Is Bringing Back Jim Harbaugh the Right Decision?

It was an interesting season in college football that will come to end in just a few days. The National Championship game will be between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide. One of the teams that play in the Big Ten with the Buckeyes is the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines were supposed to be the team that could beat Ohio State this year. The Big Ten and Pac-12 started later than the other three power conferences the SEC, Big 12, and ACC. That was due to Covid-19. With the struggles that Michigan has had against their rivals in Ohio State, Michigan State, and Penn State. Against Ohio State Jim Harbaugh is 0-5. Harbaugh’s record combined against Penn State and Michigan State is 6-5. If you count the Wisconsin Badgers the Wolverines under Harbaugh are 2-3. They have never won a Big Ten Championship.

Many thought with all of that it was time for a new head coach in Michigan. That is not the case as Harbaugh just got an extension for four years. That means the Wolverines will have him at the helm till 2025. I believe that both alumni and boosters have Jim Harbaugh on a short leash. In college football, one thing as a head coach that you have to do is to beat your rival. This is where he has struggled mightily. Let’s hope that changes in Michigan. I have asked many Wolverines fans which team burns them more to lose to between Ohio State and Michigan State. Most tell you Ohio State. Just a few years ago many Michigan fans say they got screwed on a play that gave the Buckeyes a first down when it looked like they were short.

It has not been any better against the Michigan State Spartans. They had a game won and then fumbled a punt late that cost them the game. The one aspect that has to get better is recruiting. He has been out recruited by Ohio State. The only team he has some success against is Penn State. He only has one for the win than the loss against them. These are all teams that you need to win against. That would help put your position to be in a Big Ten championship game. Which they have not won. When it comes to playing top ten teams, he is 1-8 which is not good either. When it comes to bowl games they are 1-4 under him. Jim Harbaugh needs to fix that. Warde Manuel, the AD at Michigan, says that “we have not achieved the goals that we want”.

The biggest issue is if Jim Harbaugh continues to fail, is it going to be hard to remove him. A huge buyout would have to occur. In my opinion, Harbaugh was on the last year of his current deal and I would say how the season played out. If the Wolverines did well and he had a winning record against most of the Big Ten teams then give him the extension. From what I have read that Ohio State Buckeyes social media saying that they love that Michigan brought him back. The question I have in the next five years is will he beat Ohio State? As of right now, we will have to wait and see. For all the Wolverines fans, let’s hope it happens this year coming up and they do not have to wait.