Jim Harbaugh is the best coach in football. That is the verdict of more than one expert in regards to the San Francisco 49ers mentor who has won big and quick wherever he has worked. But this season has taken its toll on both Harbaugh and the 49ers organization. The team is not winning at the same clip as it did in Harbaugh’s first three seasons on the job and Harbaugh has clashed with ownership and management putting his job in peril.
A Pain in the Rear
Harbaugh is not easy to deal with. He has a dynamic personality and is the most competitive coach perhaps in any sport. But it is that competitive drive that has made him so successful as a head coach. Yet, Harbaugh has the tendency to wear out his welcome after a short shelf life due to his incessant demands of those around him and his relentless drive to win at all costs.
A Michigan Man?
To further add to the intrigue of the current situation Harbaugh is rumored to be the top choice of college football’s Michigan Wolverines to fill their head coaching vacancy. A quarterback under the late great legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, Harbaugh was Big Ten player of the year in 1986. Harbaugh would seem to be the perfect fit at Michigan as he revived the stagnant Stanford Cardinal program in just four short seasons. Harbaugh was able to win at an academically challenging school which is what Michigan also considers itself to be. He left Stanford with a 12-1 record in 2010 and an Orange Bowl win to post a final national ranking of fourth.
Immediate NFL Success
When he arrived at San Francisco the 49ers were one of the NFL’s perennial losers. That ended immediately with Harbaugh who led the 49ers to a 13-3 season in 2011 and an overtime loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. The following year the 49ers lost the Super Bowl to Harbaugh’s brother John and the Baltimore Ravens.
Last year was the third straight NFC Championship Game appearance for the 49ers under Harbaugh as they lost to Harbaugh’s personal enemy Pete Carroll and the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. But a 7-5 start to this season has taken some bloom off the rose and has caused focus on the infighting of Harbaugh and the front office.
Tuned Out?
Many believe that Harbaugh’s overbearing personality has worn thin with 49ers players. If the season ended today the 49ers would be on the outside looking in as they trail both the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys by one game for the final wild card spot in the NFC.
Why the Dropoff?
There is not getting around the fact that injuries have decimated the 49ers lineup. The old lines about how every NFL team has injuries and how it’s simply time for the “next man up” won’t hold in this case with a whopping total of 17 San Francisco players on the injury list heading into this week’s game at Oakland. The injuries have especially taken a toll on the 49ers offense which ranks 22nd overall in the NFL, 25th for passing, and 26th for scoring. The always stout 49ers defense remains an asset and ranks fourth overall in the NFL, fourth against the pass, eighth against the rush and eight for points allowed.
Callin for Colin
The biggest and most alarming disappointment has been quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has dropped down to an 87.8 QB rating this season. Harbaugh took a considerable gamble in 2012 when he benched Alex Smith, who was the top ranked NFC QB at that time, for the raw and inexperienced Kaepernick. But Kaepernick’s mobility proved to be the difference in sending the 49ers to the Super Bowl that year. Kaepernick lacks a breakaway receiver to throw to as his top three receivers are each averaging less than 12.5 yards per catch.
Will he Stay or will he Go
It’s hard to imagine Harbaugh going back to college ball without a Super Bowl ring, especially with his arch enemy Carroll and brother John both rocking rings. The 49ers and Harbaugh deep down must realize that they are a winning combination. Look for an extension to get done and the 49ers to make the playoffs with a 10-6 record.
