Jim Harbaugh reveals plan for former four-star Michigan football linebacker

This week, heading into a Week 8 game at Michigan State — which will be a night game in East Lansing — Jim Harbaugh met with the media. During his availability, Harbaugh outlined his plan for ex-four-star Michigan football linebacker Jimmy Rolder, who has not seen much action with the Maize and Blue to this point. Rolder will get his chance to play this year, though all signs point to a redshirt year for the sophomore linebacker.

Jim Harbaugh reveals plan for former four-star Michigan football linebacker

Jimmy Rolder was a four-star linebacker in the class of 2022 — Jim Harbaugh’s most recent top 10 recruiting class. While Rolder hasn’t really seen much action this year, Harbaugh did not say it was because of injury; instead, he says that the Wolverines simply plan on redshirting the sophomore linebacker for the 2023 season.

“Jimmy (Rolder) — he did not redshirt last year,” Jim Harbaugh said on Monday. “And so we have a year that we’re really attempting and pulling off, really, to play Jimmy in the four games and get that year back for Jimmy. So, a redshirt doesn’t have to be just in the freshman year.”

With a lot of talent and depth in the linebacker room right now, Michigan football can afford to redshirt talented players like Rolder, who was a blue-chip commit out of high school. While Rolder will maintain a year of eligibility, it’s important to note that Harbaugh says he wants to get the sophomore in all four games before sidelining him for the year.

Per NCAA rules, a player can play in four college football games while maintaining their redshirt status.

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