Joel Klatt weighs in on Jim Harbaugh possibly leaving for NFL

Jim Harbaugh might be soon leaving Michigan to return to the NFL. Harbaugh, previously the San Francisco 49ers’ head coach from 2011 to 2014, has been at Michigan since 2015. The Wolverines are coming off of an impressive season, winning the Big Ten and making the College Football Playoff as the No. 2 seed.

With Harbaugh’s rumored interest in returning to the NFL ranks, FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt has weighed in on the possibility. Klatt admits he’s not sure if Harbaugh will again make the jump, but said that he thinks he is happy with Michigan right now.

“I don’t know,” Klatt said when asked if he thinks Harbaugh will leave Michigan for the NFL. “Listen, I thought that he was happier this year than he has been at any point in time in which I’ve covered him at Michigan. From my standpoint, I think a lot of that had to do with the staff that he hired. Remember, he got a lot younger. Hired a lot of new staff, a lot younger. In fact, he was the only one that was over 45 years of age on that staff.”

Klatt: Harbaugh’s return to NFL would be ‘driven by competition’

Klatt doesn’t believe that Harbaugh is fueled by a paycheck, instead wanting to always have competition wherever he is coaching. But consistently going up against Ohio State could be a reason that Harbaugh elects to move on to a new opportunity.

“He believes in what they’re doing and I don’t think he’s driven by money,” Klatt continued. “But I do know that he’s driven by competition and he’s driven by trying to go out there and take on, I don’t want to say a project, but some level of competition that’s a little bit different. It interests him. I wouldn’t be shocked, but I would be a little surprised if he leaves. And the main reason is because I think his family is settled. I think he settled, I think he found a nice niche.

“They’re recruiting at a high level, but do you want to continue to be evaluated against Ohio State when they’re recruiting at a higher level? Listen, for the foreseeable future, if Michigan is to beat Ohio State, it will remain an upset because of the way that they’re recruiting. That is not a knock, that’s just the facts of the matter. So do you want to put yourself in that position if you’re Jim Harbaugh that remains to be seen.”

Harbaugh began his head coaching career at San Diego, where he coached to a 29-6 record from 2004-2006. He then rebuilt a Stanford program from 2007-2010. In 2011, Harbaugh went to the NFL. He coached to a 44-19-1 record in four seasons, also winning five playoff games and reaching the Super Bowl once, along with two NFC Championship appearances. Harbaugh is 119-51 since taking over at Michigan in 2015.

“I will say this,” Klatt added. “Regardless, someone is getting a great coach. Obviously, Michigan knows what he’s been able to do. If he leaves, he will succeed. Mark my words. He will succeed. He has succeeded everywhere that he’s been immediately. So if he does jump, watch out. Because wherever he goes, they’ll probably start winning right away.”