Jim Harbaugh set out to bring a national championship back to his alma mater at Michigan. And this year he accomplished just that with an undefeated season, and impressive victories over Ohio St., Alabama, and Washington along the way.
With a College Football Playoff trophy on his resume, and an NCAA investigation regarding alleged sign stealing still simmering underneath the surface, there was little doubt that the 60 year old would be rejoining the NFL coaching ranks sooner rather than later. Harbaugh had previously been courted by several franchises over the last two offseason, but ultimately opted to remain in the collegiate ranks to finish what he started.
The Toledo born coach was widely considered one of the prized head coaching targets of the offseason amongst NFL circles. In addition to his CFP National Championship, Harbaugh previously helped guide the San Francisco 49ers to a 44-19-1 record, and a Super Bowl appearance during his time with the club.
Now, he’s set to join another west coast franchise in the Los Angeles Chargers as he prepares to take over a highly skilled roster that’s fell well short of expectations the past several years. According to initial reports, it’s believed that Harbaugh has signed a 5 year deal with LA, though financial terms have yet to be revealed.
“My love for Michigan, playing there and coming back to coach there leaves a lasting impact. I’ll always be a loyal Wolverine,” Harbaugh said in a prepared statement. “I’m remarkably fortunate to have been afforded the privilege of coaching at places where life’s journey has created strong personal connections for me. When I played for the Chargers, the Spanos family could not have been more gracious or more welcoming.
“Being back here feels like home, and it’s great to see that those things haven’t changed.”
Those feelings were echoed by Chargers owner Dean Spano’s who mused “Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward…Who has it better than us?”
Los Angeles’ search for a new head coach began following the team’s embarrassing 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in December. Brandon Staley, who many assumed was on borrowed time to begin with following a monumental playoff collapse against Jacksonville the year prior, was let go, and the Chargers pursuit of Harbaugh began almost instantaneously.
Los Angeles had been linked to the former Wolverines coach in the past, and when the opportunity to add him to their coaching ranks became a reality this offseason, the club wasn’t about to miss their chance. With the hiring, that leaves just Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle and Washington as the remaining NFL clubs looking for a new head coach.
Harbaugh will now be tasked with helping to turn around a roster that has it’s franchise QB in Justin Herbert, but a series of question marks beyond that, as their veteran heavy makeup could in line for a shakeup as the NFL Draft approaches.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Eric Upchurch. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.