The nine-year run for Michigan football with Jim Harbaugh has come to a close.
The Wolverines head coach sought an NFL job the past three offseasons. While the maize and blue brass worked to retain him by offering him the most lucrative contract in college football, it was apparently not enough.
On the heels of winning a national championship, Harbaugh decided to return to the NFL, having met with the Los Angeles Chargers twice. According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafalo, Harbaugh will be hired by the Chargers as their next head coach. (Editor’s note: the Chargers have since announced Harbaugh as the new coach.)
🚨 🚨 🚨
The #Chargers are moving to hire #Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh as their new coach, per me, @TomPelissero and @MikeGarafolo. In town for a second interview on Tuesday, he’s not expected to leave.
Finally, the former #49ers coach is back in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/swE9SM0BqN
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 24, 2024
Harbaugh not only delivered a national championship to Ann Arbor, but he won the Big Ten three straight seasons after failing to accomplish that in his first six. His arrival in 2015 righted the ship after the Wolverines had become something of an also-ran during the tenures of Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke.
At Michigan, Harbaugh was 89-25, but the biggest turnaround came in 2021 when he revamped the coaching staff and went to a more player-led team. Bringing in multiple former Michigan football players, such as Mike Hart. Mike Elston and Ron Bellamy, the vision changed for the Wolverines, and it paid big dividends — especially the three straight wins over Ohio State after having lost the first five contests against the Buckeyes.
With Harbaugh moving on, Michigan football will be in search of a new head coach. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore is the odds-on favorite to get the job. The question now will be which coaches will be retained if that is the case and will any players hit the transfer portal with the regime change in Ann Arbor.