Jim Harbaugh odds favor coach not being at Michigan for 2021 college football season
Could Coach Jim Harbaugh leave alma mater Michigan after this season?
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The University of Michigan was shockingly throttled at home on Saturday 49-11 by Wisconsin. It was the Wolverines' third loss in a row and raised questions galore about the future of Coach Jim Harbaugh. SportsLine has college football odds on his future, but let's be clear: The school isn't going to fire him.
Harbaugh is one of the most beloved Michigan Men of all-time as a former quarterback for the Wolverines, Big Ten MVP and Heisman Trophy finalist. He is reportedly the fourth-highest-paid coach in college football with a 2020 salary of $8.054 million, behind only Alabama's Nick Saban, LSU's Ed Orgeron and Clemson's Dabo Swinney.
What have those three other guys done? Won a national title. Harbaugh hasn't even won a conference title at Michigan. His contract is also up after next season – the only Power 5 head coach without a deal past 2021.
No question that Saturday's loss was embarrassing (an earlier loss to Michigan State also looks worse by the week with Sparty really struggling otherwise). It was Michigan's worst home defeat since Nov. 23, 1935, a 38-0 blowout to Ohio State. Wisconsin led 28-0 before UM quarterback Joe Milton even completed a pass to one of his teammates. Harbaugh has now lost all 11 games at UM as a betting underdog and the Wolverines are 1-3, their worst four-game start to a season since 1967.
On the bright side, Michigan should be favored over its next three games and is -7.5 at this Saturday at improved Rutgers. Then come home games vs. ultra-disappointing Penn State and Maryland before traveling to Ohio State. Harbaugh is 0-5 against the Buckeyes.
Again, let's be clear: The school isn't firing Harbaugh, and he's also not simply going to quit and embarrass his alma mater. The firing won't happen not just because he's a legend there, but the athletic department is hemorrhaging money like every other athletic department in the country during a pandemic. Michigan isn't going to pay Harbaugh $8 million NOT to coach.
One obviously can't believe every blog/reddit post, etc., that one reads, but I've seen a couple of pretty reputable sources that Harbaugh is tired of bumping heads with the administration – i.e. he will never be able to compete with Ohio State – and ready to mutually part ways after this season.
Several NFL teams would hire Harbaugh in a second -- he reached three NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers. The New York Jets surely will inquire and are guaranteed to have an opening. The Chicago Bears could have an opening, too, and Harbaugh played there. Shoot, he could take the Detroit Lions job up the road from Ann Arbor.
According to ESPN, if Harbaugh took an NFL job, he would not owe Michigan any money because he's past Year 4 of his initial agreement with the school.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will Jim Harbaugh be Michigan coach for the 2021 season?
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