The annual battle between Michigan and Ohio State did not swing in favor of the Wolverines in 2017. There were many reasons for that result, with struggles from Michigan QB John O'Korn chief among them in an 11-point loss in Ann Arbor.
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After the game, however, head coach Jim Harbaugh was prompted about a different potential influence, as reports of "lifetime contract" discussions appeared this week, courtesy of FOX analyst Brady Quinn. In short, Harbaugh summarily dismissed the notion of that topic as anything approaching a distraction.
The always polarizing head coach also added that the story line was "irrelevant" and, of course, that is what you would expect him to say.
Everything is magnified when discussing the biggest game of the season for both programs and, while the "lifetime contract" subplot did emerge right on time to facilitate this question, Harbaugh was always unlikely to give a thoughtful answer. Critics will point to a 1-5 mark against Michigan and Ohio State in his tenure after this particular loss and, even if Michigan seemed to overachieve within the confines of this particular game, the pressure will be building on the program and its head coach moving forward until the overall results improve in Ann Arbor.
