Harbaugh tried a fake punt when he was up 34 pts today
- Thread starter mikewebb68
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That does not bother me. If the other team doesn't like it, they should do something about it. Harbaugh is a great competitor and I love that about him. It's how he runs his program off the field that leaves a lot to be desired.
Sometimes the "do something about it" that the other team tries when a coach tries to make an arrogant playcall like that is to cheapshot players on the other team. All because 'ole Jim wants to rub it in?
The game is 60 minutes long and you play your hardest and within the rules for the entire 60 minutes. That's what Harbaugh's teams do. If the opponents are so unprepared and overmatched that they become frustrated, then the opposing team's players should blame themselves, not Harbaugh or his players. This isn't grade school where you have to worry about the feelings of the other team. It's Big Ten football and you should never expect to play a game where the other team goes easy on you.
But what in the world does a fake punt up 34 prove other than you disrespect your opponent? I think that is it classless. Guess we'll agree to disagree...
As I understand it Harbaugh was playing his reserves after the 1st quarter. What it does is provide his backups an opportunity to run a situational special teams play at game speed. An invaluable experience that may benefit the team down the road.
Not that I saw, though I did not keep track of each player. QB played 3 quarters, and I definitely saw Jabril out there as late as early in the 4th.
That's coming from Illinois fans on the Scout board. They were greatful that Harbaugh didn't run up the score!
Only Harbaugh could answer that, I suppose. BUT, can you really argue with the results? Dude has created a juggernaut fast!
Just confirmed with the stat sheet what I saw live; all of the offensive starters and Jabril were in there for at least 3 quarters. Can't confirm defense since they rotate personnel, but doesn't even make sense that they were playing subs extensively after 1 quarter when they didn't even do that in the Rutgers game... And I would would be careful about relying on any message board as a reliable source; they have their Stupors who post over there as well, and would love to say things like "they pulled their starters after one quarter and we were still awful-- Fire Lovie!"
Doubt their results thus far this season would have be impacted by that fake punt call. And I can see any purposes to calling that play other than needlessly showing up an overmatched opponent starting their third string QB today...I really hope little brother ruins their season again next week.
That really is besides the point. Can't blame Michigan for competing for 60 minutes.
People love taking shots at Harbaugh...but what he has accomplished at Michigan is almost unfathomable. I have no problem with the "Take No Prisoners" mentality he's created there. Would love to have some of that success at NU...
I don't recall that I have taken many shots at Harbaugh on this board. If NU called a fake punt up big against a hopelessly overmatched opponent, I would be the first to call out Fitz, for the same reasons.
It was secondary to my main point which is Michigan has every right to compete hard for 60 minutes. Maybe Harbaugh wanted to practice that fake punt under game conditions for a potential future benefit. That is his right. No Big Ten team should play a game expecting it's opponent to take it easy on them.
An 18 point lead by NU is not running up the score....I have watched us blow leads like that many a time. That being said, it sure looked like we needed to work on that fake field goal, it lost any element of surprise when we shifted, and then took 5 more seconds to get the snap off...
Yes! Eighteen points is a lock with 35 minutes of football to play.
Next time, don't try so hard.
Ir you are trying to practice something in game conditions so you are ready when you need it.
I agree wtih this. There is plenty to despise Jim Harbaurgh for (which I have come to realize), but he certainly competes and imbues that competitiveness across everything they do. It's not Michigan's job to keep them from scoring.
I wish Fitzturtle would learn a thing or two from him. Not the ways he treats recruits, but when we are up 24-0 on a team, I would try to go 48-0 on them. When we have our foot on the opponent's throat, we should crush it. Fitz is improving. I saw him go for 4th downs and do a fake punt - had no problem with that one by the way - when we were up 3 scores. Good for him. I also remember a Fitz coached game when we were up 35-3 on Michigan State in the 3rd quarter and still lost 41-38.
And frankly, disrespect isn't playing your hardest assuming a team might have the potential to come back on you no matter how much you're up on them. Disrespect is putting in your 3rd and 4th stringers in the 3rd quarter when the other team still has their starters in and not trying your hardest because you think there's no way they can come back on you.
I don't fault NU or Harbaugh. Just playing to win.
(In other news - yeesh, that's a serious vote of no-confidence in the field goal unit.)
