Five Plays That Haunt Jim Harbaugh
The University of Michigan and head coach Jim Harbaugh have reached an agreement on a contract extension through the 2026 season. Getting to this agreement wasn’t pretty and it left the Michigan football community with emotions ranging from betrayal and confusion to relief and anticipation. This contract comes after Harbaugh’s most successful year with Michigan. Despite a loss to rival Michigan State, the 2021 season was a dream for the Wolverines. A one-loss regular season is a pretty stark contrast to some of the darker moments that Harbaugh has seen during his time in Ann Arbor. As he attempts to recreate his success next year, let’s revisit some of those dark moments and dissect their relevance moving forward. These are the top five plays that haunt Jim Harbaugh:
5. John O’Korn’s Interception v. Ohio State
At the end of the 2017 season Michigan’s quarterback options were growing thin. By the time Michigan faced Ohio State, starter Wilton Speight and backup Brandon Peters were both ruled out due to injuries. This left the fate of the Maize and Blue in the hands of John O’Korn. With less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, O’Korn had the chance to deliver Harbaugh his first victory over Ohio State. The Wolverines were down by four points when they took over on offense and on the very first play of the drive O’Korn threw an interception. The Wolverines lost by 11.
4. Dropped Pass in Happy Valley
Michigan’s conference schedule in 2019 started with a tough loss to Wisconsin in Madison. Despite losing that game, the Wolverines hopes of winning the Big Ten remained intact if they could win out. That dream stayed alive until they took on Penn State. Michigan fell behind early in this game and ended up down 14 in the fourth quarter. Still, with just minutes left in the game they were down seven and in scoring position. On fourth and goal, quarterback Shea Patterson found his hottest receiver, Ronnie Bell, in the end zone. Patterson’s pass fell right into Bell’s lap and somehow ends up on the ground. With the incompletion, Michigan’s offense turned the ball over on downs to end the game.
3. Iowa
The 2016 squad that Harbaugh had at Michigan was impressive, and started out the year strong with nine straight wins. They weren’t dealt a loss until they brought their undefeated record to Kinnick Stadium. Michigan’s offense was unable to get into rhythm through the entire game and ended up losing on a last minute field goal. Iowa’s field goal ruined Michigan’s perfect season and ultimately kept them out of the college football playoff conversation.
2. JT Barrett
Harbaugh’s Wolverines finished the 2016 regular season with another heartbreaking loss, this time to the Buckeyes. The Wolverines were underdogs heading into the matchup but were able to hang with the Buckeyes enough to force the game to overtime. After both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime, Michigan kicked a field goal the second time around. A touchdown would win the game for the Buckeyes. Michigan’s defense performed well and put the OSU offense into a fourth and one situation. The Buckeyes ran a quarterback sneak and JT Barrett fell forward, making it barely one yard. Officials reviewed the play for some time before finally determining that Barrett had made the first down by a razor thin margin. Michigan gave up a touchdown on the very next play and lost the game.
1. Trouble with the snap
The “trouble with the snap” play is perhaps the most tragic and haunting play in Michigan football history. It was Harbaugh’s first matchup against the Michigan State Spartans and his team was doing very well. While their lead was not commanding, they were ahead by three points with seconds left in the game. All that stood between them and a victory was a punt. However, punter Blake O’Neill was unable to wrangle in the snap and ended up fumbling the ball. The Spartans were able to scoop the ball up and run it back for a touchdown to win the game. This loss was the most epic blunder and remains a perennial conversation point prior to the Paul Bunyan Trophy game.
Changing the Narrative
Due to a lack of success on the biggest stages, these plays and others like them, currently define Harbaugh’s time at Michigan. Ugly statistics from his career are highlighted every Saturday from September through November. Some of the most commonly mentioned are is his 0-2 record against Mel Tucker, his 1-12 record as an underdog, or his struggles on the road.
Plays and games like these have created a sense of impending doom among Michigan fans whenever important games arrive. While his supporters may trust his abilities, history says that he is very unlikely to win tough games. The only way to silence his critics is to win those games. Next year, Jim Harbaugh needs to find ways to win when their initial plan isn’t working. More importantly, he needs to teach his players how to respond with grit when the momentum shifts against them.
