Jim Harbaugh ranks as Top 5 coach in college football: ‘He’s done it his way’

In his summer ranking of the Top 5 coaches in college football, J.D. PicKell didn’t wait long before getting to Michigan’s head man, Jim Harbaugh. On the back of two-straight Big Ten titles and College Football Playoff appearances, PicKell picked Harbaugh as the No. 3 coach in the college game right now.

With the Wolverines sitting at 25-3 in the past two seasons playing Harbaugh’s preferred style of bullying, run-based offense, PicKell lauded the Michigan head coach for doing things in his own style. He’s not been afraid to zig as the rest of his peers are zagging.

” You look at what he’s done, he’s done it his way. There’s been a lot made about ‘Well you can’t play the style of football that Jim Harbaugh wants to play. You gotta be a little more spread out. You gotta be able to be a little bit more dynamic.’ Jim Harbaugh has done it his way. He’s been on his philosophy and he has won. And I think for this coming season, I don’t know if Michigan is in the position they’re in if you don’t have Jim Harbaugh as your head coach. If he hasn’t built to what he’s built to at Michigan,” PicKell said.

PicKell noted how Michigan has had tremendous success on the field despite a revolving door of coordinators the past two seasons.

In 2021, Michigan had Josh Gattis and Sherrone Moore as co-offensive coordinators. Former Baltimore Ravens defensive assistant Mike Macdonald was in his first season as defensive coordinator. Michigan won the Big Ten and made the College Football Playoff.

A year later, Gattis was gone and Matt Weiss was in as another co-OC, working alongside Moore. Macdonald was hired to be the Ravens defensive coordinator, so Harbaugh made defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale and new hire Jesse Minter the respective co-defensive coordinators.

Michigan still went to the CFP. Now, in 2023, the Wolverines have moved on from Weiss — who was fired amid a police investigation for computer access crimes — and are rolling with Moore as the lone offensive coordinator. The defensive leadership remains the same. PicKell highlighted this assistant turnover to demonstrate how valuable Harbaugh has been.

“Look at what Jim Harbaugh’s done just the last two seasons. Just look at this. Two Big Ten titles, two College Football Playoff appearances. Four different coordinators, give or take. Two different quarterbacks. Lost a lot to the NFL draft from 2021 to 2022. The common denominator in Michigan’s success is Jim Harbaugh,” PicKell said.

With some higher level of continuity in 2023 — quarterback J.J. McCarthy returns for another season as starter in a loaded offense, for one — PicKell understands why Michigan fans are bullish about what Harbaugh and the Wolverines have got cooking this season.

“So, a lot of excitement in Ann Arbor, for good reason, but Jim Harbaugh for me, without question a Top 5 head coach in the game right now. He’s at No. 3 for us. But we’ll keep an eye at where he’s at this time next year,” PicKell said.