SALT LAKE CITY – The maize and blue masses descended here Thursday, wearing jerseys that hearkened back to the glory days: No. 2 Woodson, No. 21 Howard – and, yeah, a couple No. 4 Harbaughs, too.

They hit the ground running – and drinking. The Michigan fans filled downtown barstools and tables by noon, spontaneously breaking into rousing renditions of “Hail To The Victors.”

They were drunk on hope, not hops. The new era was starting, the Jim Harbaugh Era, the one that would return the winningest program in college history to the exalted realm it has not inhabited for a long time. The Rich Rodriguez bad fit was history, the Brady Hoke joke was over – here was a Michigan Man who could actually coach, marrying the two things his predecessors had lacked.

Yeah, they’d drink to that.

But here was the sober reality: hope made the trip here, but greatness is catching a later flight. The Cult of the Khakis must exercise patience.

The problems created in seven seasons of program atrophy won’t be fixed in a single off-season, a single fall camp, a single game. That much was readily apparent in a 24-17 loss to Utah that strongly resembled many of the losses under Hoke.

View photos Jim Harbaugh yells at De'Veon Smith during Michigan's 24-17 loss to Utah on Thursday. (Getty) More

At least the new guy wears a headset. But so many old headaches recurred.

The quarterback turned the ball over. In previous years it was Devin Gardner throwing interceptions; this time it was Iowa graduate transfer Jake Rudock. He threw three interceptions – one early in the red zone to kill a drive and one late for a pick-six to kill Michigan’s attempted rally.

The offensive line couldn’t exert its will. Michigan ran the ball 29 times for 76 puny yards, just 2.6 yards per carry, and that’s without giving up any sacks. Early returns under Harbaugh suggest that a couple of heralded classes of linemen recruits may have been overrated instead of undercoached by the previous regime.

“[The line play] improved in the second half,” Harbaugh said. “I think we played a little bit tentative in the first half, not coming off the ball like we need to.”

The skill players lack explosiveness. Michigan’s longest run from scrimmage was seven yards – and while a lot of that was on the line, some of it also was on a rotation of power backs with pedestrian feet. At wide receiver, the Wolverines didn’t have a single returning player with a catch of 35 yards or longer in 2014, and after one game in ’15 they have yet to produce a reception of 30 yards. Tight end Jake Butt was great, but he isn’t going to stretch the field.

The defense couldn’t produce enough big plays. A unit that created just 10 turnovers last season – 126th in the nation – got just one Thursday night. It was a gift too: a Utah Hail Mary pass into the end zone on the final play of the first half. The Wolverines also sacked Utes quarterback Travis Wilson just once, and he hurt them with 53 rushing yards as a decoy to star running back Devontae Booker.

“Tempo got us a little bit on two drives,” Harbaugh said. “We need to play with more pop.”

Harbaugh’s arrival was supposed to supply some pop – and it will. Inevitably. But also eventually.

Not even the most celebrated hire in college football in several years is going to fix everything that ails Michigan immediately. Harbaugh may have worked a miracle at Stanford – but his first two seasons there were 4-8 and 5-7 before the breakthrough came. Michigan has lost at least six games in five of the last seven seasons, so this may have to be a similar build.

Story continues