Having accomplished what he set out to do when he first became head coach of Michigan, Jim Harbaugh left the team as a national champion to return to the NFL. But how hard was it for him to leave his alma mater behind?
Appearing on Pardon My Take , Harbaugh addressed that very question. He said it was hard to leave Michigan because of all the players he had recruited and coaches he worked with. Harbaugh also felt the pull of the challenge of taking the Los Angeles Chargers job was too tempting.
“Yeah, it was. I love these guys. All the players there, all the other guys we recruited,” Harbaugh said. “The coaches, you know, just everybody. Like, I love you guys. And there’s another thing where, ‘Okay, here’s a challenge.’ Here’s somebody (the Chargers) who likes what you do and and how you do it. It’s presenting you with this challenge, and whether it’s a blessing or a curse, it’s kind of always been in me, like let me see if I’m up to that.”
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Some feel that Harbaugh’s departure from Michigan might have had to do with the NCAA’s seemingly endless investigations into his program, which only yesterday resulted in a one year suspension and a multi-year show-cause order.
Had he stayed at Michigan, perhaps the punishments would have been worse.
For the time being though, Harbaugh is back in the NFL and seems primed to stay there at least until after the NCAA’s punishment clock runs up.
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