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How many games can Jim Harbaugh win for Michigan in 2015?

By Connor Muldowney

Apr 4, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh is seen during the Spring football game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh is seen during the Spring football game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Everyone has praised the hire of Jim Harbaugh at Michigan this offseason, but how many wins can he realistically lead the Wolverines to in 2015?

Cooky, quirky, fiery and intense. Those are just a few of the many words that can be used to describe new Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

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A year ago, if you were to tell me that Michigan would part ways with Brady Hoke and hire Harbaugh shortly after, I would have called you nuts. Heck, the entire country, outside of Ann Arbor, would have ordered you to a mental institution.

Harbaugh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers at the time and was living out his dream of coaching in the NFL after playing 14 years in it.

The former Michigan quarterback had seemingly worn out his welcome with the 49ers and the style of coaching he brought to the table just simply wasn’t working.

Michigan was in the midst of yet another bowl-less season and Brady Hoke, clueless as he was, firmly believed that he would be coming back as the head coach in 2015 because, well, no one had informed him otherwise. Hoke was fired weeks later and the head coaching search began.

Reports began to surface of Harbaugh and Michigan’s mutual interest, but it seemed like a long-shot. I will admit, I didn’t believe that the hair was real until his first press conference.

Since then, the talk around the Big Ten hasn’t been about the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes or the in-state rival Michigan State Spartans who have been dominating seemingly under the radar over the past five years, but instead it has been all about Jim Harbaugh.

Understandably so, it’s been a nauseating time for Big Ten fans. All of the offseason coverage has focused on a guy that has yet to coach a game in the Big Ten, yet everyone seems to be dubbing him the “savior” of the Michigan program. Haven’t heard that one before, right? Cough, Rich Rodriguez, cough.

Is Michigan’s program back to national supremacy? Time will tell, but for now, Harbaugh needs to prove he belongs in the conversation as one of the best coaches in the nation.

The former Stanford head coach turned the Cardinal from one of the laughing stocks of the Pac-12 to a 12-win squad and Orange Bowl champs in four years. It’s intriguing to think what he can do with a much more attractive program for recruits in Michigan.

Jan 2, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jake Rudock (15) warms up before the start of the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl against the Tennessee Volunteers at EverBank Field. The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2015; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jake Rudock (15) warms up before the start of the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl against the Tennessee Volunteers at EverBank Field. The Tennessee Volunteers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports /

The Wolverines, however, won’t be so effective in Harbaugh’s first season as head coach as there are just six returning offensive starters and seven on defense from a team that went just 5-7 last year. Moreover, there is no quarterback worth praise as Iowa-transfer Jake Rudock looks to be the starter.

Looking at the schedule, there are a handful of games in which the Wolverines will have a tough time winning.

The games which will be sure losses for the Wolverines are Michigan State, at Minnesota, at Penn State and Ohio State at home. On top of those, there are three more contests that are toss-ups.

In the end, however, I think Harbaugh gets the best out of the returning players and helps build toward a bright future with a solid 7-5 season. There is a chance this team could go 8-4, but not having a true starting quarterback worth a second look will really hurt.

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