Insider questions the future of Jim Harbaugh with Michigan football

With the 2023 season just 19 days away, the discussions about Jim Harbaugh being suspended for four games have finally been put to rest. The NCAA rejected the initial deal, and all of the “Burgergate” talk will extend into next year. With the NCAA still closely scrutinizing Harbaugh and targeting the Michigan football program, college football insider Ralph Russo of the Associated Press recently shared his thoughts on whether Harbaugh will remain the coach of the Wolverines by the time the NCAA concludes this case.

Insider would be “surprised” if Jim Harbaugh is still with Michigan football after the 2024 season

Currently, Jim Harbaugh and Michigan football are facing scrutiny over recruiting violations that occurred three years ago. What were initially minor infractions have escalated into a Level 1 investigation that could result in a suspension for Jim Harbaugh spanning multiple games.

Despite discussions about Harbaugh returning to the NFL since he arrived at Michigan nine years ago, the speculation has not ceased. The Wolverines’ 9th-year head coach has remained loyal to his alma mater thus far; however, according to insider Ralph Russo, fans should not be overly confident that Jim Harbaugh will be coaching the Michigan football team come 2024, potentially due in large part to the NCAA’s actions.

“When this issue first arose, there were some murmurs about it late last year heading into the Playoff and then we started hearing more about Harbaugh leaving,” Russo said to Andy Staples of On3. “Then as you did a little reporting on this and sunk your teeth in it you realize these two things might be related. He might be heading to the NFL because he either doesn’t want to deal with this stuff or maybe this stuff is legit bad. Maybe he’s looking at like a year’s suspension.

“So there was this feeling that these two things were linked. Then there was this feeling that, ‘well, it won’t be that bad so we’re gonna run it back.’ There’s just so many layers to Harbaugh because there was also the idea that maybe if somebody would’ve really wanted him he would’ve gone to the NFL. Because that’s also been another piece of this the last couple of years.”

“… What he did at San Francisco (49ers) was similar to the Stanford situation and the (Michigan football) situation,” Russo continued. “He flipped it almost immediately. Listen, he comes with the Harbaugh thing. He left the San Francisco situation because people were like, ‘Jim, we are tired of you.’ I think in college, that doesn’t happen quite as much because the roster flips over and assistant coaches flip over. You don’t have an owner and a GM. You have an AD and a president. It’s a different dynamic so I think he’s a little more tolerable, his quirkiness, in a college setting.

“I’m at the point where I’d be surprised if Harbaugh is the coach at Michigan (after this season). I think they have at least one, if not two, possible successors on the staff right now.”

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!