The Michigan Wolverines football program is heading into the College Football Playoffs with more uncertainty than most programs in that situation. After the wild year that included a major sign-stealing scandal and a Jim Harbaugh suspension, the future of the head coach in Ann Arbor is up in the air. While many think Harbaugh will head back to the NFL after this season, the Michigan football coach’s message to his seniors may hint differently.

“Jim Harbaugh to his seniors as they leave the stage after getting their M rings: ‘I just wanna say, I hope some of you are coming back next year.’” Derrick Hutchinson of Local 4 WDIV Detroit reported on Sunday. “Zak Zinter then gave Harbaugh a Winged Helmet signed by the whole team.”

This is big news for the Wolverines as, despite his flaws, Jim Harbaugh has been incredibly successful since coming to his alma mater in 2015. In that time, Michigan has appeared in three previous College Football Playoff appearances and come into 2024 as the No. 1 team in the bracket.

However, after the chaos that ensued from the Michigan sign-stealing scandal and the high demand the NFL has for Harbaugh — who once took Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl — there are going to be some pro head coaching gigs on the table that will be hard for the former NFL quarterback to turn down.

For now, though, Michigan football fans will have to not worry about the future and simply focus on the massive game against the always-dangerous Alabama on New Year’s Day.