Jim Harbaugh fulfilled his promise, concluding his coaching tenure with the Michigan Wolverines by clinching a CFP national championship and securing three consecutive decisive victories over archrival Ohio State. He also orchestrated a thrilling overtime triumph against football powerhouse Alabama in the 2024 Rose Bowl, and as a parting gesture, he guided a record 18 scholarship athletes to the NFL combine.
Regarded as a quintessential “Michigan Man,” Harbaugh’s departure to join the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers was met with understanding from Michigan fans, who recognized his opportunity to pursue a Super Bowl victory. Harbaugh’s accomplishments, including an impeccable 15-0 record, a national championship, and victories against top-tier opponents, are exceedingly rare feats that he achieved for Michigan, his alma mater.
Juwan Howard, another Michigan Man and member of Michigan’s Fab Five, departed shortly after Harbaugh. However, Howard’s departure differed in that he was fired.
Their simultaneous exits signify the end of the era where the Michigan Wolverines’ coach was expected to embody the “Michigan Man” ideal. This shift is likely beneficial, as there appears to be no other viable alternative.
Jim Harbaugh’s return to Michigan was akin to that of the prodigal son—seasoned, prosperous, and certain of his path ahead. His arrival was precisely what the Michigan Wolverines needed, given their status as the winningest program in college football history, yet enduring a rare stretch of football mediocrity lasting over a decade.
With an impeccable track record both as a player and coach, Harbaugh’s status as a “Michigan Man” was an added bonus.
In contrast to Jim Harbaugh, Juwan Howard, the recently dismissed head coach of the Michigan Wolverines basketball team, returned to Michigan amid less fanfare. Despite being a member of Michigan’s famed Fab Five and achieving success both in college and professionally, Howard’s homecoming did not receive the same enthusiastic reception as Harbaugh’s.
This disparity can be partly attributed to the differing circumstances: while Michigan football was struggling when Harbaugh returned, Michigan’s men’s basketball was enjoying unprecedented success under coach John Beilein, who, like Harbaugh, left for a professional coaching position.
While Jim Harbaugh concluded his tenure with a championship, Howard’s Michigan Wolverines languished at the bottom of the Big Ten standings. Harbaugh’s 15-0 record starkly contrasts with Howard’s 8-24 finish. The near-simultaneous departures of Harbaugh and Howard signify the end of the unwritten requirement to hire a former Michigan standout (player) as head coach, a practice that had been in place for some time.
In the current landscape of college athletics, characterized by intense competition and financial stakes, student-athletes increasingly seek immediate compensation and leverage the transfer portal to secure guaranteed playing time. Amidst these challenges, Jim Harbaugh cultivated a team ethos centered on diligence and selflessness.
However, the evolving dynamics of college sports suggest that such an approach may no longer be sustainable.
Jim Harbaugh is undoubtedly driven to achieve Super Bowl success. However, he also recognizes the influence of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and the increasingly influential transfer portal in college athletics. The combined impact of these factors could potentially overshadow even the most effective coaching strategies at the college level.
Alabama, a program renowned for its football success, has embraced and adapted to this new reality. Their head coach, Nick Saban, widely regarded as one of the greatest college football coaches ever, retired shortly after Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines defeated his Crimson Tide at the 2024 Rose Bowl.
Shortly after Nick Saban’s retirement, the University of Alabama swiftly appointed Kalen DeBoer as his replacement. DeBoer, who previously coached at Washington, is highly esteemed in college football. Notably, he is not an “Alabama Man,” indicating a departure from the tradition of requiring the head coach to have ties to the university.
This move raises the question of whether Michigan, or other schools, comprehend and are willing to adapt to this new approach in college athletics.
When Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL, many expected the University of Michigan to conduct a nationwide search for his replacement. However, Athletic Director Warde Manuel opted for a different approach, hiring Sherrone Moore, who served as Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator and interim head coach during Harbaugh’s suspension by the NCAA.
The decision to hire Moore may have been influenced by circumstances beyond Manuel’s control. As Michigan seeks a replacement for Juwan Howard, who was recently fired as head coach of the men’s basketball team, the top candidates are not necessarily former Michigan players or coaches.
Brian Dutcher, head coach at San Diego State and a former Michigan assistant, is one of the few rumored candidates who could be considered a “Michigan Man,” but his age and past ties to the university may not align with the direction Michigan is heading.
The evolving landscape of college athletics, driven by increased financial stakes and media scrutiny, is pushing football and basketball programs toward a more professional model. Hiring coaches based on their ties to the university is becoming outdated, much like guaranteeing four-year scholarships to student-athletes. The era of the Michigan Man seems to be fading away, coinciding with a shift away from the traditional scholar-athlete model.
