Looking WAY down the road; Jay Harbaugh’s future
Will Jay Harbaugh leave his coaching position at UM to build his résumé? I assume he wants to be a head coach some day. Or might he work his way into a coordinator job at Michigan and then bide his time until dad retires, wearing the “heir apparent” label until that happens? He’s clearly much, much more than a nepotism hire.
September 6th, 2022 at 10:51 AM ^
I'd like him to work his way up to a coordinator and potentially spread his wings to get some HC experience until his dad gives him a wink that he's ready to retire.
September 6th, 2022 at 10:51 AM ^
I have wondered something similar. If he can coordinate an offense or defense as well as he coordinates special teams he will be the best in the business in short order
September 6th, 2022 at 10:52 AM ^
He’s the special teams coordinator
September 6th, 2022 at 10:53 AM ^
If he wants to further his career, eventually he will have to leave. It is almost impossible for the son of a former head coach to take over and do it well. I wish him the best in whatever he wants to do.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
Agree!! I've been saying this for years, he needs to get out from the family shadow and prove that he can do it without Daddy and Uncle sticking up for him. When he does that, he'll have the Golden Ticket to coaching stardom.
But I don't necessarily want him to leave - dude is a great recruiter and a really super good coach!
September 6th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
Yeah. He seems very good at his job and I would find it hard to believe that he couldn’t go get a pretty decent position at another school or go to the NFL.
I’ve concluded he’s probably just happy where he is for the time being. He makes a good living, gets to work with his dad, be close to some family, and coaches top notch players. I assume he also thinks he’s still learning a lot and/or gaining valuable experience here. This doesn’t mean he doesn’t have plans to exit and move up the ranks at some point.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
I know this wasn't the point of your post, but there's a clear distinction between a Bobby/Jeff Bowden or Kirk/Brian Ferentz situation where everything the kid touches falls apart but the program won't move on from them until it slowly destroys everything and a Jim/Jay situation where every position Jay coaches turns for the better.
Jay Harbaugh is a major asset for Michigan and he shouldn't have to go elsewhere to prove his value in a meaningless gesture to anyone.
September 6th, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
100% concur! I do, though, think there are a lot of Neanderthals in the coaching ranks that won't make that distinction. Reference the amount of coaching retreads we see get hired each year...
September 6th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
When Michigan goes up against Iowa, I think Jay Harbaugh's unit will both score more points and give up fewer points than Brian Ferentz's offense.
September 6th, 2022 at 2:15 PM ^
Kyle Shanahan is a success story
September 6th, 2022 at 10:54 AM ^
Jay maybe the most underrated coach in CFB. I was super impressed with him at the coaches clinic, he deserves a head coaching gig.
September 6th, 2022 at 10:57 AM ^
I'm still too busy worrying about Michigan's future at QB to think about Jay Harbaugh's future.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
His alma mater is OSU (no not that OSU, i.e. Oregon State) so there's no natural tie to UM other than his father is the current head coach. He actually got his start under Mike Riley at OSU which is definitely a notable coach.
Glad that we currently have him and hope he stays a long while.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:21 AM ^
He specifically choose OSU because of Riley. Jay knew he'd never play beyond D-III or D-II ball, so he went to college with the goal of learning how to coach. Uncle John gave him a great start with the Ravens as a quality control guy (film reviews, making sure what's being worked on is what's needed, following up with specific reviews and training regimens, etc). He has excelled at Michigan in every task his dad has assigned him.
Nepotism was a valid thought when he was first hired in 2015. Any thoughts of that should have been disregarded by 2016 - the kid has earned his way.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
I think we found Jay’s wife’s account. There’s about 100+ things I’m worried about with this team/program before Jay even registers.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:06 AM ^
If there is one future Michigan head football coach on the current coaching roster, I would assume it was him.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
He's going the John Harbaugh non OC/DC route. Special teams is a big group to coordinate with your star players and role players from both side of the ball, really he's coaching much of the roster that way. Add in the multiple position groups and he's well prepped.
Heir apparent stuff pretty much never actually happens. He'll be trying to get a head coaching job soon IMO which is why Jim has been talking him up as a head coaching candidate.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
He’ll have to go the Shane Beamer route (leave the nest for another school even while Dad is in place). Jim has been smart about not putting him in position to be Brian Ferentz/Jay Paterno/Jeff Bowden, put to eventually be ahead guy he’ll either have to go G5 or coordinator at a P5 school (probably under a coach where that’s his side of the ball). But he’s also probably comfortable enough to take a job where he wants, as two ex Harbaugh assistants have gotten head jobs the last two years and he didn’t go, albeit they’re both challenging to say the least.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
Wherever he ends up I'm sure he'll do fine. I was one of the doubters who assumed, incorrectly, that he was a nepotism hire only. Boy was I wrong - that dude can flat out coach and any position group he handles seems to excel under his leadership.
My guess is he'll become an OC in the next year or two - either here or at a school not competitive with Michigan. And then, if his career arc continues on this trajectory he'll be a HC sooner rather than later.
In some ways staying at Michigan hurts his career IMO as I'm sure others wonder how much of his success is because of dad as opposed to Jay. But his "loss" is definitely our gain so I'm not looking to push him out the door any sooner than he wants to leave.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
There are certainly a couple of different routes, or career paths. Jay could potentially go to the NFL for a stint. He could move up through the OC / DC route. Or, he could become a head coach elsewhere - and return to Michigan.
