Romulus — Jim Harbaugh returned Thursday night from southern California no longer in his Michigan maize and blue but wearing a powder blue sweater with a sunshine gold Los Angeles Chargers lightning bolt.
Harbaugh made his way into the terminal at Detroit Metro Airport, fans occasionally stopping to ask for a photo with him, to congratulate him on Michigan’s national championship or to wish him well in his new role as the Chargers head coach.
After nine seasons as head coach of the Wolverines, Harbaugh, 60, officially became the Chargers coach on Wednesday, 16 days after he led Michigan to a national championship. On Friday, he will address the Michigan team for one last time.
“I know how it’s going to be. It’s not goodbye,” Harbaugh told The Detroit News Thursday night. “One thing I hope for is that Michigan and the Chargers will be like one team. These are lasting, trusting relationships, so goodbye is not even a word that resonates.”
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Harbaugh considered a contract extension from Michigan of six years and $11.5 million annually that would have made him the nation’s highest-paid college football coach. Harbaugh interviewed with the Chargers a week after the 15-0 Wolverines won the national championship on Jan. 8. He had a second interview on Wednesday before accepting the Chargers’ offer to return to the NFL. Harbaugh had spent four seasons coaching the San Francisco 49ers before taking over at Michigan, his alma mater.
He led the Michigan program to an 89-25 record, including 40-3 the last three seasons when they won three straight Big Ten championships and three straight College Football Playoff semifinal appearances. Michigan lost in both of its first two semifinals before beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day and then Washington for the national title. During Harbaugh’s nine seasons, he led Michigan to six seasons with 10-plus victories and the last three with 12-plus: 12-2 in 2021, 13-1 in 2022 and 15-0 in 2023 — a program best, making Michigan one of four teams in college football to achieve that record.
“Tough,” Harbaugh said when asked how challenging it was to make the decision to leave Michigan. “Tackled it, wrestled it to the ground. Like any good decision, it’s thought out well, thought out the best you can. I love Michigan, and I also love the NFL. Sarah (his wife) was torn, I was torn, the kids torn.”
Harbaugh said he will speak to the Michigan players Friday and then will head to Baltimore to watch his older brother, John, coach the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game.
“And Monday, head back (to Los Angeles) for good,” he said.
He said that every coaching decision he has made through the years has involved an “emotional connection.” His bond with Michigan transcends, he said, all the others.
“It was one of those deep, personal and as meaningful as it gets,” Harbaugh said. “Coaching here has been the love of my life outside of the family. Just our team, everything we did, everything they did, everything the players did, the coaches, the staff. To go from pillar to post and be successful, forever proud to be a part of that.
“And (at the Chargers), I was there in the building, people were still there who were there when I was still playing (1999-2000). They were good to me then, they’re good to me now and good to me through the years. Just felt like they left the light on for me.”
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Harbaugh then made a plug for his successor. Sherrone Moore, the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, was 4-0 last season as acting head coach when Harbaugh was serving two separate suspensions relating to separate NCAA investigations. Moore has been considered the shoo-in to become the next head coach.
“I’ll always be a loyal Wolverine,” Harbaugh said. “But not a better man to coach the team than Sherrone Moore. He has my vote, my support wholeheartedly. I feel like it’s in great hands.”
Harbaugh does leave Michigan with two unresolved NCAA investigations, the first stemming in part from impermissible recruiting visits led to Harbaugh missing the first three games as part of a school-imposed suspension, and he missed the final three regular-season games because of a Big Ten suspension relating to an NCAA investigation into an illegal scouting/sign-stealing scheme.
Harbaugh faces a Level I violation, the NCAA’s harshest, for the first investigation and a hearing before the Committee on Infractions is expected in the spring. He could faced additional suspension and other penalties. Regarding the second investigation, Harbaugh has denied knowledge an illegal sign-stealing scheme.
Harbaugh said the NCAA allegations and the outside noise did not wear on him.
“Nah, never did,” he said. “I can account for myself, and I can account for the players that they were always innocent, and I was innocent. You walk strong and tall and innocent. Didn’t mind the priceless motivation. Didn’t hurt.”
He also made a pointed reference to rumors and the proliferation of misinformation.
“I know I was wanted (at Michigan),” he said. “In the sixth grade, my English teacher introduced the concept of critical reading. This concept of believing everything you hear or everything you read … it’s all good. And you know what? The proof was in the pudding.
“There is no villain. I’ve long thought this: When a coach leaves, the only way everybody’s happy is if that coach dies. They’re either mad at him for leaving, or he’s mad at them for firing him. Glad I’ve got a future. Glad I’m alive. What I’m sad that I’m not going to be a part of is this passing of the torch from, for example, J.J. (McCarthy) to Jayden Denegal or Alex Orji. The day J.J. declared, out on the field were Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji, and they’re throwing to Kendrick Bell, and I walked by, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s beautiful.’”
Harbaugh believes the players returning have big things ahead at Michigan.
“Imagine how you feel as a player: You just declared, and now others, now it’s my time,” Harbaugh said. “All the other players who are in that position are great, and they’re gonna be great. You know it when you see it. You’ve been to that movie hundreds of times. When I was talking about that last week, that’s what I was referring to, the passing of the baton from player to player.”
As for whether Harbaugh will be taking any members of his last coaching staff at Michigan with him to the Chargers, he was not definitive. His son, Jay Harbaugh, has been with him at Michigan since his first season in 2015 and is a likely candidate, as are strength coach Ben Herbert and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
“We’ve got decisions to be made, what’s personally and professionally best as they see it,” Harbaugh said. “But the cool thing is everybody’s gonna be where they’re at or better. Two teams. There’s no question I’m gonna want to make an all-star team there, and there’s an all-star team right here.”
As Harbaugh headed toward the terminal exit, with a few fans gathering nearby, he let out a cheer for the local professional football team. The Lions are preparing to face the 49ers for the NFC championship.
“Let’s go Lions! Let’s go Lions!” Harbaugh said out loud, offering a few fist pumps before making a qualification. “Up until they play my brother.”
Harbaugh then smiled as he turned to head home.
“I’ve got one word, gratitude,” he said. “That’s my word.”
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