Michigan agreed on Friday with Jim Harbaugh on the extension of the contract, which keeps the head coach at the helm of the Wolverines, which is allegedly a five-year contract for $ 20 million. A former Michigan receiver (1989-91) and Heisman Trophy (1991) winner, Desmond Howard, designer of ESPN football, weighed in on the Wolverines move on Saturday.
“I said by the end of the season that if they wanted to keep coach Harbaugh, it would be to fire defense coordinator Don Brown,” Howard told the ESPN SportsCenter. He refers to a December 22 move that led to the 65-year-old Brown’s appointment Wednesday as defense coordinator in Arizona. ‘Because the defense gradually got worse, and I said on (ESPN’s College) GameDay that he’s constantly trying to play a plan that he does not have the staff to do it.
“As soon as I saw the pen fall, which means Don Brown was fired, I knew there was a good chance Jim Harbaugh would stay in Michigan. And they gave him a chance to consider the decisions and see if there was an NFL interest.
“So, as you said, they came back with an incentive contract because coach Harbaugh did not underperform his previous contract. That’s why they gave him an incentive-based contract. Warde Manuel, the athletic director, agreed. “That’s where we are today.”
Harbaugh (57) has been 49-22 and 34-16 overall against the Big Ten game since 2015. The Wolverines experienced a lower year in the 2020 season and set a 2-4 record while only for conference- competitions. He achieved 10-win finishes in his 2015, ’16 and ’18 campaigns, but never won a Big Ten East title to win the Big Ten Championship. Manuel gave an explanation behind the thinking of the athletics department.
“I keep believing that Jim is the right man to lead our program in the pursuit of Big Ten and (College Football Playoff Championships,” Manuel said. “Our program has not reached a level that anyone expected this year, but I know the setbacks will move coaches, players and staff. Jim is a tireless worker and competitor. At the end of the season we have for many chatting hours that Jim will take to lead and get us back on track.
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“Jim loves the University of Michigan and this football program. He has been dedicated to this university, athletics department and football program since his days as a player and returned as head coach in 2015. He wants to do everything possible to set up a championship. “while we graduated as student-athletes, we all have to do our part to keep up the pursuit, because it takes everyone to pull the same direction to have a championship-level program.”