My feeling is that Michigan is an environment where developing your leaders - both on the team and coaching staff - is valued. The thought is - promoting from within. Understanding the culture - university - and - “dynamics” of the administration, alumni, and student body - is essential to success.
Moeller went from Michigan as a coordinator - to Illinois as head coach - and back to Michigan, Carr was with different programs before coming to Michigan and advanced through different roles. Cam Cameron is another example.
The key here - is to groom the future leaders / developing a succession plan. My thought is that was one fault of Carr’s. There was no clear succession plan - that resulted in the RR and Hoke tenures, which I’m sure no one ever wishes to witness or experience again.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:24 AM ^
He'll need to do some time in the MAC or AAC. Jim and John - for all the low-key shit they took for the connection to their dad (Jack is a minor deity in the coaching profession) they put in their time as position coaches and coordinators at lower levels.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
Jim and John had to start at the lower levels because dad had retired. That same reasoning doesn't apply to Jay - he's already a successful ST Coordinator at a big time football Blue Blood, B1G Champion, and CFP team. He may not need to spend time in the MAC, or other smaller conferences (the AAC wouldn't be bad, though) because he could well get a P5 OC job, or an NFL assistant gig.
September 6th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
I think we mostly agree. But he won't be able to get a HC position at a P5 without HC experience in a lower conference. That's exactly what Jim did. Otherwise, it wouldn't shock me to see him as a coordinator at a P5 school or position coach--->coordinator in the NFL sometime in the next 5 years.
My point re Jim and John was that they worked their way up the ranks. IIRC, they have taken some unfavorable side comments over the years that Jack opened some doors for them.
September 6th, 2022 at 3:17 PM ^
I disagree that he would need to be a HC at a G5 or lower conference before a P5 team would take a swing at him. There are a ton first time head coaches in current P5 conferences (Dabo, Narduzzi, Tony Elliott, Brent Pry, Dave Aranda, Ryan Day etc...). However, you likely won't get one of the blue bloods or other top programs without some history of success as a HC or some pretty major success as a coordinator like Day and Venebles had.
It is likely he would have to become a successful OC/DC before getting any P5 opportunities. I really can only think of three P5 coaches that weren't previous HCs or OC/DC (Sam Pittman, Dabo and Pat Fitzgerald). Could be more that I'm missing.
September 6th, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
Like some of the people said above, he can skip the coordinator level and be a head coach.
I sometimes wonder how much relevance being a O/D coordinator has to being a head coach. Seems like the skillsets don't have near as much overlap as head coach in D2 and head coach at a major program would. I say this as someone who has never even thought of coaching, just observations of management in general.
Biggest problem may be the pay cut he might have to take, depending on what level he is aiming for. D2, D1-AA.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
A natural move for Jay, if he is leaving, is to NFL
September 6th, 2022 at 11:30 AM ^
I get a sense he's going to make the jump to the NFL in the next couple of years, likely to the Ravens if John is there. But I do think he's going to stake out his own path soon enough and I think he'll be successful.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:40 AM ^
Is Miami (Ohio) still the cradle of coaches - or, am I reaching pretty deep into the history books?
September 6th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
Jay needs to go be a head coach somewhere and do it well.
September 6th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Why the hell would he want to leave Michigan?
I ran into Jay years ago at Whole Foods and he didn't seem to be in anyone's shadow. Of course I know nothing of his career aspirations but I do know he seemed happy as could be.
September 6th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
I have to think someone like Sherrone Moore may get some HC looks in the not-so-distant future. At that point, Jay probably would be next in line for a promotion (perhaps Bellamy because it'll be harder to keep him around). We have a lot of young coaches with a lot of promise that aren't even Offensive or Defensive coordinators at this point (Jay, Bellamy, Hart). This is the strongest staff I think Jim has assembled.
September 6th, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
“This is the strongest staff Jim has assembled”.. I agree 100%.
Three thoughts.. First, one key for the recent success has been the ability - or willingness - or the staff to communicate and EXPLAIN to the players - about what they are doing - and WHY they are doing it. Players seemed to embrace that difference last year - and, it showed on the field.
Second - where possible - continue to bring in staff with NFL experience - even if for a one or two year role. Bringing NFL experience to he staff will help in recruiting and player development.
Third, though I realize there is great value in experience - there’s also a “relatable” aspect of youth. Jim and the staff needs to continue on their path - identifying coaching candidates - bringing them in as GA’s and analysts - keeping that pipeline - and the ideas - coming.
One paradigm that comes to mind - and reflects the difference between “Saturday” football, and Sunday football. In college, teams usually make adjustments at halftime. In the League, if you wait until halftime to make adjustments - you’ll be down by 17 points. Communication and the ability to adjust “series to series” - is essential.
September 6th, 2022 at 6:30 PM ^
Jim’s not going to fucking retire. Are you kidding me?
September 6th, 2022 at 7:31 PM ^
I remember this board questioning Jay's coaching acumen, in spite of the results each one of his position groups had. I can't believe all of these highly qualified experts on the sport of American football were wrong.
September 7th, 2022 at 1:44 AM ^
He should take an NFL special teams coordinator position and then come back to coach Michigan when Harbaugh done
September 7th, 2022 at 9:27 AM ^
I hear he has an in with the Ravens coach.