Jim Harbaugh kept his promise. Harbaugh finished coaching the Michigan Wolverines with a CFP national championship, three consecutive victories over archrival Ohio State, and a thrilling OT win over Alabama in the 2024 Rose Bowl. He also sent a record 18 scholarship athletes to the NFL combine.
Jim Harbaugh, a true “Michigan Man,” could have only done more for the Michigan Wolverines by staying on as head coach. Instead, he decided to join the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. No Michigan fan could blame Harbaugh for pursuing a Super Bowl victory. What he accomplished for Michigan, with a perfect 15-0 record, a national championship, and victories against elite opponents, is exceptionally rare. Jim Harbaugh achieved this for Michigan — his school.
Juwan Howard, a member of Michigan’s Fab Five, a Michigan Man, left shortly after Jim Harbaugh. However, Howard was dismissed from his position. The common theme for both is not their identity as Michigan men, but rather, together they signify the end of the requirement for the coach of the Michigan Wolverines to be a Michigan Man. Perhaps this is for the best, as there is no other alternative.
Jim Harbaugh Versus Juwan Howard
Jim Harbaugh returned to Michigan like the prodigal son — but, wiser, wealthier, and certain of his future. It was exactly what the Michigan Wolverines needed during a period of football struggles for the winningest program in college football history.
Harbaugh’s impressive player and coaching record made him a perfect fit. Additionally, he embodied the spirit of a Michigan Man.
In contrast, Juwan Howard, the recently fired head coach of the Michigan Wolverines basketball team, did not receive the same enthusiastic welcome. Howard, like Harbaugh, had success as both college and professional player. However, unlike Michigan football during Harbaugh's return, Michigan’s men’s basketball was flourishing under coach Fab Five, who, like Harbaugh, left for the professional leagues. While Jim Harbaugh ended with a championship, Howard’s Michigan Wolverines finished at the bottom of the Big Ten with an 8-24 record. The almost simultaneous departures of Harbaugh and Howard mark the necessary end of the informal requirement for hiring a former Michigan great (player) as the head coach.A Whole New World of College Athletics
In today’s competitive world of lucrative college athletics, “student athletes” demand upfront payments and threaten to transfer if they aren’t assured playing time. Amidst this, Jim Harbaugh fostered a team culture where hard work and sacrifice were highly valued.
This might no longer be feasible.
Yes, Jim Harbaugh aims to win a Super Bowl, but he also recognizes the importance of
and a weaponized transfer portal. Together, these might just be too much for even the most skilled coaching efforts in college.
Alabama knows this new reality. NIL money The coach of Alabama football,
, is possibly the greatest college football coach of all time. He retired right after Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines defeated his Crimson Tide at the 2024 Rose Bowl.
Shortly after, the University of Alabama had his replacement signed — the highly respected Nick SabanKalen DeBoer
. DeBoer comes from Washington, the team Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines defeated at the 2024 College Football Championship. DeBoer is not an “Alabama Man.” Alabama — wisely — did not require its coach to be a former Alabama player. Does Michigan comprehend?When Harbaugh left for the NFL, a nationwide search for the best possible candidate was the logical response. But Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel went with his instinct. He hired Sherrone Moore, Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator — and the man who filled in as head coach when Harbaugh got suspended by the NCAA.
Possibly, the decision was imposed on him.
But who will Warde Manuel hire to replace Juwan Howard? The consensus candidates are not Michigan men. Only one candidate on the
‘rumor’ list
can be considered a Michigan Man — San Diego State’s Brian Dutcher. Dutcher is in his 60s and served as an assistant at Michigan in the 1980s. He is not likely to get the call. There is simply too much money, too much media. College sports — at least for football and basketball — are now, or very soon will be, fully professional endeavors. Hiring a coach because he (or she) has ties to the university is as much a relic as guaranteeing a “student athlete” a four-year scholarship. The end of the Michigan Man coincides with the end of the scholar athlete. Jim Harbaugh fulfilled the promise. Harbaugh ended his coaching tenure with the Michigan Wolverines with a CFP national championship — and three straight decisive victories over archrival Ohio State. Add in an instant classic OT win over football powerhouse Alabama in the 2024 Rose Bowl. Plus, his parting gift, sending a record 18 scholarship […]
There is simply too much money, too much media. College sports — at least for football and basketball — are now, or very soon will be, fully professional endeavors. Hiring a coach because he (or she) has ties to the university is as much a relic as guaranteeing a “student athlete” a four-year scholarship. The end of the Michigan Man coincides with the end of the scholar athlete.
