Michigan Wolverines

Jim Harbaugh Not in the Same League With Urban Meyer and Nick Saban

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Jim Harbaugh is no Urban Meyer or Nick Saban.

Lost among the Michigan Wolverines’ community that continues to gripe about non-calls and spots is an understanding of the characteristics that separate coaches like Urban Meyer and Nick Saban from Jim Harbaugh.

They are better than their peers because they train their players to focus on one play, to do their job and not let the moment become too big.

Anyone watching that game realized who should have won. The Wolverines had every opportunity to stick the dagger in Ohio State in the first half and early in the third quarter. They could not do it.

You want to know why?

The answer starts and ends with Harbaugh. It wasn’t poor officiating. Visiting teams rarely get questionable calls on the road. Learning to fight through difficult moments is how a team becomes championship worthy.

Michigan’s schedule was void of tough road games except Iowa and even that is debatable. The lack of adversity faced throughout the season reared its ugly head when the Wolverines executed poorly in the 4th quarter when the game got tight.

Harbaugh lost his temper when the team really needed a leader with poise and control to steer them to victory.

On the other side of the field, we knew how the Buckeyes would respond when the game was not going well.

They were in several tight games on the road and at home this year. The adversity the team faced at Wisconsin and Penn State gave them an advantage of staying focused despite the challenges.

Harbaugh had no clue how his team would react and they failed. He failed. Surprisingly, the program did not learn from the Michigan State game last year which is telling.

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The jury is out on whether or not Jim Harbaugh has the chops in tight games relative to Urban Meyer and Saban.

The sad part is, based on strengths, I believe Michigan has the talent to beat Alabama. Good offensive line, great defense and an accurate passer who can stretch the field.

I would still take the Crimson Tide 100 out 100 times because of Harbaugh.

It takes more than talent to beat the Crimson Tide. Urban Meyer is the only coach that knows how to do it, at least consistently.

I am hoping that Washington or Clemson loses and the Wolverines make it into the playoff. I want to see if the game against the Buckeyes was a watershed moment for them.

Harbaugh is doing a lot of things right at Michigan, but it won’t amount to anything substantive if he cannot embed accountability into the foundation of the program. It begins with him.

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