The Michigan Wolverines are one win away from a Big Ten championship and three wins away from a College Football Playoff national championship, but they may be looking for a new coach next season.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and Fox Sports stated that he would be “surprised” if Jim Harbaugh is still Michigan’s head coach in 2024 during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show (5:00 in video).
Speculation about Harbaugh’s future and a potential return to the NFL is nothing new, but new circumstances have developed this season. He was suspended for the first three games of the campaign because of recruiting violations and the final three games of the regular season because of the program’s ongoing sign-stealing scandal.
The Wolverines are under investigation by the NCAA right now, and the coach and program may face punishment in the future.
Feldman reported on Nov. 18 that “it would not be surprising if Jim Harbaugh could be suspended for the bulk of the 2024 season.”
Thus far, former staffer Connor Stalions—who has largely been seen as the architect of the scheme—and linebackers coach Chris Partridge have been fired as part of the fallout from the scandal.
Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger also reported that the NCAA presented evidence to Michigan that a school booster named Tim Smith helped fund the Stalions’ efforts, although Smith has denied as much.
All of this hasn’t stopped Michigan from winning on the field, and on Saturday, when it plays Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, it will play for its perfect record. Numerous gifted upperclassmen on the Wolverines’ roster may be heading to the NFL following the season.
Combine that with the looming possibility of significant sanctions stemming from the sign-stealing scandal, and the 2023 campaign has taken on something of a last-stand feel for Harbaugh-era Michigan.
Although it has a chance to win the national championship, its immediate future is unclear when the year ends.
Maybe Harbuagh realizes what’s coming and will seize the opportunity to rejoin the NFL, having previously guided the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl berth.
Given his achievements in the NFL and in college, several teams will undoubtedly be interested in signing him. He has already been connected to multiple teams and could leave Michigan on a high note, depending on how the postseason unfolds.
