Those warm, fuzzy feelings Michigan fans once felt for Jim Harbaugh have been replaced by disappointment and doubt.
The Wolverines won 19 of their first 22 games under Harbaugh, and 38 of their first 50.
Which means they've won 30 of their last 49, and 11 of their last 21.
This is not where anyone thought Michigan would be in Year 6 of the Harbaugh era, trending back to the program he took over in 2015 -- a program that had won 29 of its past 49 games.
At this point, there might not be a Year 7. Assuming there is, what would Harbaugh tell the fans to rekindle their hopes?
"I do talk to the fanbase. They’ve been so supportive and they love Michigan. We’re on the same team," Harbaugh told the Stoney & Jansen Show Tuesday. "I think they’d really love our players if they knew them all. (They’d be) inspired by them, I’m inspired by them.
"We’re going to keep pushing. That continues today, tomorrow, the next day and then all the way to Saturday and beyond. Got great appreciation for the support we get from the Michigan fanbase."
Of course, it's not the fanbase Harbaugh needs to be worried about. It's the incoming recruits who might be having second thoughts. Early Signing Day is Wednesday, and Harbaugh's future at Michigan isn't ensured beyond this season.
So former Michigan All-American Jon Jansen asked Harbaugh how he's selling prospective recruits on his vision for the program.
"If you were on these calls, you’d be inspired, too, like I am talking to the youngsters, their families, their passion for attending Michigan," Harbaugh said. "Their focus on getting a degree from the University of Michigan and playing football at Michigan is inspiring. As I said, you would love to be on those calls, because I am. Inspires me."
Asked if he still wants to be the coach at Michigan next season, Harbaugh replied, "I do, yes."
The Wolverines have one game remaining, on Saturday against Iowa. A win over the No. 18 Hawkeyes would send the program into the offseason on a much-needed high note.
And that's all Harbaugh is focused on at the moment.
"We’re still in it, we’re still in the season," he said. "There’s a lot of people in general, even in the football world, once the new year starts or the next year starts, they get very passionate about what their resolutions are going to be -- get on fire, gonna do more, gonna work harder. We’re still in that.
"So let’s get on fire, let’s get passionate. Let’s do that today, tomorrow, the next day while we’re still in the season. That can start today."