Corbi, you've forgotten more about football than I'll ever know. BUT, refraining from a fake punt while sitting on a five-touchdown lead is hardly "taking it easy on them". I get the whole "If you don't like it, then stop it" thing . . . but if the other team could stop it, they already would've been - long before the deficit reached five touchdowns. You're right - Michigan (or anyone) DOES have the right to compete hard for 60 minutes. However, there's a fine line between competing hard and being a classless prick. Faking a punt against an already buried, hopelessly overmatched team doesn't show much.[/QUOTE]
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I understand your point of view but I just don't think I agree with it when it comes to this level of competitive football. I think the mentality exhibited in this case is what makes Harbaugh so successful as a football coach. He instills a competitive drive in his players that just never stops. I think that is a mindset that is difficult to maintain if you start making exceptions like "I want you to play your hardest and do everything within the rules to win the game, except when ...... . Those type of caveats are a slippery slope that erode that ultra competitive drive that he instills in his players. Of course, that mentality is also what makes Harbaugh a fairly unpopular guy within the coaching community but I am pretty sure he could care less about that.
His teams win because they take great pride in beating the eff out of their opponents.
I understand your point of view but I just don't think I agree with it when it comes to this level of competitive football. I think the mentality exhibited in this case is what makes Harbaugh so successful as a football coach. He instills a competitive drive in his players that just never stops. I think that is a mindset that is difficult to maintain if you start making exceptions like "I want you to play your hardest and do everything within the rules to win the game, except when ...... . Those type of caveats are a slippery slope that erode that ultra competitive drive that he instills in his players. Of course, that mentality is also what makes Harbaugh a fairly unpopular guy within the coaching community but I am pretty sure he could care less about that.[/QUOTE]
Appreciate your point of view, Corbi, as always.
Appreciate your point of view, Corbi, as always.[/QUOTE]
Except Corbi's point, in this instance was totally wrong. What if NU was up 70 to zip vs. Ill. St. (wishful thinking) and went for a two point conversation or on-side kicked. Don't you and Corbi agree that it would be totally un-necessary as well as classless?
Except Corbi's point, in this instance was totally wrong. What if NU was up 70 to zip vs. Ill. St. (wishful thinking) and went for a two point conversation or on-side kicked. Don't you and Corbi agree that it would be totally un-necessary as well as classless?[/QUOTE]
Agree wholeheartedly, Willy, but I'm obviously not speaking for Corbi. I understand his argument; I just can't comfortably subscribe to that line of thinking. Doesn't mean those who DO are nuts, but it's just not for me. Maybe, at 54, I'm just too old-fashioned for today's game, but I was always taught that proper sportsmanship is a big part of the game. Seems to me that when something like THAT is considered out of style, something's gone awry somewhere.
Agree wholeheartedly, Willy, but I'm obviously not speaking for Corbi. I understand his argument; I just can't comfortably subscribe to that line of thinking. Doesn't mean those who DO are nuts, but it's just not for me. Maybe, at 54, I'm just too old-fashioned for today's game, but I was always taught that proper sportsmanship is a big part of the game. Seems to me that when something like THAT is considered out of style, something's gone awry somewhere.[/QUOTE]
Think you have got in right and then some.
Agree wholeheartedly, Willy, but I'm obviously not speaking for Corbi. I understand his argument; I just can't comfortably subscribe to that line of thinking. Doesn't mean those who DO are nuts, but it's just not for me. Maybe, at 54, I'm just too old-fashioned for today's game, but I was always taught that proper sportsmanship is a big part of the game. Seems to me that when something like THAT is considered out of style, something's gone awry somewhere.[/QUOTE]
I completely understand your point of view and admit that I go back and forth on this. I do think that there is a little bit of an "old fashioned" mentality to this type of thinking. Fitz certainly subscribes to it and I bet that most on this board have wished at one point in time or another that he did not. Harbaugh and coaches of his ilk don't subscribe to it and you can't argue with the results he has gotten over his coaching career.
I will add that I don't think the NU vs. Ill State scenario mentioned is an apples to apples comparison to what Harbaugh and Michigan did. Michigan was playing Illinois, a fellow Big Ten team with all of the resources necessary to put it on a level playing field with Michigan. Illinois is a Big Boy school playing in a big boy conference. If they can't deal with the competition and the beat down they received, then maybe they should consider dropping down to the FCS level.
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