Perhaps it’s because, as he stated, “I love the relationships I have at Michigan.” Or perhaps it’s because he had nowhere else to go … no NFL offers coming in despite a willingness to interview.
At this point, it doesn’t really matter. Michigan is retaining the coach that has led it to consecutive Big Ten titles, consecutive College Football Playoff appearances and, most satisfyingly, consecutive victories over archrival Ohio State.
The Wolverines, with Harbaugh and a ton of returning talent, will enter next season favored to three-peat all of the above.
“My heart is at the University of Michigan,” Harbaugh statedPerhaps that is true, but if so, it didn’t stop him from interviewing for NFL jobs (Minnesota last year, Denver this time). If he is serious about staying, that needs to end.
A third dalliance with the pros will be even more ridiculous and exhausting than this year’s dalliance with the pros after he vehemently assured everyone that there wouldn’t be any more dalliances with the pros.
Harbaugh can be difficult. He can also really coach the game of football, 25-3 the past two seasons. He doesn’t do much in an orthodox manner, and that has led to infuriated bosses from college to the NFL, whether as a player or coach.
For Michigan though, he is the best it has had in a long time and the best it is going to get at this time. The onus, fair or not, is on the school to figure out how to coexist with Harbaugh more than it is on Harbaugh to reciprocate.
