Tag: Jay Harbaugh

Michigan 31, Bowling Green 6

That was an ugly 25-point win. Michigan is at a pretty good place in its program where a 25-point win is considered disappointing, but that’s where we are. The point differentials against MAC teams over the years have been pretty sizeable:

• 63-10 over NIU in 2021 (53 points)
• 59-9 over CMU in 2013 (50 points)
• 49-3 over WMU in 2018 (46 points)
• 47-14 over WMU in 2021 (33 points)
• 31-3 over EMU in 2011 (28 points)
• 31-6 over BGSU in 2023 (25 points)
• 34-10 over Miami-OH in 2014 (24 points)
• 34-10 over WMU in 2011 (24 points)
• 28-24 over Akron in 2013 (4 points)

As you can see, Michigan has had some huge wins over MAC teams in the last thirteen seasons. This was one of the least impressive. Michigan was breaking in a new coaching staff after a rebuild in 2011, and Brady Hoke was proving the job was too big for him in 2013 and 2014. The former isn’t the case for this 2023 team, and I think we all know Harbaugh can coach at this level, so the latter doesn’t apply, either. But it was kind of a stinker.

Hit the jump for more.

Jesse Minter, Wolverine

Michigan has a new defensive coordinator in the form of Jesse Minter. Minter comes to the Wolverines after spending one year at Vanderbilt as the Commodores’ defensive coordinator.

Minter is the son of former Cincinnati head coach Rick Minter, and he played wide receiver at Mount Saint Joseph in Ohio. He then spent time at Notre Dame and Cincinnati as a low-tier assistant before becoming a linebackers coach and then defensive coordinator at Indiana State (coincidentally, where several former Wolverines now coach, including head man Curt Mallory). Minter then moved on to become Georgia State’s defensive coordinator in 2013 and was a Broyles Award nominee as one of the top assistants in the country.

Minter was hired in 2017 to be an assistant for the Baltimore Ravens, coaching defensive backs through 2020. After just one season as the primary defensive backs coach in 2020, he was hired away by Vandy to be their defensive coordinator.

Hit the jump for more.

Michigan 59, Maryland 18

That was quietly ugly for Maryland. With my high school season having ended last week, I made the trip to Maryland because I had never been there for a game. Watching the game in person, Michigan was certainly in control for the whole game but in the first half, it seemed like the Terrapins were holding their own. Michigan should have been able to run all over them, but they couldn’t. Michigan should have been able to beat up and bruise Taulia Tagovailoa, but they couldn’t. It was a comfortable 24-3 lead at halftime, but it never seemed like Michigan was beating the pants off them. And then . . . well . . . the third quarter happened, when Michigan exploded for 28 points. Even though Maryland scored 15 in that stanza, the rout was on. I looked up at the scoreboard and thought, “Is Michigan about to score 60 on a Big Ten opponent not named Rutgers?” In truth, no, they weren’t. But they got as close as possible.

Hit the jump for more.

Anatomy of a Running Back Substitution, Part 3

Thanks to Ashley, Moser, Roy, and Stephen for the Paypal donations! If you would like to make a donation, please use the Paypal button the sidebar or here:

For previous posts in this series, click here (part 1) or here (part 2).

Having addressed the similarities between Tyrone Wheatley and Jay Harbaugh on distributing carries and then the reasons for rotating running backs, here’s the final piece on how a coaching staff might handle the weekly rotation.

Hit the jump for more.

Anatomy of a Running Back Substitution, Part 1

I’ve seen a lot of criticism over the years – but especially in 2020 – about Michigan’s running back rotation. There has been a lot of blame put on running backs coach Jay Harbaugh for using too many backs, not giving Hassan Haskins enough carries, not giving Zach Charbonnet enough carries, not giving Blake Corum enough carries, not giving Chris Evans enough carries, etc.

First, a brief history of the running back rotation under Jim Harbaugh for the top four running backs:

Hit the jump for the rest of the post.