It was only six games long, but 2020 was a season of firsts for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan: first losing record, first winless record at home, first bottom-three finish in the Big Ten East. And now the Wolverines are back where they began under Harbaugh, unranked to start the season.
Why will 2021 be different?
"Well, that's why you go play the games," Harbaugh said Tuesday on the Stoney & Jasnsen Show. "Been through a really good offseason: winter training, lifting, spring ball, summer training, more lifting, more running. Team came out of that in tremendous shape. Then a fall camp, 29 practices, and here we are. That's half the battle. I think we've won half the battle. Now you gotta go play the season, go play the games. That's the other half of the battle, and get to have at it. It's an exciting time."
Michigan won't go winless at home this season. But it's no guarantee it avoids another losing season and another bottom-three finish in its division. It shares the Big Ten East with three of the top teams in the conference in Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana, and it has five games against top-20 opponents including Wisconsin and Washington. Northern Illinois might be the only layup on the schedule.
"I think we're good," said Harbaugh. "Here's what I do know, we're capable. But we're going to have to play our best every time we step on the field to put ourselves in position to win the game, including this game against Western Michigan (on Saturday)."
Michigan's talent on offense is offset by holes on defense. The Wolverines allowed 34.5 points per game last season, leading to the dismissal of Don Brown and the arrival of Mike Macdonald. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis enters year three still trying to make a mark on the program. Harbaugh said he wants his team to be defined by 'execution' in all three phases of the game.
"Probably no better word you could use to sum it all up," he said.
Asked if execution has been lacking in prior years, particularly in 2020, Harbaugh said, "At the level we want it to be, yeah. It wasn't the level we wanted, so now we want it better."
Harbaugh signed a four-year extension in the offseason that simultaneously opened the door for his dismissal. His buyout is significantly lower than it was in the past. 2021 could be a make-or-break year, as could 2022. Asked if he feel the pressure of being on the hot seat, Harbaugh said, "The only time I ever feel pressure is if I'm unprepared for something."
"You prepare yourself, and as a coach you do the very best job you can preparing the players so they don't feel that pressure either," he said. "When you know what to do and how to do it and what's expected, then you go out there and just have at it. So I feel prepared."
Michigan will have its hands full from the jump. Western Michigan finished 10th in the country last season in points per game and returns a quarterback with an NFL future in Kaleb Eleby. As a sophomore Eleby threw 18 TD's to two interceptions, averaged over 280 yards per game and finished third in the country in passing efficiency to first-round picks Mac Jones and Zach Wilson.
"That's executing and playing at a really high level," said Harbaugh. "They got the north-south backs, and the receivers make big plays and really do a great job of running after the catch. So no surprise that it's going to be a really big test, a really good test for us. An offensive line that plays really well together and an outstanding quarterback all combine to make it a really good test."
If 2021 is going to be different than 2020, this is Michigan's first chance to prove it.
