Dude --- this isn't the first time you're going off on these PSU tangents in response to me. Come on.
As I've said before and is well-established, I DO root for Michigan as my 2nd favorite team (it was my childhood favorite team). Admittedly I boycotted yesterday's game, didn't turn on the TV til 3:30 because of the bizarre circumstances of needing to root for Ohio State (I can't do that).
Anyway, the "he still hasn't not enough time" rationale is weak IMO. What Harbaugh inherited really wasn't that bad at all. Tons of residual talent on the 2015 & 2016 teams that were Hoke recruits. Just in the last 10 years, 5 coaches have won a MNC within their 3rd year on the job. That means it has happened in 50% of the last 10 seasons!!! Urban Meyer twice, Les Miles once, Gene Chizik once, and Nick Saban once. There was enough talent, IMO, on this team to be the 2nd best in the nation. Instead they're 3rd best --- by the conference records --- in their division. It's fair to say "I expected better."
FWIW, Michigan does have a couple tough road games next year. PSU and Wisconsin will both be Top 20 teams. I think a fair standard for Harbaugh next year is: at minimum, beat Ohio State or win a road game against a team that finishes in the Top 20. He'll get his chances.
I'm unimpressed by your analysis, this was a team in utter disarray when Harbaugh took over, you've said nothing to dissuade me other than talk about other coaches with very different teams winning championships in their second years. I was at Hoke's last home game vs. Maryland, the team was a disaster on special teams, in the running game, passing the ball, linebacker, etc. If Hoke had come back, UM would have been a 4-8 type of team, at best (losses at Minnesota, Indiana, Penn State, would have been assured along with their other three losses).
They had no viable QB on their team when Harbaugh took over last year. You likely did not attend the UM spring game that year (I did) when they could not move the ball a yard and could not complete a foward pass. By the end of Harbaugh's first year they had arguably the hottest Big 10 QB whom Harbaugh personally recruited for a one year stint. I could repeat a similar pattern at a number of other positions (WRs and OL come right to mind). Speight is a perfect example of doing a lot with little, he was an after thought as a recruit and has developed, arguably, into a second team All Big 10 QB. No, we don't have a Tim Tebow, Cam Newton, or Braxton Miller or a JT Barrett talent just waiting to be groomed into a NC champion.
I never said, "He hasn't had enough time", what I said essentially is he did not have talent or skill developed at many of the key offensive positions. They've done well with a mediocre line that, like their linebackers last year, had lots of high school press clippings, but never developed beyond mediocrity. That's not necessarily his fault, given his track record with other lines, it's likely a talent deficit. The running back situation is much the same. It's getting better, but we had a five star RB leave this summer because, again, he simply wasn't good enough. Harbaugh has brought a huge shift in the culture here, when he has his talent in place, I suspect the holes will finally be filled.
In the end, I'm really pleased at the progress of this program, it's brightest days are ahead. I'd also note that most of those teams, maybe aside from Auburn, did not have to face an Alabama-like, perennial top-three program as their main rival. That, I will plead, will take some time to match in terms of talent. UM is getting there quickly, but hasn't arrived quite yet.
I don't have any personal animus against you, I've been posting on this board for about 20 years, prior to it joining Rivals, so I'm not looking to make a bunch of BFFs of rival fans. Glad to have you most of the time, but I'm going to treat you like the fan of a rival you are, a competitor of my beloved alma mater!
