Michigan Football: Grading Harbaugh and the Wolverines 2018 season

Harbaugh and coaching grade: C

Certainly, some folks out there probably want to give Jim Harbaugh an F for the performance of Michigan football this season but that is definitely losing sight of things.

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan improved in the win column by two games and reached the second major bowl game of Harbaugh’s tenure. UM also tied Ohio State for the best record in the Big Ten East and beat a ranked team (Michigan State) on the road for the first time in 12 years. Additionally, going 8-1 in the Big Ten and winning 10 in a row is nothing to scoff at.

Unfortunately, Michigan couldn’t finish its dream season in part because the talent was wasted. Harbaugh allowed the offense to get way too conservative and against teams with premier athletes like Notre Dame, Ohio State and Florida, the power run game didn’t work.

Harbaugh and Pep Hamilton failed to adjust or take advantage of the talent at wide receiver or tight end or quarterback for that matter. On the other side of the field, Brown’s inability to just adjust killed Michigan against Ohio State and Florida.

Brown was thoroughly outcoached in the last two games and that goes for the entire staff. The same thing happened against Notre Dame. It’s one thing to lose if you don’t have players, but Michigan does and it was talented enough to win all 13 games it played.

The coaching staff just didn’t put the players in the best position to win and that likely cost the Wolverines at least a win or two. That more than anything is what needs to be fixed before Michigan football takes the next step towards winning championships and beating Ohio State.