Jim Harbaugh praises transfer portal in college football

Jim Harbaugh thinks the transfer portal is good for college football because it gives athletes the flexibility to control their careers and futures.

Basically, it allows players to do what’s best for them. After all, coaches have the freedom to do so when they jump from job to job.

Harbaugh explained when he joined the desk on Big Ten Network at Media Days.

“It’s working, let it work or give it a chance to work,” Harbaugh said regarding the portal in conjunction with NIL. “There’s no need to change that and there’s no need to change the portal. All the players I talked to it’s it’s done more far more good than it has any kind of negative. And what’s wrong with a player and their family deciding where they want to go to school?

“If they want to go to college, if they want to go to a new college? It’s their decision. Who’s against that? What’s driving the opposition for the young man and his family to make the decision opposed to somebody else?”

Harbaugh was asked if the NIL and portal approach changes the way he recruits to build his football team.

“I just want to have a conversation with them,” Harbaugh said. “You know, somebody on our team that wants to go into the portal, you know, just want to talk to him and understand it is your decision. I support you either way, you know, let’s talk about it. 

“Same if somebody wants to come into our program and we’ve been really fortunate that guys have wanted to come to Michigan. I think it’s a great thing when guys talk, you know and your best recruiters are your own players … I talked to those guys. ‘Coach, I’m talking to this guy, he wants to come here, will you talk to him?’ Yeah I’ll talk to him, you like him? ‘Yeah coach, I like him. I want him here.’ I go by that a lot too. So that’s the procedure.”

Michigan didn’t do too much wheeling and dealing this offseason. But Harbuagh and the Wolverines had nine guys come in through the transfer portal while 14 exited for different situations.

Harbaugh and Michigan ended up with the No. 22 transfer portal class, per the On3 Industry Ranking.

How future rosters will be built is the next question, but right now, it’s as steady as she goes for Harbaugh and the Wolverines.