The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1386887
52 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2021 FOOTBALL PREVIEW the program's ceiling under him, but moving on from him after a pandemic season proba- bly wouldn't have been fair. Of course, plenty of other schools felt differently about that! "Still, I also get the sense that Harbaugh's hot seat is more of a narrative outside of Ann Arbor than a reality within the Michigan athletic de- partment. As for Harbaugh's side of things, he's an intensely competitive person, so perhaps incentivizing the contract is what will work best for him. I can't really speak to how he feels. "I also know if Michigan did decide to move on from Harbaugh, what are the clear upgrades out there? If you don't land [Iowa State head coach] Matt Campbell — and I don't think Campbell is a lock to take the Michigan job if offered — what's plan B? So, in the end, I think it's a deal that makes sense for all involved." Lassan: "I think it's a win-win move for both parties. For Michigan, the new agreement offers flexibility and a lower buyout if things with Harbaugh don't improve or if 2021 con- tinues the downward trend from the previous year. For Harbaugh, the contract offers a little security and closes the door on some of the question marks surrounding his status when his deal was set to expire after the '21 season. "With his ultra-competitive nature in mind, the incentives give Harbaugh plenty of motivation in his quest to get Michigan back to the top of the Big Ten. It's no secret the expectations are higher than what Har- baugh has achieved so far, and the drop in salary and buyout are certainly reflective of that. However, the new agreement also gives Harbaugh another shot to prove he can bring a Big Ten title back to Ann Arbor." Revsine: "I think this was a smart move for both sides. From Michigan's point of view, it obviously makes sense — it lowers the school's investment in Harbaugh and makes it easier to make a change if things don't improve. "But I think it makes sense for Harbaugh, too. The guy presumably has all the money he'll ever need, so losing some guaranteed income isn't going to impact his life much. This gives him a chance to prove that every- thing he says and believes about Michigan, his program and himself is true. "Michigan should be able to compete at the very highest level. And, if it can, he will be rewarded." Rittenberg: "I thought it was really smart on Michigan's part. I cover a lot of these types of contracts, and 95 percent of the time the schools agree to really bad contracts for themselves. The coaches don't have as much leverage, but they act like they have all the leverage. Schools kind of get held over a bar- rel, but Michigan agreed to a very reasonable contract with a coach who's had success in the past, but has not delivered enough suc- cess in Ann Arbor. "Nobody at Michigan thought they were going to fire Jim after last year, and a lot of people think that they'll never actually fire him; it would end in a different way. "This, from Michigan's side, makes a lot of sense. And it's very clear what has to hap- pen on Harbaugh's side — he's got to start delivering for the reasons that they hired him. If not, they'll part ways, and Michigan will probably hire Matt Campbell and they could be better off, who knows." Harbaugh replaced six of his assis- tant coaches this offseason, bringing in youthful, energetic staff members. What did you think of the moves? Bender: "It's a much-needed youth move- ment for the staff, and that should generate some excitement after a dull season. "[Defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach] Steve Clinkscale is the only one of those new hires who is older than 40. The defense needed a remodel, and [coordinator] Mike Macdonald should be able to provide that. [Running backs coach] Mike Hart and [safeties coach] Ron Bellamy are names Michigan fans know and trust, and they should help on the recruiting trail. "They know what it's like to be on Big Ten championship teams. Even if Harbaugh does move on, some of these assistants will stick." Fornelli: "It's not so much the individual coaches as the message behind it. We've seen in recent seasons that Harbaugh real- ized he had to change up his offensive ap- proach if he wants to have a realistic chance at competing with Ohio State in the East. Now he's taken the next step. "It was rather obvious at this point that as things had been constructed on the staff, it wasn't working well enough. That doesn't mean the coaches on the staff were bad at their jobs or that their replacements are bet- ter. It means Harbaugh realized it was time for new ideas. "The change that interests me most is Macdonald. He's never been a DC before, so it's hard to know exactly what his de- fense will look like. Obviously, he comes to Michigan with a recommendation from John Harbaugh, but other people in the profession I've asked about Macdonald all think he's an intelligent coach. Perhaps he's somebody better suited to slow down (nobody stops the top offenses anymore) the juggernauts." Lassan: "I think Harbaugh got it right with the staff changes, and the program is in much better shape going into 2021. Michigan's new assistants have a good mix of potential, NFL experience and familiarity with the program. "Also, this group is younger and geared to help with recruiting — an area the Wolverines desperately need to improve upon. Bringing aboard Ron Bellamy and Mike Hart helps connect the current and future for the program with its past, and both coaches are excellent recruiters who can help sell Michigan. "Steve Clinkscale is a standout recruiter as well, but was also instrumental in developing defensive backs and solid overall secondary play at Kentucky." Revsine: "Well, I would say the biggest key is that I haven't seen them, so every- thing I say is second-hand. The beauty of our preseason bus tour is that we do get to eventually see them all in action, and I'll be fascinated to do so. "That being said, the hires make sense on paper. He went with guys who have ties to the program and/or the area. I think that allows them to flatten the learning curve, which is important given the immediate pressure to win. The youth factor has been a huge topic of conversation, and there is something to that — though I'm a huge be- liever in experience as well." Rittenberg: "I understand the rationale behind it. I think Macdonald is very interest- ing. He was a part of a staff with the Ravens that is extremely well regarded around the NFL. A lot of teams are picking guys off that staff this offseason for different positions, so that just shows how highly regarded the Ra- vens are. But he's never been a coordinator, he's young. Everything I know about him, he's incredibly smart. "Clinkscale's a veteran guy. I think very highly of [linebackers coach] George Helow. I've known George for a while. Some of the moves, they're something you see when a coach is in trouble, and it's usually the last set of moves that is made before the head coach is changed — that's just the way it has worked. "If everything was going well, you're not going to see seven new coaches [counting Maurice Linguist, who left before coaching a game] at a place like Michigan, where coaches are paid well and they don't want to leave. While I get the excitement — and I'm excited to watch and see what they can do — the rea- son that they're there is because the last staff wasn't getting it done. This is usually the first step before you have a full-blown coaching change, so that's important to keep in mind." What were the biggest things Michi- gan lacked in 2020 that made for a 2-4 season, and what is at the top of the list in terms of what needs to improve so the Wolverines can get back to nine or 10 wins in 2021? Bender: "Don Brown's defensive scheme went well past its expiration date. The Wolverines allowed 34.5 points per game, couldn't generate a pass rush once Aidan Hutchinson went down with an injury and couldn't cover on the perimeter.