If Michigan fires Jim Harbaugh, could one of these candidates be the next head coach of the Wolverines?
It’s no secret the Michigan faithful are becoming increasingly upset with the job that Jim Harbaugh is doing. He successfully rose Michigan out of the hole Brady Hoke had them in. But after an awful performance against Wisconsin on Saturday, it’s becoming clear he may not be able to get the Wolverines to the level expected of him.
That level starts with beating Ohio State, which Harbaugh has yet to accomplish in his first four seasons. With Urban Meyer out of Columbus, he has to win this year, but Ohio State looks lethal with Justin Fields under center and Ryan Day stepping in for Meyer.
The next part of getting to that level is competing for National Championships. While Harbaugh has had the Wolverines ranked high several times late in the season, it always culminates in a loss to Ohio State and vanishing hopes of making it to the College Football Playoff.
This was the season both were supposed to come to fruition. They had a new offensive coordinator that was going to open up the offense. But, Shea Patterson looks lost, the offensive line is abysmal, and there is just no fire to a team picked by many to win the Big Ten this season.
So with that, the criticism has flown in, leading many in Ann Arbor to believe that Harbaugh is no longer the correct answer. But the question is, if he isn’t, then who is?
According to sportsbetting.ag these are the candidates with the best odds.
- Bronco Mendenhall +300
- David Shaw +350
- Kyle Wittingham +400
- Dino Babers +500
- Urban Meyer +700
- Mike Gundy +700
- Luke Fickell +800
There are a lot of great candidates on that list but who would be the right fit in Ann Arbor?
Dino Babers would be the best option. What he did with Syracuse last season was fantastic. He brought the Orange their first 10-win season since 2001 and their first bowl appearance since 2013. With the resources he would have at Michigan, he would definitely have the chance to take Michigan to that next level they are looking for with an exciting offense to watch.
Bronco Mendenhall has been a head coach since 2005. His first gig was at BYU, where he led the Cougars to 11 straight bowls and is second on the all-time wins list for BYU. Since leaving BYU, he’s led Virginia to back-to-back bowls and is the No. 18 in the country ahead of Week 5. Mendenhall would make the Wolverines solid, but I’m not convinced he would do much better than Harbaugh has.
Kyle Wittingham is an Urban Meyer and succeeded him in 2004, but has been a coach there since 1994. I don’t see him leaving and it also just doesn’t feel like the right fit.
As for the remaining candidates on the list, it is unlikely Luke Fickell, an Ohio State graduate and former coach would be a candidate. If Meyer returns to coaching, it surely won’t be at Michigan with other openings, such as USC, far more attractive. I also find it hard to see Gundy and Shaw leaving their alma matters.
Overall, if Michigan wants to move away from Harbaugh, there are plenty of options out there to choose from, although few who are clear upgrades. If Michigan wants to move on, they’ll have to pay a $15 million buyout for a coach who may not be any better than what Harbaugh can do.
For more NCAA football coverage by FanSided, be sure to visit the college football section for all the latest news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage we provide.