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The Michigan head coaching job is one of the most valuable positions in college football, and the powers that be in Ann Arbor want to keep Jim Harbaugh.
Of course they do. Harbaugh has led the Wolverines to consecutive victories over archrival Ohio State after years of domination by the Buckeyes. Harbaugh appears to have turned the tide on one of the most storied rivalries in college football.
Nearly as important, Harbaugh also led the Wolverines to a key victory over in-state rival Michigan State. The Spartans had won 10 of the previous 14 meetings between the two schools.
Michigan earned its second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff. While the Wolverines lost both playoff games, the program is clearly on high ground.
For his part, Harbaugh has said that he is quite happy coaching at his alma mater. However, he has had a great deal of success at the professional level, and a number of NFL teams are interested in his services. What happens if Harbaugh leaves? In this piece, we look at the best candidates for the job if Harbaugh decides to leave the Wolverines.
Bill O'Brien, Alabama offensive coordinator
O'Brien has a significant history of coaching winning programs at both the college and professional level. He has coached for Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, and he had a mixed level of success as the head coach of Houston Texans and the Penn State Nittany Lions.
O'Brien is an offensive innovator who has been able to work with some of the top players in the NFL, including Tom Brady when the two were paired with the Patriots. He carries quite a bit of credibility, and would seem to have the gravitas to lead the Michigan program.
O'Brien served as the head coach of the Nittany Lions in 2012 and '13, and he finished with 8-4 and 7-5 records in those two seasons. O'Brien was Penn State's first full-time head coach following the Jerry Sandusky scandal, and he followed Joe Paterno's long regime.
The head coach moved to the Texans in 2014 and he remained in Houston through the first four games of the 2020 season. The Texans won four division titles under O'Brien's leadership, but they were 0-4 in their playoff appearances.
Josh Gattis, Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator, former Jim Harbaugh assistant
While O'Brien may have the bigger name at this point, Gattis might be the right coach to take over from Harbaugh.
He had done an outstanding job as the Wolverines offensive coordinator before he left for Miami after the 2021 season. Gattis helped develop players like Blake Corum, Cade McNamara, Donovan Edwards, Hassan Haskins and Luke Schoonmaker into stars.
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Gattis did not change Michigan's offensive game plan, but he did figure out a way to get the most out of his players and help them reach peak levels.
While he has been gone for one year, he might be the right man for the job.
David Shaw, ex-Stanford head coach
Shaw had established himself as one of the top head coaches in the nation during his tenure with the Cardinal from 2011 through 2022. He had a 96-54 record during his years with the Pac-12 school.
Shaw has already interviewed with the Denver Broncos for their head coaching vacancy. He is known for his thoughtful approach as a leader, and he regularly keeps a calm demeanor on the sidelines.
In addition to guiding Stanford to three Rose Bowl Game appearances, Shaw is the only four-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year. He led the Cardinal to three conference titles.
Shaw could be an excellent fit for Michigan if Jim Harbaugh leaves because he has more than a decade of leading a big-time program successfully, and he clearly knows how to get the most out of his players
