Michigan Football: Harbaugh’s Things To Do List -- Part I

Posted at 8:00am — 12/31/2014

Michigan Wolverine Football: Harbaugh’s Things To Do List — Part I

The Woods are Still a Little Dark and Deep

The transmission of the Michigan football program has been changed. It is safe to state that Michigan has replaced a smooth transmission, one with a low end passing gear, to a noisy turbo-charged model that hopefully does not entail more than normal maintenance. There is joy in the nation. But more than anyone else Jim Harbaugh knows he has obstacles to overcome, and although the clock is friendly any clock has limits before expiration. As of now the watch is made of gold.

So, what are the tasks that by collection are somewhat daunting?

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The first and primary task is to secure a coaching staff. Harbaugh knows the type of coach that will fit the mission. He also knows the candidates. How many of his preferred choices he obtains we may never know. He may have to wait a week or two for responses or permission to inquire.

Harbaugh is an experienced Head Coach who has identified strengths. He can maintain order, develop intensity, produce physical football, improve a running game, and win. Harbaugh has had the advantage of growing up in a very successful football family. He had the privilege and advantage of learning life lessons under one of the very best of all time- the beloved Bo. Harbaugh had the advantage of playing in the NFL, where players and coaches see higher-level strategy and understand the cruelties of failure. This last comment was not meant to reflect on the final 8-8 season at San Francisco.

To return to academic times, a well-used phrase from the hallowed halls applies: a condition may be necessary but not sufficient. A coach of Harbaugh’s nature is likely necessary for Michigan to succeed, but his mere presence alone is clearly insufficient for improving the program to past levels of success.

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And so, this article deals with the extra conditions that will be needed for Michigan to advance. The journey’s start was presented above in the vital task of staff selection. It seems intuitive that Harbaugh will select assistants that possess one or more of the following characteristics:

(1) Harbaugh is familiar with the coach; he wants no surprises;

(2) the applicant has clear evidence of player development, the loophole of recent Michigan problems;

(3) any applicant needs to be extremely competitive and possess a brutal desire to succeed;

(4) any applicant will need to accept working at an intensity level of Harbaugh and his mentor; an applicant will need to be very strong on talent identification and salesmanship, and

(5) finally an applicant will need to demonstrate a high technical level of football that is necessary for superior game planning, film breakdown, and taking charge of a position group.

Whomever comes to town, Harbaugh will need to have on staff the best offensive line coach he can find, one that identifies mistakes, puts in the best options for his talent, the highest level of technique and is past relentless in demanding improvement. His motto should be “Soon you will improve or you will leave.” Brutal, but this group of well spoken and intelligent, nice kids will endure some culture shock, most will understand and appreciate it, most. Competition must be daily and severe.

Harbaugh is smart enough to understand there are limitations within the offensive personnel. As such, does he hire a coordinator that best fits what is now on campus or just forget what is on campus and hire exactly what he wants? The answer is choice two, no doubt, the players will have to adjust, Harbaugh and staff cannot and will not wait. He can use his personnel well, but his success is because he molds and is not an organicist who becomes an alchemist.

Part II, we will talk about the defensive side of the ball and how Harbaugh will work at Michigan.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Doc4Blu

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