A Jersey Guy: Harbaugh has right stuff-again

Michigan coach is again trending in a positive fashion.

In an era when Nick Saban and Bill Belichick are the standard bearers for college and professional football, where analytics have become part of game plans and where there are fewer and fewer regulations regarding eligibility and how to compensate college football players, we still have Coach Khaki Pants, aka Jim Harbaugh.

This might surprise the critics who sent Harbaugh to the discard pile after a series of failure to win "the games that really counted'' when Harbaugh came back to coach his alma mater Michigan.

How that has changed the past two seasons as Harbaugh, returning to his alma mater of Michigan, has revived the dormant Wolverine program into a national power once again.

Of the many sub plots of the 2022 version of the CFP playoffs, Michigan--specifically Harbaugh--is one the more intriguing ones.

The next chapter will be played out Saturday afternoon in Glendale, Arizona as the No. 2 ranked and unbeaten Wolverines tangle with No. 4 TCU.

Michigan, which has now won back to back Big Ten championships, which also includes back to back wins over Ohio State and Michigan State,

It is not THE story---Georgia going after back to back national championships is better, TCU'S Cinderella story is more compelling--but the  trials and tribulations of Jim Harbaugh is also intriguing.

And with a spate of NFL openings, looming, plus Harbaugh's serious flirtation with the Minnesota Vikings last season as evidence, Harbugh's next move makes total sense---if you look at his resume.

Many descriptions about Harbaugh's career have been used since he came out of the NFL as a first round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in the 1987 NFL draft, but longevity in one place is NOT one of them.

Look at his playing career which lasted from 1987-2001.

Chicago Bears  (6 seasons)

Indianapolis Colts (3 seasons)

Baltimore Raves (1 season)

San Diego Chargers (2 seasons)

Detroit Lions (1 season)

 Coach

Oakland  Raiders, assistant  (2 seasons)_

University of San Diego Head Coach (3 seasons)

Stanford University Head Coach (4 seasons)

San Francisco 49ers Head Coach (4 seasons)

He is finishing his 8th season in Ann Arbor, but maybe the Wolverines get a home town discount.

If the Wolverines, who are favored to beat TCU by a touchdown on Saturday, but will be underdogs if Georgia in the national championship at SoFI Stadium in Los  Angeles on January 9th, Harbaugh can add a CFB  national championship to his bucket list and walk away--to the NFL and get what he wants  most--a Super Bowl ring.

A Super Bowl is, of course, coveted by all NFL coaches, but Harbaugh's motivation has some extra fringes.

In Harbaugh's last season in the NFL before coming to Michigan his 49er team faced off against his brother's John's Baltimore Raven team.

The Raven won, John has a Super Bowl ring, Jim does not. 

Harbaugh, who after taking a pay cut two seasons ago, signed a new five, year contract last season which will pay him north of $7 million with incentives, is saying and doing the right things in  his quest to get Michigan to the top of the mountain.

"It's the enjoyment of football,  the opportunity to have what this team has created and what it's brought to life,'' said Harbaugh this week. ""It's been a great team effort. Coaches, strength coaches, players, families, parents, it's been a team is in  every respect. And everybody bleeds blue and pulls in the same direction.''

Until last season, there was some question about the direction Harbaugh was taking the Wolverines, which not include beating Michigan State or Ohio State for five consecutive seasons.

That prompted ,more than some grumbling from Michigan fans and a move by Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to reconstruct Harbaugh's schedule, with more incentive based perks and a lower base.

Harbaugh pondered and fumed and explored (the NFL seriously), but signed the deal.

|"Beat Michigan State and beat Ohio State in same season, win Big Ten title and win the national championship,'' said Harbaugh almost matter of factly. ""We've reached three of those goals.''

Harbaugh also talked with passion about where he was right now. ""I love Michigan football, the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor,'' he said.

None of that will change no matter what happens the next two weeks.

What happens beyond that remains to be seen.