Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh made it clear again Tuesday – he wants to continue his career at U-M.
Harbaugh, speaking on 97.1 WXYT’s Stoney and Jansen Show, was quick to respond when asked if he still wanted to proceed at Michigan’s head coach.
“Yeah, I do. Yes,” Harbaugh said.
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Harbaugh has one year remaining on a six-year deal and is the only Power Five coach entering the last year of his contract. He said Monday that yes, recruits have asked about it and insisted that yes, he wanted to be back at Michigan.
He reiterated that again Tuesday.
“If you were on these calls, you’d be inspired, too, and I am talking to the youngsters, their families,” Harbaugh said. “Their passion for attending Michigan, their focus on getting a degree from the University of Michigan and playing football at Michigan … that focus is inspiring. You would love to be on those calls, as I am.”
Harbaugh has received a lot of criticism for his team’s performance this year, a 2-4 squad that didn’t win a home game and survived in triple overtime at Rutgers. He’s said in the past he tuned out criticism and looked forward, but he’s facing a lot of pressure to right the ship.
Fan criticism has been at an all-time high, with many wondering if he should be allowed to extend with a rumored three-year deal in the works.
“I do talk to the fan base,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve been so supportive. They love Michigan. We’re on the same team. I think they’d really love our players if they knew them all.
“They are inspired by them; I’m inspired by them. We’re going to keep pushing, and that continues today, that continues tomorrow, the next day and all the way to Saturday and beyond. I’ve got great appreciation for the support we get from the Michigan fan base.”
He also expressed support for his team despite its struggles this year.
“I did say I really liked this team. I mean … [I] love this team,” he said. “I’m most impressed with how they handle themselves, how they’ve handled a lot of the adversity. I think it’s made them stronger. I think they’ve grown. I think that serves them well now and going forward …
“There are a lot of people in general even in the football world that once the new year starts, the next year starts, they get very passionate about what their resolutions are going to be — get on fire, going to do more, going to work harder — we’re still in that. So, let’s get on fire, let’s get passionate, let’s do that today, tomorrow, the next day, while we’re still in this season. That can start today.”
It starts later now given that the season is over with the cancellation of Saturday’s game with Iowa. Harbaugh, however, has Wednesday Signing Day to look forward to, and he and Manuel can now decide on the next course of action for the program.
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