Joe Klatt doesn’t think Michigan should search far for Jim Harbaugh’s successor if he leaves Ann Arbor.
The Wolverines head coach is pursuing NFL opportunities for the third consecutive offseason. When placing Michigan No. 7 in his early 2024 preseason rankings, Klatt predicted that Harbaugh will take a new job this time.
He believes Harbaugh’s replacement is already part of the program.
“I don’t have any inside sources, but if I had to bet my own money, my gut is telling me that Harbaugh is going to go to the National Football League,” Klatt said . “If that’s the case, I would expect Michigan to hire Sherrone Moore, who was basically the head coach for the bulk of that stretch run.”
“I would love if Jim Harbaugh stayed at Michigan.” 👀@joelklatt explains why he has Michigan ranked at 7️⃣ in his Way Too Early 2024 Season Top 10 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QadqNzdqkm
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) January 17, 2024
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Moore is a sensible choice to take the baton from Harbaugh. With Harbaugh serving a three-game suspension to close the regular season, Michigan’s offensive coordinator led the team to victories over Penn State and Ohio State.
He was also Michigan’s acting coach for a 31-6 win over Bowling Green at the end of Harbaugh’s earlier three-game suspension for alleged recruiting violations.
Klatt would expect Moore to maintain a similar identity at Ann Arbor. However, he noted the roster will have a “very different” look with J.J. McCarthy, Blake Corum, and Roman Wilson among the star players who declared for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Harbaugh has already interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons since leading the Wolverines to a national championship. While Klatt expects Harbaugh to leave Michigan, he wouldn’t mind if he’s wrong.
“If he doesn’t leave, great,” Klatt said. “I would love if Jim Harbaugh stayed at Michigan. I hope that he does. But in the event that he doesn’t, Michigan is going to have to replace their QB, their head coach, and several key pieces.”