For Michigan, Juwan Howard is formally back on the sidelines.
In a statement released on Friday night, Warde Manuel, the athletic director of Michigan, said that Howard will not be disciplined for an alleged altercation he had earlier this month. Howard is now back to his full potential as the team’s head coach as a result.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines, who are two victories away from a national championship, is currently getting ready for his team’s College Football Playoff Semifinal battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Despite the fact that the Wolverines are about to make history, there’s still a chance that Harbaugh will play one more season at Ann Arbour.
At Michigan, Harbaugh, who turns 60 on December 23, has outperformed expectations. After taking over as Michigan’s coach in 2015, he has won three straight Big Ten titles and elevated the team to the status of a consistent playoff contender. Above all, the Wolverines have triumphed over Ohio State for three straight seasons.
Many in the football community, though, think Harbaugh still has unresolved business in the NFL. In the previous two offseasons, he has already considered offers to return to Michigan as head coach; nevertheless, he has always chosen to sign contract extensions with the university. But with the Wolverines in the CFP, there might now be a chance for Harbaugh to depart on his own terms.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic stated during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that he thinks Harbaugh will undoubtedly leave Michigan to take a head coaching position in the NFL if the Wolverines win a national championship.
Feldman continued his explanation, saying that Harbaugh left the NFL without getting what he truly desired. Michigan was unable to provide him with the opportunity to achieve his next goal if he is successful in leading the Wolverines’ football team to a national championship.
Michigan would fall significantly behind in the college football coaching cycle if Harbaugh were to depart for the NFL in January. On the other hand, it was anticipated that Sherrone Moore, the offensive coordinator and former interim coach, would become the new Michigan football coach in 2024.
Although the Wolverines would undoubtedly prefer that Harbaugh return with a new contract deal, winning a national championship at the end of the season would lessen the pain of his departure.
