Ranking Michigan’s top prospects to replace Jim Harbaugh in the NFL
After an exciting career at his alma college, Jim Harbaugh is allegedly nearing an agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers.
After leading the Wolverines to their first national title season since 1997, Harbaugh departed Michigan. 2015 saw Harbaugh take over. There were high points, such as winning three Big Ten titles in a row and making it to the College Football Playoffs the previous three years. There were setbacks, such as Ohio State’s five consecutive losses from 2015 to 2019 and two NCAA investigations that resulted in repeated sanctions for Harbaugh.
A program that hopes to build on its Big Ten dominance in the 12-team College Football Playoff era is about to enter a new chapter. An examination of Harbaugh’s reasons for leaving Michigan as well as potential replacement coach for the Wolverines.
Why did Jim Harbaugh leave Michigan
Despite the team’s success on the field, Harbaugh’s nine seasons at Michigan have been the most contentious.
Additionally, Harbaugh is the focus of two NCAA inquiries. A three-game penalty was given by the school at the beginning of the season due to an NCAA investigation over improper interaction with recruits during COVID-19. He was informed that a Level I offense was allegedly committed.
Following a Big Ten ban due to an in-person scouting and sign-stealing controversy that led in the dismissal of assistant coach Chris Partridge and staffer Connor Stalions, Harbaugh missed the final three regular season games.
Will Sherrone Moore replace Jim Harbaugh?
Considering how well Sherrone Moore handled filling in for Harbaugh this season, Moore would be the most obvious choice to succeed Harbaugh. For the final three games of the 2023 regular season, Moore filled in for Harbaugh, first against Bowling Green and then twice. During that time, Moore led Michigan to wins over Penn State and Michigan that placed them in the top 10, protecting the Wolverines’ Big Ten title and College Football Playoff run.
Moore, 37, accomplished it while holding the positions of offensive line coach and offensive coordinator. In 2021 and 2022, Michigan’s offensive line was named the nation’s best, earning them the Joe Moore Award. Prior to moving to Michigan, Moore served as an assistant coach at Central Michigan from 2014 to 2017.
Michigan coaching candidates to replace Jim Harbaugh
If Sherrone Moore isn’t the answer, then here are a few other candidates for the Michigan job.
Jesse Minter, Michigan defensive coordinator
If not Moore, Minter might become a credible internal contender. When Harbaugh was serving his first suspension, Minter was the head coach for the season’s first game versus East Carolina. Before spending a year at Vanderbilt, the forty-year-old defensive coordinator worked as an assistant for the Baltimore Ravens for four years. During Minter’s sophomore year, the Wolverines gave up 9.5 points per contest. Minter has also been floated as Harbuagh’s potential defensive coordinator in the event that he decides to sign with the Chargers.
Lance Leipold, Kansas coach
On “The Rich Eisen Show” on December 17, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic suggested Leipold as a potential applicant for the Michigan position. Leipold, 59, has a 54-54 record during his time with Buffalo and Kansas and six Division III national titles from Wisconsin-Whitewater. With the programs, that is a really impressive record. Would the 59-year-old Leipold be prepared for that big-time bump? His record is underappreciated, and if Michigan decides to hire new coaches, he might be the best choice.
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota coach
Could Michigan accept a former assistant from Ohio State? Before accepting the Minnesota position, Fleck, 43, guided Western Michigan to a 13-1 campaign and a trip to the New Year’s Day Six Bowl in 2016. Over the last seven seasons with the Gophers, Fleck is 50-34. While Fleck enjoyed consistent success, Minnesota never made a breakthrough and failed to win a Big Ten West championship. The last five bowl games have all been victories for the Gophers. Although he has previously been mentioned in employment searches for top-10 teams, Fleck is not for everyone. For Fleck, this would be his “dream job.” Would Michigan have similar feelings?
Matt Campbell, Iowa State coach
We have made this case how many times already? 2020 saw Campbell lead Iowa State to a Fiesta Bowl victory, and during Harbaugh’s firing that season, Campbell’s name was brought up a lot. Building strong character programs is Campbell’s specialty, and his performance in Ames is noteworthy given that the team has made six bowl appearances in nine seasons. The issue is that Iowa State has dropped to 18-20 since winning the Fiesta Bowl. It is possible that Campbell passed up this chance.
Brian Kelly, LSU coach
Kelly appears to be a long shot considering that he recently joined LSU, is 19-7, has appeared in an SEC title game, and has just finished two seasons behind Jayden Daniels, the winner of the Heisman Trophy. Although it was twenty years ago, Kelly did coach at Grand Valley State in Allensdale, Michigan, from 1987 to 2003, winning two Division II national titles. Given the situation, Kelly, 62, would seem like an unexpected hiring, but was not that the case when he transferred from Notre Dame to LSU?
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