Paul Finebaum weighs Jim Harbaugh's legacy at Michigan following national championship 'Hollywood ending'

In his ninth season as the head coach at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh has finally won a national championship. It’s a key piece of his legacy that he’ll be able to hold onto moving forward.

While examining his legacy on First Take, analyst Paul Finebaum argued that he accomplished what he was supposed to do in Ann Arbor, and even amid a complex legacy that he will leave as a coach, that’s something that deserves recognition.

“It is going to be a great legacy,” Paul Finebaum said. “Some would argue that it’s complicated, and most legacies are complicated, but in Jim Harbaugh’s case, he came to Michigan to resurrect a once proud program after nearly winning the Super Bowl and going to three NFC Championship Games. So, they needed him desperately. He was the favorite son. He played there. We all know that.”

At times, it looked like things might not work out between Michigan and Jim Harbaugh, particularly after going 2-4 in 2020. However, since then, he’s led the Wolverines to everything that Michigan could have wanted, beating Ohio State consistently, winning the Big Ten consistently, making the CFP consistently, and winning a national championship.

As Paul Finebaum explained, it was a Hollywood ending even if it came amid a suspension for the sign-stealing scandal.

“What does he do? He resurrected it. It was difficult It was painful and he almost didn’t make it, and that’s what makes it such a Hollywood ending. Some will throw up all the things that happened this year, and I don’t want to act like I haven’t been talking about it. I have and at one time I wondered out loud, right here, if this championship would be tainted,” Finebaum said.

“But after watching this program over the last couple weeks mow through the end of the Big Ten schedule with Harbaugh on the sideline, beating Penn State at Nittany Lion-ville, State College, after winning at Maryland, beating Ohio State, winning the Big Ten Championship, and then beating Alabama at the Rose Bowl. Then, what happened last night? There’s really not much debate, there’s no debate in my mind, this is the national champion, this is a deserved national championship, and I don’t think anybody is gonna complain in the future.”

Jim Harbaugh admits he has checked his biggest coaching box

Following the title game, Jim Harbaugh admitted he checked his biggest coaching box by bringing a national championship to Michigan and addressed if he wants a Super Bowl too.

“That’ll check the biggest box. For me, personally, just to be part of the family. With my dad, who won a national championship with Western Kentucky in 2002, and John Harbaugh, who won the Super Bowl 2012 season, 2013 Super Bowl. I get to sit at the big person’s table now. That feels really good. Just to be the only coach in your only family that hasn’t won a national title or Super Bowl, the championship, that feels great, personally. I just want to enjoy this. I just want to enjoy this. I hope you give me that. Can a guy have that?” Harbaugh said.

“Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future? Like I said the other day, yeah, I hope to have a future. I hope there’s a tomorrow, a day after tomorrow, a next week, a next month, a next year. And just one last thing. I’ve got two great loves. My love at work, the people I work with — coaches, the staff, players. And the love I have for my family at home. It just means a lot. I see a couple of the kids right here — Jimmy, Grace, Sarah, Johnny, Jack, Katie, Addi — the loves of my life. And my brother John being here, and my dad and mom being here. And then to be here with our team, and that’s those two families together celebrating, it’s glorious. It is just a beautiful thing.”