Jim Harbaugh getting shredded for clock management late in Fiesta Bowl
Jim Harbaugh and Michigan trailed TCU 51-45 in what’s turned out to be an exciting Fiesta Bowl.
The Wolverines cut it to a 6-point deficit with just over 3 minutes remaining. With Harbaugh having 3 timeouts left on the Horned Frogs’ ensuing possession, he opted not to call them until a series of runs by TCU to bleed time. By the time he used his 1st one, there was 1 minute, 7 seconds left in regulation.
The Wolverines eventually used up all their timeouts with 59 seconds left and eventually got the ball back following a punt needing a touchdown, one that ultimately didn’t come as TCU held on to win and advance to the national championship game.
There seemed to be a reasonable explanation as to why Harbaugh didn’t decide to stop the clock and at least give J.J. McCarthy and the Michigan offense a little more time to get to the end zone:
Whether you call the timeout after the first down conversion or wait until after the first down play, it didn’t matter. You only have 3. Time remaining is the same. A lot of Twitter outrage for no reason. Happens often.
— Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) January 1, 2023
Harbaugh managed those timeouts perfectly. Didn’t waste one as they approached a likely first down…and didn’t waste one after they got the 1st to save a few seconds.
Nice job by a veteran coach in utilizing his timeouts. #TCUvsMICH
— Rob Edwards (@RobertDEdwards) January 1, 2023
Still, there was plenty of confusion about why Harbaugh opted to preserve his timeouts:
Barring something crazy, this Michigan coaching performance is going down in the annals of all-time botch jobs. Beginning to end it has been horrendous.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) January 1, 2023
Did Jack Harbaugh just say "what is he doing?"
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) January 1, 2023
Khaki pants Jim Harbaugh messing up with the time outs
— Barry Harris (@buckeyeguy124) January 1, 2023
Can no one understand that you cannot let a minute tick off the clock when you have three time outs? What is #JimHarbaugh doing?
— Mike Robbins (@mrobbins21) January 1, 2023
Jim Harbaugh with his time outs: #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/GjJZUm4hGw
— Chris Landry (@chris_m_landry) January 1, 2023
Apparently Jim Harbaugh gets a year-end bonus if he finishes the year with time outs left over
— Wolf of 53rd St. (@Wolfof53rdSt) January 1, 2023
Jim Harbaugh hates time outs
— Parker Moore (@mooretosee) January 1, 2023
JIM HARBAUGH took a long time to call time out
— Landon (@ousoftball886k1) January 1, 2023
It’s late May in Ann Arbor. Jim Harbaugh awakens suddenly from a deep sleep and exclaims “time out!”
— Jason Botelho (@Jason_Botelho) January 1, 2023
