For the first time since his departure from Michigan football, Jim Harbaugh has responded to the NCAA.
“(The NCAA) has been keeping money away from players for decades,” Harbaugh said in a recent interview with ESPN. “They just got hit with a $2.7 billion lawsuit. They have no credibility. That’s the truth.”
How ’bout that right hook from Captain Comeback himself?
Following the NCAA’s decision to issue him a show-cause that bans him from college for four years due to his involvement with minor recruiting violations and the investigation of Connor Stallions, the new Chargers coach does not need to bite his tongue.
Finally, Harbaugh can speak up – something he’s never been afraid to do.
Harbaugh Comments on Transition from Michigan to the NFL
Exactly 10 years since his last appearance as an NFL head coach, Harbaugh is back in Los Angeles as the head coach of the Chargers.
Speaking with ESPN, a 49ers tight end Delanie Walker who played for Harbaugh, reflected on the evolution of his former boss.
“Being in college [after the 49ers experience], I think, just changed his way of coaching,” Walker said. “He gave the players a lot of opportunity to have an input in what practice was going to be like. .. His growth and understanding of what players need and how they feel has changed a lot.”
Still, despite all of his accomplishments – including both an NFL & College Football Coach of the Year Award – Harbaugh has more doubters and outright haters than any coach in America.
Harbaugh Addresses the Narratives Surrounding his Personality
Sure, the sign-stealing scandal is raising more heads than anything else he’s done – like the Pete Carroll or Jim Schwartz handshakes once did – but he was mostly damned if he did, and damned if he didn’t in college football.
Those who loved him, well, most of them lived in Ann Arbor or had “University of Michigan” on their paychecks.
At least, that’s the narrative.
“The narrative that I’m hard to get along with or whatever other narrative out there is, that’s just people’s narrative,” Harbaugh told ESPN. “Nobody’s ever doubted where my heart is every single time: What’s in the best interest of the team that I am on.”
And it’s hard to argue with that statement considering he was invited back to Michigan football’s Pro Day less than a month after leaving for an NFL job.
The reality is that those close to Harbaugh – current players, former players, co-workers, and more – tend to rave about their time with him, especially at U-M.
So far in LA, it’s already happening again.
Chargers Players Talk About Playing for Harbaugh
Now that he’s on to his next challenge, his new players – or “friends” as he started to call them at Michigan – are raving about him, too.
Known for his token sayings, like “Who’s Got It Better Than Us?” and “An Enthusiasm Unknown to Mankind,” Harbaugh is impressing Scott Matlock, a Chargers defensive lineman who keeps notes on his favorite daily sayings from his new head coach.
“It’s just to help me remember,” Matlock said with a smile. “Those little funny moments and I can look back on it down the road and maybe after the season and see all of the funny things that were said.”
If you’re looking for players to take issue with any of Harbaugh’s unique, borderline unorthodox methods, then maybe former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is the best source.
Not so fast.
“It feels like the coach is leading the team the way it should be led,” Bosa told ESPN. “It has the feel of being back in college with Coach [Urban] Meyer. The message is sent from the top and it doesn’t get mixed up as it’s moving down the ladder.”
Maybe they should hide the comparison to Meyer from Harbaugh’s eyes … regardless, ‘ole Jimmy seems to be thriving in his new environment – NCAA be damned.
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