Jim Harbaugh enjoys the moment, Michigan AD prepares for NFL interest in his coach

HOUSTON — Jim Harbaugh gets to sit at “the big peoples’ table” now.

The Michigan coach celebrated that fact Monday night as he savored Michigan’s 34-13 win against Washington in the national title game. His father Jack won an FCS national title at Western Kentucky. His brother John won a Super Bowl (against Jim’s San Francisco 49ers) with the Baltimore Ravens. And now Jim has led his alma mater to a 15-0 season and the program’s first national title since 1997.

“It’s good to be at the big person’s table from now on,” Harbaugh said.

But now that he’s at the table, does he want to be the most accomplished person at the table? Does he want to add a Super Bowl?

“I just want to enjoy this,” Harbaugh said when asked that question. “I just want to enjoy this. I hope you give me that. Can a guy have that? Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future?”

It’s a fair response. It’s also a fair question. Harbaugh interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings’ job in February 2022. He talked to the Denver Broncos last offseason. And Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel understands the NFL interest will come again. There are currently five NFL head coaching jobs open, and more may open this week. Also, Harbaugh just hired agent Don Yee (who represents former Wolverine Tom Brady) after going without an agent for several years.

“I understand why people in the pros would want to hire Jim Harbaugh and talk to him about being the coach,” Manuel said on the confetti-strewn field at NRG Stadium on Monday night. ”The man went to a Super Bowl. He won a conference championship. He went back to a conference championship. In that league.”

Though Harbaugh did mention plans for 2024 spring practice in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, Manuel seems resigned to the possibility that Harbaugh will test the NFL waters again.

“If I was in the pros, I would want to talk to him because of what he accomplished,” Manuel said. “However, I’m not in the pros, and I want to keep him as our coach. That’s my cross to bear.”

Following a disastrous 2020 season, Manuel cut Harbaugh’s pay but kept the coach rather than firing him. That rankled Harbaugh, but the money has been restored and a new contract awaits if he wants to stay in Ann Arbor. Manuel said he wouldn’t go into the specifics of his relationship with Harbaugh, but he said rumors of discontent between the two weren’t true.

“I am proud that Jim is our coach. It doesn’t matter with all the stuff that happened in the past,” Manuel said. “It really doesn’t matter what happens in the future. He’s always going to be somebody I’m proud of who coached the University of Michigan, who led this team. And if he decides that he wants another opportunity to coach in the pros, then I’m going to be happy for him, sad for us and we’re going to move on and find the next person to lead.”

Manuel then added this: “But I want him to stay at Michigan. I’ve said. I believe it. Three or four years ago when people wanted me to get rid of him, I didn’t. Because I believed then, and I believe now.”

Should Harbaugh leave, Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore seems to be the obvious choice to replace him. Moore was the acting head coach for four games this season, including the Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State games after Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten during an investigation into accusations that Michigan staffer Connor Stalions ran a sign-stealing network. Moore already seemed a likely successor before coaching those games, but his performance at the end of the season seemed to cement support for him to succeed Harbaugh if he leaves.

But Manuel wasn’t going to answer a question about whether he’d look internally if Harbaugh went to the NFL.

“I am going to look at my wife and kids and my friends and family in my room while I have me a drink and we party and we celebrate this great victory,” Manuel said. “That’s what I’m going to look at tonight.”