Michigan Football News & Views: What’s Next For U-M?
With one more game still scheduled, Michigan football faces a number of question marks about its short- and long-term future.
Will the Wolverines play Dec. 19 after missing their last two games? And what’s going on with head coach Jim Harbaugh’s contract extension?
We tackle those here in News & Views format:
NEWS: Michigan and Ohio State won’t meet on the field for the first time since 1917 due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the Michigan team. Some in the national media have called the Wolverines out for “ducking” the game.
VIEWS: To say they’re being irresponsible here is putting it lightly, and it started with Kirk “Mr. Neutral” Herbstreit and his “Michigan is waving the white flag” comments prior to U-M shutting down its game with Maryland.
Those who followed his lead have lumped themselves in with idiot Buckeye fans — for those who think this is just a Michigan–Ohio State thing, just ask Texas fans about this group — who have taken to social media with their red ‘X’s over ‘M’s in calling Harbaugh and his team “cowards” and such.
It’s not the company they want to be in, for sure.
RELATED: Michigan Wolverines Football: Harbaugh — 'To A Man, We Wanted To Play' Ohio State
"We knew there would be obstacles, and the situation we're in today is that the players to a man wanted to play this game,” Harbaugh said. “The daily process — we follow the daily decisions made and proceed with what's in the best interest of health and safety of our staff.
"Our players want to play. They wanted to play this week, want to play next week, so they're going to continue to condition and prepare for that possibility."
We believe Harbaugh wants to play. We also believe morale in the building at this point is such that we wouldn’t blame a lot of the kids if they wanted to shut it down. They’ve been secluded for months now, watched their team get decimated by injuries and COVID. In addition …
NEWS: Harbaugh and director of athletics Warde Manuel refused to elaborate on Harbaugh’s contract extension Tuesday.
VIEWS: And while Harbaugh continues to say all the right things about being back next year — and as we’ve maintained — the longer this goes, the perception he won’t return increases.
"There is one more game currently scheduled. That's when the conversation at the end of the season will begin," Manuel said. "Just to clarify, Jim and I have always talked at the end of the season. Always. It's not like we're making this up this year. Sometimes we talk in November just to get a sense ... but we've had lot of conversation in between. It's not like we don't talk.”
So, we’re supposed to believe they talk about everything except the second-most important item on the agenda after keeping the players and coaches safe?
Come on.
Manuel says the right things about Harbaugh publicly, calling him a “leader” and “phenomenal in his efforts with his team [and] COVID."
“He has led that, been there, committed to the team, the department, the university. From my standpoint, he has been doing everything at a high level, including his efforts with the team,” Manuel added.
The latter, for certain, is debatable, especially this year. It’s been a disaster on the field, and there’s no denying it.
But people are asking questions, and ‘take my word for it’ is a tough one on the recruiting trail.
A decision needs to be made and announced sooner than later, but Manuel is in a tough spot. If they cut Harbaugh and his staff loose, they have to pay $10 million-plus in buyouts. If Harbaugh doesn’t accept but stays, they’re on the hook for his $8 million-ish salary and have, essentially, a lame duck coach for a year.
The ball truly appears to be in Harbaugh’s court about whether or not to accept an extension for much less money.
NEWS: Michigan’s cancellation announcement came early enough in the week that the Big Ten and Ohio State could proceed on making other arrangements.
"We made the decision this afternoon we wouldn’t be able to participate — we weren’t even cleared to practice today,” Manuel said Tuesday. “To afford Ohio State and the Big Ten the ability to adjust where necessary, we felt it was best to talk to [Big Ten commissioner] Kevin Warren and [OSU athletic director] Gene Smith and let them know our decision today.”
VIEWS: In this case, and to nobody’s surprise, the conference announced the Buckeyes would play in the Big Ten Championship Game against Northwestern, changing the rules to allow them in with only five games.
That’s probably fair, given how bad the conference is this year and the fact that the Buckeyes have already beaten No. 2 (in the East) Indiana. If we’re being honest, they probably would have put them in with a 4-0 record, too.
This is about money and prestige — has been for a while now, and will continue to be going forward — and the Buckeyes are the only chance to represent the conference without embarrassing it, frankly.
In some ways, this was created under former Commissioner Jim Delany’s watch. It doesn’t seem likely to change soon.
If Michigan really wanted to “sabotage” Ohio State, the Wolverines would have waited until Friday to make an announcement, but Manuel and Co. did the right thing.
“We don’t have a good enough handle on where this is going to stop," Manuel said. "We paused last week because of the increase in numbers. Those numbers kept increasing through this week and the weekend.
“… I think Ohio State is one of the top four teams in this country and would be a great representative for the College Football Playoff if they are chosen."
Imagine if the roles were reversed and Smith said that about Michigan. He’d be run out of town.
As for U-M, we'll see if the Wolverines play next weekend. We wouldn't bet on it.
If they do, however, the rumored opponent might surprise.
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