It’s been four years and fans are getting restless. When Jim Harbaugh took over at Michigan, he was expected to lead the Wolverines to B1G titles and national championships.

The Maize and Blue are still waiting on their first division title.

Many have come to their own conclusions regarding Michigan’s inability to get over the hump. Several of those theories revolve around Harbaugh being overrated, perhaps not the kind of coach that can lead a program to a national title.

Former Michigan star and assistant coach Tyrone Wheatley says that’s not the problem.

Wheatley recently talked with 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong and Allen Trieu on the Notorious B1G podcast and was asked what is keeping Michigan from a return to prominence. Wheatley gave a pretty specific reason.

“They’re close every year, every year they’re close,” Wheatley said. “I think, right now, the biggest issue that they have, it’s not really so much an issue, I just think everybody always blames the coaching staff. I just think it’s young men coming together and truly understanding that they have to outplay the coaching. What I mean by that is, I’ve been in the huddle myself as a player and a call will come in or a play will happen, the coaches can’t always put you in the best situation possible. This is the reason why they recruited me to come to the University of Michigan. To make things happen. To play far beyond the play call.

“I’m not blaming anyone, I’m just thinking our guys have to play outside and beyond the coaching,” Wheatley said. The talent is there. I was there. I know those guys. Hell, I recruited half of them. The talent is there. The coaching is there. Our guys just have to really ascend past them just saying ‘okay, this is what is called. This is what is asked of me.’ … At the end of the day, a lot of those young men have the things in them that you can’t coach. We need to see that more every Saturday.”

Wheatley spent two seasons on Harbaugh’s staff, coaching running backs in Ann Arbor in 2015 and 2016. He also played for the Wolverines from 1991-94. He has a lot more insight than almost anyone else weighing in on the situation at Michigan.

He’s now the head coach at Morgan State.

Michigan is already a favorite to win every game in 2019, meaning Vegas is high on the Wolverines’ chances to win a B1G title and pursue a national championship. Perhaps this will be the year the program puts it all together.