Jim Harbaugh replacement: ESPN releases initial list of names to watch at Michigan, including Sherrone Moore

After two years of overtures, the third time was the charm for Jim Harbaugh and the NFL. He’s leaving Michigan to become the next head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, succeeding Brandon Staley.

Now, the Wolverines will have to search for his replacement, and ESPN’s Pete Thamel dropped an initial list of names to watch in Ann Arbor.

The early favorite to replace Jim Harbaugh is offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who served as the acting head coach for four games this year while Harbaugh served two suspensions. If Michigan looks outside the building, though, Thamel said names such as Kansas’ Lance Leipold and Kansas State’s Chris Klieman could get looks. Regardless, the search is on to replace Harbaugh.

Sherrone Moore, Michigan offensive coordinator

Sherrone Moore is the leader in the clubhouse and the expectation is he’ll end up being the choice to succeed Jim Harbaugh, according to The Wolverine’s Chris Balas. For an interim head coach, he developed quite the resume with two top-10 wins in his four games in Harbaugh’s place during his suspensions.

Of course, the most notable game Moore coached was the final game of the regular season in which Michigan got its third straight victory over Ohio State. He has plenty of support to receive the full-time job, including from former Wolverines offensive lineman Zak Zinter.

Lance Leipold, Kansas head coach

When a head coaching job opens, Lance Leipold’s name is likely to come up right away. He has engineered an impressive turnaround at Kansas over the last few years, and although he’s made it clear he plans to stay in Lawrence, he continues to be a hot commodity around the country for teams looking for new coaches.

Leipold has won everywhere he’s gone during his coaching career, which started at the Division III level at Wisconsin-Whitewater. All told, he has a 163-60 career record and led Kansas to a 9-4 season in just his third season at the helm — a far cry from a 2-10 record in 2021.

Chris Klieman, Kansas State head coach

Much like his in-state counterpart, Chris Klieman is another name that comes up right away when a school starts a coaching search. The former FCS national champion has taken Kansas State to two straight 9-win seasons, including a Big 12 championship in 2022.

Since taking over at K-State in 2018, Klieman has a 39-24 record and four bowl game appearances in five years. Much like Leipold, he previously said he wants to stay in Manhattan for the long haul, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a potential target for other positions.

Dave Clawson, Wake Forest head coach

The 2023 season wasn’t the easiest for Dave Clawson and Wake Forest, but he’s still considered one of the top coaches in the ACC. He took the Demon Deacons to seven straight bowl games from 2016-22 and an ACC Championship appearance in 2021 while totaling a 63-61 record with the program.

Wake Forest struggled last season after losing Sam Hartman to Notre Dame, finishing with a 4-8 record. It was Clawson’s worst year since 2015, but his track record would still make him an intriguing candidate if Michigan opts to go outside the program to replace Jim Harbaugh.

Matt Rhule, Nebraska head coach

Matt Rhule sure seems happy at Nebraska, but Thamel indicated Michigan’s interest during Jim Harbaugh’s previous overtures with the NFL. Rhule is coming off his first season with the Cornhuskers, which finished with a 5-7 record to just miss out on a bowl game.

Rhule has a history of turning programs around and building them for success, doing so at Temple and Baylor before trying his hand in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. However, he chose to return to the college game, and he’s building plenty of momentum on the recruiting trial entering Year 2.

Luke Fickell, Wisconsin head coach

Another coach that could’ve been a top candidate a year ago, Luke Fickell is still building Wisconsin after a 6-7 record in his first go-round in 2023. Michigan fans, of course, remember him from his days at Ohio State as interim head coach following the Jim Tressel saga, and a pursuit would make for quite the storyline.

Fickell made a name for himself as a head coach at Cincinnati, where he amassed a 57-18 record and helped the Bearcats become the first G5 team to ever make the College Football Playoff. His decision to take the Wisconsin job was surprising, but he has made it clear he’s happy in Madison.