Michigan football: How Jim Harbaugh can win back Wolverines fans

Wisconsin devastated Michigan football fans with a dominating 35-14 win, which began the calls for a new head coach. Here’s how Jim Harbaugh regains the fan’s confidence.

In between the Jim Harbaugh and Lloyd Carr era, darkness loomed over the Michigan football teams. This may be difficult to swallow – and it may bring back a repressed memory – but the Wolverines lost nine games in one season. It was 2008, and head coach Rich Rodriguez arrived to replace the legendary Lloyd Carr. In Carr’s final campaign, he led Michigan to nine wins, which included a victory over Florida during the Capital One Bowl.

Just one year removed from near double-digit wins, the team crumbled, and could only muster three miserable wins. Oddly enough, one of those was over a ranked Wisconsin squad.

Michigan fans tend to forget that place in time, whether it’s selective memory or intentional memory loss, the years have faded into history.

Billed as the savior for a crumbling program, coach Harbaugh didn’t need to introduce himself around Ann Arbor. He’s a campus icon, and that started even before he accepted the position.

The man in the khaki’s living off a daily dose of steak and milk provided nostalgia; he’s a Bo Schembechler product with a coaching philosophy that mimics the legendary Wolverine coaches of old.

Four years, 38 wins and 14 losses. Coach Harbaugh is unbelievable successful by any reasonable measure. For instance, Clemson’s Dabo Sweeney – a top five college football coach – didn’t match Jim’s win record in his first four seasons (36-18), and their in-conference records are almost identical.

Michigan football hasn’t been perfect. For too long, the Buckeye’s have tormented the Wolverines, but it’s not always a 62-39 blowout. During Jim’s second year, the team forced second overtime only to be outdone after settling for a field goal.

If the standard for success relies solely on beating the Buckeyes, coach Harbaugh has failed. But if the standard is bringing back a winning culture to Michigan, Jim has far exceeded expectations. In the five years before Harbaugh took over, the record stood at 44-26. Under Jim, Michigan has posted a record of 42-15.

This might not be the year Harbaugh brings down the mighty Ohio State. This might not be the year he wins ten games (again). That doesn’t mean it’s the year to turn on Harbaugh.

Do you want to go back to 3-9?

How can Jim Harbaugh regain fan’s confidence?

The support for Harbaugh dwindles despite the incredible culture shift from years past. Winning doesn’t seem to matter unless the winning comes in late November. Ohio State is the focus of the fanbase, and until coach Harbaugh pulls off his first victory over OSU, the insults, lack of confidence, and calls for a new coach will continue.

That’s a ridiculous standard, but it’s the one Jim Harbaugh must live with as the head coach of Michigan.