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We’ve seen FOX Sports color analyst run the gamut this year, going from Jim Harbaugh-backer to questioning whether he could get the job done back to being a backer again.
It’s understandable, considering how the Wolverines played in 2019.
After struggling out the gates, which culminated in an early-season loss at Wisconsin and a close win over Iowa, Klatt was unsure of Michigan’s trajectory under the fifth-year head coach. But then, in a loss at Penn State, the Wolverines found their footing, and got much, much better, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
But, the college football media at-large is back to questioning the job Harbaugh has done in Ann Arbor after a 29-point loss to Ohio State. Klatt, however, is putting things in context and why he doesn’t feel that the former maize and blue quarterback should be judged on his 0-5 record against the Buckeyes as the head coach.
“He knows what the truth is, and I’ve talked to him about it,” Klatt said. “Jim has done an unbelievable job. In 2014 folks, and this is not – the criticism he gets is deserved when it comes to Ohio State – only. Outside of that, you have to understand what he’s done. He’s taken a team that in 2014 was 5-7. They missed a bowl game in their history! History meaning as soon as the Big Ten allowed teams to go to other bowls other than the Rose Bowl. He took over a 5-7 team. Ohio State won the national championship (that) year. 2014, folks. So, that’s what he walked into.
“What I bristle at is this fact that – ‘Well, he’s gotta beat Ohio State!’ The margin right now is so big between those two programs from what he took over and inherited to where he’s trying to get. And this is not the year to evaluate Jim Harbaugh based off what he does against Ohio State. Ohio State is the best team I’ve ever covered in the booth. I have never covered a better team than this Ohio State in the booth. This is the wrong year to evaluate Jim Harbaugh based off what he does against this particular Buckeye team.”
That’s not to say he’s immune from criticism in The Game.
Klatt offered one caveat, and it’s certainly worth noting, given the series of events that allowed OSU to pull out of reach this past Saturday.
“Here is the one criticism I would give Michigan: they play too undisciplined when they get into those matchups against Ohio State,” Klatt said. “You can’t fumble, you can’t jump offside.”
Watch the entire clip below:
"Ohio State is the best team I've ever covered in the booth… This is the wrong year to evaluate Jim Harbaugh based on he does against that particular Buckeye team." — @joelklatt pic.twitter.com/oaEyIQTZSD
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 4, 2019
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