really push LSU to the wire (Bama was close in the end but LSU had a solid lead most of that game).

Again, if you fire Gus you can easily go backwards with the next hire. I think Malzahn is a really good (but not elite) coach. Who is the coach they can get at Auburn who we believe is better?

I didn't say that Auburn fans are logical . This year's victory surely comes with an asterisk. Tua-led Bama team beats Auburn and the extra play AU got to run to kick a FG due to refs screwup. Kick 6 is one of those ridiculous flukes. But, they have beaten Bama more regularly than any other SEC program. But, they also seem to lay a big egg at least once a season and lose to a clearly inferior opponent. Haven't been to the CFP. I think Malzahn gets a lot of pub for his offensive 'genius' but I don't see it. He takes a lot of chances where it's unnecessary, imo, and they don't always work out. Auburn just seems like a program that SHOULD be pushing for the SECW more often than they have. I'm sure their fans feel that way, too.

I agree that it's entirely possible they take a step or two back if they fire Malzahn, at least initially. I also believe that there are a decent number of coaches who could win 8-9 games every year at Auburn just like Gus.

 

[OHIO COLONEL]

Malzahn to me is much like Mark Richt at UGA. Good for 8+ wins a year with the occasional 'big' year...but seems to never get over the hump...lose that unexpected game...can't/doesn't win the big one.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Word around these parts is that the job is his as long as he wants to be there. He won’t be fired.

All I ever hear these people say is “Is there a candidate out there that’s better?”

Kinda like what some people say with Calipari. Except Harbaugh has literally done nothing.

 

[ukalum1988]

I really do like how we have established a true beachhead in Michigan for FB recruiting, even with Harbaugh as the HC of the flagship school in the state. I pretty much agree with @K_TIME; I can’t imagine MI canning Harbaugh and immediately hire the guy who’s gonna start winning recruiting battles and on the field vs OSU. IOW, I’m cool with the status quo of Harbaugh as HC.

 

[TBCat]

Michigan would be crazy to get rid of him. I'm not sure about his contract details but it would have to be expensive as hell to do so. Then you have to spend at least as much on the next and you'll likely get the same results. Look we can talk about Harbaugh being a disappointment but only to a point. He's consistently winning 8 to 10 games every year. His greatest crime is not being about to beat Ohio State but I don't know if the next guy they hire can do that either.

 

[UKFlounder]

How does Harbaugh at Michigan compare to Les Miles at LSU?

obviously, Miles won a national title, which perhaps increased pressure on the coach instead of buying him time, but after a few “good but not great” seasons after the title, he kept losing to Alabama and eventually was fired. The new coach came in and beat Bama in only a couple of years.

 

[Jamal Mercer]

Michigan would be crazy to get rid of him. I'm not sure about his contract details but it would have to be expensive as hell to do so. Then you have to spend at least as much on the next and you'll likely get the same results. Look we can talk about Harbaugh being a disappointment but only to a point. He's consistently winning 8 to 10 games every year. His greatest crime is not being about to beat Ohio State but I don't know if the next guy they hire can do that either.

Michigan fans have a delusional feeling toward their program. In reality Michigan is doing what they’ve always done, win around 10 games. But, unfortunately, they used to beat Ohio State every now and again. I saw that Harbaugh is also 0-12 in games where they are the underdog. Something like that anyway. Which means they aren’t just losing to Ohio State, they are basically losing any big game they play in.

 

[CatPowered]

Losing to Bama won't get him fired.....Losing to OSU will!!!

 

[THEbluebones]

After posting yet another disappointing season and getting blown out by a Bama team that surely wasn't playing at full strength, is Harbaugh truly on the hot seat? While winning 9 games or so every year is not shabby, it can't be what Michigan envisioned when they hired him. Add to that the horrible record vs OSU (including multiple blowouts) and the powers that be at Michigan are surely starting to wonder exactly what they're getting with the money they're throwing at Harbaugh.

Closer to home, is Malzhan finally being exposed as an average to above average coach and nothing more? No excuse to be dominated (statistically, anyway) by Minnesota who has no local recruiting base and no tradition within the past 40 years. Seems like he's been on the verge of being on the hot seat but survives with a big win (ala, Iron Bowl this year). But, bottom line, he, like Harbaugh, is topping out at 9 wins a year and I'm not sure that's acceptable much longer to Auburn fans.

One huge difference between Harbaugh and Malzahn. Harbaugh is 0-13 against top 15 ranked teams while coaching Michigan. That is atrocious especially considering he is recruiting at a top 7-10 level annually. Malzahn HAS been able to get those all important wins against top 15 teams quite regularly. His problem is playing in the SEC he has to face many more top ranked than Harbaugh at Michigan and his teams tend to lose focus at least once/twice a year.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

I thought Harbaugh would be better at Michigan, needless to say Mich people thought so too when they gave him the contract.

Gud is 5-10 against his 2 biggest rivals, Bama and UGA. He won 2 of those on fluke plays at the end of the game the year AU lost to FSU in a BCS championship game. AU fans are not happy with that, but that big contract he signed kind of handcuffs them.

But they have a good frosh QB, providing Gus doesn't ruin him, bringing in a good signing class, but they are losing a bunch off their defense this year. He loses 5 every even number year, 20 is an even number.

 

[JDHoss]

I used to work with a (the)o$u grad who was when Harbaugh was hired. Now he's if you ask him about Harbaugh.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Losing to Bama won't get him fired.....Losing to OSU will!!!

How many victories against OSU has Harbaugh had? (hint: its equal to zero)

This many losses in the past to their rival would have canned the coach, but Harbaugh has been given much more rope than most. And, I think he will be given more.

 

[westlex1]

Harbaugh’s seat is getting hot. Pretty crazy considering his 9-4 season and his 3 other 10-3 seasons he’s had. But schools (and fanbases) can be pretty stupid and emotional when it comes to sports. I’m no different and neither are most of the rest of us on here. Hell....we lose a few basketball games early in the season and we begin talking ridiculousness. Sports bring out the primal in us. Amusing when it happens at other schools, but not kentucky

 

[Smashcat]

This isn’t encouraging.

 

[KyCatFan]

He's the equivalent of an Elite 8 basketball coach at a school that expects championship contenders. He has Tubby Smith like numbers minus the championship. Tubby at least won the SEC half the time he was here. Harbaugh has only came in tied for first once in his division You see how the UK fans were ready for a change and he knew it and bailed on us. You have to think the Michigan fans are going to grow tired of HARBAUGH as well if they haven't already.

 

[Tskware]

Michigan may need to look at the slightly longer range view, i.e., the Wolverines have not beaten a top 15 ranked opponent away from Ann Arbor since 2008. Over ten years, and which started long before Jim Harbaugh was the coach. And Ohio State is recruiting at a national level way beyond any other Big 10 program, so no one else is going to come in there and do a whole lot better, at least in the short run. They are beating ND, Mich State, Iowa, i.e., the other good benchmark programs they play regularly, so again, it is hard to see a realistic candidate they could hire that would be sure to do better.

 

[THE_OAK]

I hope they keep him forever, so we can keep our pipeline in Michigan flowing.

 

[Mojocat]

I guess the obvious retort if you’re inclined to support Harbaugh (or just give Michigan fans a hard time) is to ask how the previous coaches did as an underdog, vs OSU, etc.

In the AP Poll era, Michigan has 3 National titles, 2 of them in the 1940s. Why should hey expect to contend for titles if they’ve won exactly one in the last 70 years?