Jim Harbaugh came to Ann Arbor in 2015 with the goal of bringing Michigan out of an ongoing cycle of mediocrity and restore the Wolverines as a national power. 

Mission Accomplished. 

It wasn’t always a smooth journey, but in the end Harbaugh and Michigan enjoyed six 10-win seasons culminating in the National Championship win over Washington to cap a perfect 15-0 season. 

All a coach can do is hope to leave a program better than he found it and go out on top. That’s exactly what Harbaugh is doing, accepting a job with the Los Angeles Chargers to take on more unfinished business in the NFL. 

He leaves behind a program at peak powers, boasting three straight wins over rival Ohio State and three straight Big Ten championships. Michigan is at the top once more and listed among the College Football Playoff favorites for 2024 with +1200 college football odds. 

Now it’s time to make another key hire and follow success with success. We know one thing for sure – whoever ultimately lands the job will have some big khakis to fill. 

Next Michigan Football Coach Odds

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Who Will Coach Michigan Next Season?

As far as replacement options go, Michigan is in a unique position. As previously mentioned, the Harbaugh Era was not all trophies and parades. There were some major bumps in the road, including two separate three-game suspensions served this season – one for a recruiting violation, the other for the sign-stealing scandal. 

That ended up giving the Wolverines a sneak preview in terms of potential replacements. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore took over for the final three games of the season and didn’t miss a beat, with Michigan capping a perfect regular season and third straight win over No. 2 Ohio State under his watch. 

Moore was also in charge for a 24-15 win at No. 10 Penn State and openly wept during a passionate postgame interview. More importantly, he kept the train on the tracks and did an excellent job by all accounts filling in for Harbaugh at an unexpected time. We’d be surprised if Moore isn’t ultimately the top choice. 

As for other options, few have done more with less in recent years than Lance Leipold. The Kansas coach has completely turned the Jayhawks around in just three years, ending a 13-year postseason drought with back-to-back bowl games – including a Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over UNLV to finish a 9-4 season. 

Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck is probably on the shortlist as well. He’s got significant Midwest ties having grown up in Illinois and coached at Western Michigan from 2013-16. His name doesn’t carry quite as much weight as it did back then, but he’s still a solid defensive coach who warrants a look. 

The same can be said for Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, given the way he’s turned the Tigers around, and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, who was one of the hottest names out there before cooling off in recent years. 

Others like Michigan offensive coordinator Jesse Minter and even LSU’s Brian Kelly could generate some consideration. Still, the Wolverines will likely go with the known commodity in Moore – someone they’ve already seen deliver on the biggest stage.