What Jim Harbaugh Represents

While national attention about the Wolverine football coach centers on NCAA investigations into minor infractions, what he brings to the college experience for his players is the most important story

Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography

Jim Harbaugh hoists the 2021 Big Ten Football Championship trophy at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Identifiable players sharing the joy are defensive lineman Donovan Jeter (No. 95), tight end Carter Selzer (No. 89) and defensive edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (far right front). Standing behind the head coach is his young son, Jack Harbaugh.

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Jim Harbaugh is everything that’s good about the college football experience.

Harbaugh loves his players.

He loves his family.

Football, in the mind of the son of a coach and brother of a coach, is family. It’s always been that way for Jack Harbaugh’s sons.

Michigan football is a lovefest, where the players, coaches, staffers and their families can’t get enough of each other. They hug like they’re at a reunion they never want to have end.

And it’s real.

Harbaugh last year commented that he and his wonderful wife, Sarah, would adopt the children of players.

He told the Wolverines that if they are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, he and his wife "will take that baby."

Harbaugh goes by more than the recruiting ratings of high school prospects and transfer portal possibilities. He speaks with their parents or parent to get to know them on a different level, a higher one. He wants only players who come from loving, nurturing families. That’s because he wants a large group of young men who will support and bond with one another.

He also wants serious students, and his top players are as likely to be on the honor roll as they are All-Big Ten or All-American honor teams.

There were 60 Michigan players on the 2022 Academic All-Big Ten team with 3.0 grade-point averages or higher. Blake Corum, last year’s Heisman Trophy candidate, and J.J. McCarthy, this year’s current Heisman favorite, made that list along with stars such as Zak Zinter, Jaylen Harrell, Cornelius Johnson and Jake Moody.

Harbaugh has taken a proud program that didn’t get a bowl bid the season prior to his arrival and has now reached the College Football Playoff two consecutive years after winning Big Ten championships.

He leads his team in the singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” for a player or two who caught his eye in that Saturday’s game. If Ward Cleaver and Ozzie Nelson – the fathers on TV shows he grew up watching – were alive today, they’d probably root for Harbaugh’s Michigan team.

This is a feel-good team, if ever there was one.

The reason I’m sharing this with readers today, during the No. 2-ranked Wolverines’ (8-0) bye week, is because I’m hoping you share this story with friends and family.

Why right now?

Well, because about all that gets written about Jim is how Michigan suspended him for three games amid an NCAA investigation into improper recruiting contact during COVID, and the current investigation into just how much forbidden scouting the Wolverines have allegedly performed at the games of upcoming opponents.

Whatever Harbaugh is or isn’t guilty of will come out, and penalties will be forthcoming if deserved.

But while I condone no rule-breaking, it’s clear that what’s being discussed here is in the venial sin category. If you haven’t committed some of those, raise your hand.

Teams are guilty of such infractions on such a regular basis that the NCAA has lists to investigate that never end.

Here’s an example of one that occurred at Michigan in 1990:

Bo Schembechler, before leaving as head coach to become athletic director, approved a story idea I had for the Detroit Free Press. I would accompany defensive coordinator Lloyd Carr on recruiting trips and write about it. We visited Jerome Bettis’ high school together, and I made the home visit for the recruitment of Brent Moss, who would become a star tailback at Wisconsin.

It turned out that doing that was an NCAA violation. Reporters accompanying coaches in recruiting is considered an unfair advantage. Michigan self-reported it and Carr and defensive assistant coach Jim Herrmann, who met us at Birmingham Brother Rice for the recruitment of future Wolverines Steve Morrison and Gannon Dudlar, were punished by not being allowed to recruit off campus for a few days when such recruiting was allowed that May 1.

And, back then, it should be pointed out, that scouting future opponents at games was allowed. It was legislated out in 1994 as a cost-cutting measure by the NCAA, assuring teams that couldn’t afford such a practice wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

Yet, you couldn’t visit a sports website or watch/listen to a sports talk show and not hear Harbaugh being discussed as if he were a purveyor of some sinister misdeed.

Harbaugh’s only comments on this ordeal were released by the athletic department:

“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter. 

I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.

I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules.

No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules.

Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.”  

I believe folks in the state of Michigan realize who the real Harbaugh is, and all the good he stands for. But I’m hoping those who only know coaches by the national headlines attached to their names consider what I’ve shared.

James Joseph Harbaugh is someone to be admired and applauded.