Joel Klatt Changes Stance on Michigan Football Coach Jim Harbaugh

A few weeks ago, as the Wolverines were en route to a game at No. 10 Penn State  — the team’s biggest test to date — Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten mid-flight. At the time, U-M puffed up its chest and threatened a TRO hearing, though that momentum died the second Michigan’s primary argument of “irreparable damage” died, which happened when Sherrone Moore beat the Nittany Lions without Harbaugh. With the school backing down on its strong stance of facing the conference in court, as well as Sherrone Moore’s win over Ohio State, FOX analyst Joel Klatt has changed his stance on Harbaugh and his future in Ann Arbor.

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh leading magic run towards national title

Right now, all eyes are focused on the 2023 Michigan football team and their shot at winning the national title this fall — something U-M has not done since the 1997 season.

With Jim Harbaugh returning to the sidelines this weekend for the Big Ten title game, as well as Michigan improving to No. 2 in the country in the latest CFP poll, it appears that the Maize and Blue have a great shot at landing in the Rose Bowl and facing either Florida State or the PAC-12 Champion.

Regardless, there is a thought in the back of all Michigan fans’ minds: will Jim Harbaugh be head coach in Ann Arbor next year? There is a lot going on with the NCAA, a lot of changes happening in college football, and most of his top players — including quarterback JJ McCarthy — are likely heading to the draft after this season.

Joel Klatt flips stance on Harbaugh — no longer confident that he will be staying at Michigan

Joel Klatt, one of the top names in college football media, once felt confident that Harbaugh would stay with Michigan, though right now, he is not so sure.

“Two weeks ago, I would have said, ‘Nope — (Harbaugh) is going to be at Michigan (next year).’ Now, I am not so sure,” Klatt told Colin Cowherd. “I believe that the week of the Maryland game was a real (turning point). The (TRO) hearing was dropped, Jim is going to serve this three-game suspension, (Michigan) fired this linebacker coach. And even though they didn’t do this, there was some kind of acknowledgment or admission that, you know, hand in the cookie jar.

“Jim doesn’t feel that this is the case,” Klatt added. “To his credit, and I can only go by personal experience, Jim Harbaugh has never lied to me. (Other) coaches lie to me all the time… Jim Harbaugh has never lied to me in any meeting I have ever been in, and he has told me, ‘I didn’t know.’ … I have no other recourse other than to believe him because of our history together.”

The future is uncertain, but once again, the NFL will be calling Harbaugh’s name

So, While Joel Klatt still believes that Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh did not know about what Connor Stalions was up to, he still feels that things hit a little bit of a turning point with Harbaugh and his future with college football. While Klatt once was pretty confident that Harbaugh would be coaching Michigan in 2024, it’s clear that he is back to feeling like the NFL might come in and scoop him up.

It’s worth noting that new reports show that many NFL teams, such as the Chicago Bears, have a strong interest in Jim Harbaugh following the 2023 Michigan football season. After flirting with a return to the NFL over the past few seasons, this is absolutely something worth keeping a close eye on after Michigan’s incredible run comes to an end — ideally, with a national title.

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