Following three subpar seasons under the promising, yet ultimately underwhelming watch of Brandon Staley, the Los Angeles Chargers are now set to undergo a full-blown franchise makeover under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. After bringing the Michigan Wolverines their first National Title in over two decades, Harbaugh will be returning to the NFL in Los Angeles, as the Chargers attempt to find stability and contendership for the first time since they've moved two hours north up from San Diego to LA. There may not be a better man for the job than the one they just hired.
Say what you want about the peculiar nature of Jim Harbaugh, or how he may rub outsiders the wrong way, but it's impossible to poke holes in his head coaching resume. He inherited a 1-11 team at Stanford, and within four seasons turned them into a 12-1 squad that captured an Orange Bowl title. The 49ers jumped from 6 wins to 13 in Harbaugh's first season in San Francisco, and would make three consecutive NFC Championship Games under his watch. And his final three seasons with the Wolverines may be the best three-year stretch in Michigan football history.
Now in Los Angeles, Harbaugh has an uphill climb to turn the Chargers into the class of the AFC West, but in just a matter of a few months, within the organization, everyone is buying in, seeing firsthand why Jim Harbaugh wins everywhere he's gone.
Jim Harbaugh is active and engaged at Chargers training camp
Long before Jim Harbaugh was coaching at a high level, he was playing at the highest level. Harbaugh was a multiple year starter at quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines, and won Big Ten Player of the Year during his senior season. He was a 1st Round pick of the Chicago Bears in 1987 and started 140 games over a 14-year NFL career. During a recent NFL Network interview with Ian Rapoport, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert noted that his coach hasn't been shy about stepping in during practice and taking reps at QB.
“He'll jump in there and take some quarterback reps. If I'm not careful, if I take a breather for a quick second, he's in there. I gotta be pretty stubborn with my reps.”
As much as I'm sure Jim Harbaugh would love to suit up one more time, much like Burt Reynolds' Nate Scarborough in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, at this point in his life, the 60-year old Harbaugh would be better served taking a hands-on approach at establishing a new culture in Los Angeles, not keeping those cleats on and finding a way to get on the field for a play or two.
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