The Michigan football team finished off the 2023 season on Monday night by defeating Washington football in the national title game. The Wolverines won the game 34-13, and they finished the season as the undisputed champions with a 15-0 record. It was a magical season for Michigan, and they are now headed into a crucial offseason that is clouded with doubt. That doubt is surrounding head coach Jim Harbaugh and whether or not he will be back next season coaching the Wolverines.

Warde Manuel, the Athletic Director at Michigan, faces questions about Jim Harbaugh's future every offseason, and this year is no different. The Michigan football head coach is once again considering an NFL leave, and Manuel understands why his name is always mentioned with NFL head coaching vacancies.

“I understand why people in the pros would want to hire Jim Harbaugh and talk to him about being the coach,” Warde Manuel said after the national title, according to an article from Blue By Ninety. “The man went to a Super Bowl. He won a (NFC) conference championship. He went back to (another) conference championship.”

Manuel knows that Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the country. He wants him to be the head coach of the Michigan football team, but he knows that it's not a guarantee.

“… I am proud that Jim (Harbaugh) is our coach,” Manuel continued. “It doesn’t matter with all the stuff that happened in the past. It really doesn’t matter what happens in the future. He’s always going to be somebody I’m proud of who coached the University of Michigan, who led this team. And if he decides that he wants another opportunity to coach in the pros, then I’m going to be happy for him, sad for us and we’re going to move on and find the next person to lead. But I want him to stay (with Michigan football). I’ve said it. I believe it. Three or four years ago when people wanted me to get rid of him, I didn’t — because I believed then, and I believe now.”

At this point, nobody knows what Harbaugh's next move is going to be, except for maybe Harbaugh. He is likely going to take some time to enjoy the championship that the Michigan football team just won, and then he will make a decision. Jobs will be filled soon, so it shouldn't be very long before we find out what Harbaugh's next move will be.