Michigan has 18 players invited to the Combine

[ProudUte]

That’s crazy. Let’s say that 15 get drafted. That’s just nuts. No wonder that they won the NC. Also, not surprising that Harbaugh left. It has to be a rebuilding year for Michigan.

[MDUte]

IMO the most encouraging part about Michigan winning the NC is they took the development route very similar to Utah. Michigan doesn’t get the 5* recruits like tOSU, Bama, and Georgia. They get an occasional one and a load of 4*s and even 3*s.

Harbaugh took the development approach to the highest level and built his team into winning a Natty and 15 dudes getting combine invites. That’s the blueprint Utah’s aspiring to follow. Klatt even points out that Michigan was the #1 development program but right behind them he puts Utah and what Whitt and our coaching staff are doing year in and year out.

[UtesRule]

What!????!! Michigan definitely gets a MUCH higher level of recruits than Utah. They are definitely a true blue blood.

[MDUte]

Didn’t say they didn’t. But Michigan doesn’t recruit at the level of Georgia, tOSU, Bama etc. 2023 Michigan finished with the 17th ranked class. 2022 Michigan was 9th. 2021 Michigan was 13th.

Yes, this is much higher than Utah. But Kyle had Utah up to 20th last year and poised to break into the teens with the upward trajectory we’ve been on. Point being that Michigan proved you don’t have to average a Top 10 recruiting class to win a Natty. And furthermore, they played against another non-Top 10 recruiting team in Washington.

That is a level of recruiting, although a stretch to achieve, that’s possible for Utah. If Utah can get to a level of averaging Top 15 recruiting classes, we would definitely be in range of the talent needed to win a NC. And this is because we have a coaching staff that consistently develops lower rated talent into higher producing teams that “punch above our weight” similar to what Michigan did to Bama in the CFP. That is the blueprint for a team like Utah that should give us all hope.

[Central Coast Ute]

Yep. Some say Michigan is the best developmental program and Utah is #2

[The Miami Ute]

It wouldn’t surprise me if Michigan became an also ran from one season to the next. They were a dumpster fire before Harbaugh got there and could easily return to that status. The hiring of Moore is giving me Chris Petersen/Jimmy Lake vibes.

[beckrich73]

Jim Harbaugh is all about himself. Look at what he has done. Built Stanford up as far as they could go. Took the 49ers to the SB but made the mistake of playing the wrong qb, or I believe he would have won. Now has taken Michigan to the pinnacle and sees the writing on the wall again. Not sure he is going to do the same for the Chargers. Time will tell. He has a BIG ego that especially gets in the way with the NFL model.

[AlohaUte]

To be fair though, College Football Head Coach has to be one of the worst jobs in America right now – it’s only saving grace is the money. I bet every one of the 133 FBS head coaches would rather be an NFL head coach. NFL head coach is immensely less work and stress and less complicated. Unfortunately there are only 32 jobs available.

[highlandute7]

This. Just look at Chip Kelly. He had enough of being a HC. Now he doesn’t have to worry as much about all the crap that is ruining college football.

[The Miami Ute]

And the funny thing is that, just a couple of years ago, the story was just the opposite. That, if you were a successful college HC in a top program, you really didn’t have to worry much about anything and you had a tremendous amount of control over your environment. I mean, that was the primary reason why Saban left the Dolphins to go to Alabama. Now the shoe is on the other foot.

[Utah]

I mean…he won a national title. What more do you want from him? He said the only thing left for him is to win a Super Bowl. He’s coached in Super Bowls before and lost. I can see why he’d still want that.

Hell, Saban couldn’t win in the NFL. If Harbaugh goes and wins a SB…he may be the greatest coach ever. Turning around SF 49ers, Michigan, Stanford, Chargers and then winning it all at both levels? No else has just won everywhere they have gone. Not Urban, not Saban, not Belichick.

So, I can definitely see why he’d leave. He has a chance to become the best coach ever.

[Sir Potsdam]

Pete Carroll has won a NC and SB.

[Central Coast Ute]

Apparently a lot of college coaches are saying behind the scenes they’d go to the NFL if they could. I can’t blame Harbaugh at all.

[krindor]

I don’t think a single one of those programs is complaining about what he did there. He built Stanford up…and then they spent about a decade still contending under the guy who followed him. Built the 49ers up, and then left but they’re still doing well. Got Michigan a national championship.

Yeah, he left all of them, but how many Chargers fans do you think would take “Yeah, he’ll make us into a Super Bowl contender and one of the best teams in the country, but then leave after that”. That’s still a pretty good deal

[Extra Medium]

What is the most number of Utes that have been invited to the combine in a year? It can’t be more than like 6 or so.

[MDUte]

6 is the highest amount