Ties to Bowling Green run deep for the Harbaugh family
This week means a little bit more to Jim Harbaugh, even if he won't be coaching in the game. The history between the Harbaugh family and Bowling Green runs deep.
Jim's father, Jack, met Jim's mother, Jackie Harbaugh, while at Bowling Green. He played for the program, coached for the program and has a spot dedicated to the Falcons in a basement filled with memorabilia.
While Harbaugh preaches that every opponent is a nameless, faceless opponent and everyone gets treated the same, this week is a little different for the Harbaugh family.
"They met at BG in class," Harbaugh said on Inside Michigan Football. "You have to get my dad to tell the story. All the stories, you've just been hearing them forever. There's a great picture in my dad's basement. My dad sitting on the bench, wearing his number 13 and my mom is doing a cheer, she's part of the cheerleading squad and she's right behind my dad. That's how you guys met? My dad, yeah, I was on the bench and mom was cheerleading. They met in an English class. Unbelievable, they've been married 62 years I think? 63 coming up this year? Amazing couple, soulmates, it's just a tremendous example of everything."
He continued:
"My dad is a great storyteller, so is my mom. A lot of the stories are about BG and my dad's football friends. The stories about Doyt Perry and our family is like legend. Doyt is right up there with Woody and Bo Schembechler for my dad and all the stories and the lore. Some of his best stories are about BG and Doyt Perry. If there was a vacation and we're driving to Crestline Ohio or Cleveland Ohio where my mom is from, my dad is from Crestline, we'd always go by Bowling Green and whether you're going to Crestline, Bowling Green is on the right hand side as you're driving. We stop, we all look over and look at it. Singing Ay Ziggy Zumba. When you're coming back home to Ann Arbor then it's on the left side of the car, there it is. Look at it. Once or twice. I remember it fully. Being around practice there, in 1969 when they had the 100 on the side of the helmet."
With the love Harbaugh has for the Falcons and the friendship he has for BGSU head coach Scot Loeffler, his father has made sure to keep things in perspective for his son as he serves the final week of his three-week suspension.
"My dad has been right there telling us for the last couple of weeks, Bowling Green is going to come up here and kick your ass," Harbaugh said. "We got that as well."
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram