Jim Harbaugh ranks 12th on Bruce Feldman's top 25 college football coaches
Michigan football’s Jim Harbaugh won national coach of the year honors for his work with the program in 2021. However, that was not enough to earn him top coach honors in the Big Ten heading into the 2022 season.
The Wolverines are coming off of an unheard-of Big Ten Championship season and a trip to the College Football Playoff and head into 2022 with a ton of momentum. Some of it was halted by a flirtation with the NFL and Minnesota Vikings, but Michigan is moving forward with an energized Harbaugh and a team looking to stay on top.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman put together a ranking of the top 25 college football coaches currently, where Harbaugh ranked 12th. This puts him behind Ohio State’s Ryan Day (fourth) and Penn State’s James Franklin (ninth).
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“[Harbaugh] got his mojo back, making smart hires with some excellent young assistants and leading Michigan to its first Big Ten title in 17 years and a No. 3 ranking,” Feldman writes. “He’s had four double-digit win seasons in seven years at his alma mater. His work at Stanford was even better, taking over a dismal program and getting it to win a BCS bowl and No. 4 in the nation by Year 4. He was also great as an NFL coach, going 44-19 with the San Francisco 49ers, a dreadful team before he took over.”
Big Ten coaches ahead of Harbaugh
Day has only lost one game in conference play and has a win over Harbaugh under his belt. The Buckeyes are still humming as a program, so his standing among the national elite is justified.
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“He took over a Buckeyes machine that was already running in high gear and has improved it a notch, making it more consistent,” Feldman said. “Day is 23-1 in Big Ten play and 34-4 overall, proving to be one of the best offensive coaches in football.”
The head-scratcher on the list goes to Franklin, who is 11-11 over the last two seasons. He just received a mega-extension from the Penn State brass and lost his most recent game to Harbaugh and Michigan. The argument over Harbaugh has long been boosted by Franklin’s Big Ten title in 2016. He no longer has that over him, so the debate remains a storyline.
“He’s gone from being a top 5 coach to being close to slipping out of my top 10 after consecutive 4-5 seasons in Big Ten play (11-11 overall),” Feldman said. “Before that, it was stellar. Franklin took over a program reeling from hefty sanctions and by Year 3 had led the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten title. He’s had three 11-win seasons in Happy Valley and produced a lot of talent. His work at Vanderbilt was even more impressive, leading the Commodores to Top 25 finishes in two of his three seasons. Vanderbilt hadn’t finished in the Top 25 in more than 60 years and has gone 29-65 since he left.”
Other Big Ten coaches on the list
Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz ranked 18th on Feldman’s list, while Minnesota’s PJ Fleck came in at No. 21. Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald just missed the cut, while Michigan State’s Mel Tucker was not considered. Tucker just missed the cut on Stewart Mandell’s list, which ranked Harbaugh 13th.
