Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh has no problem coaching without fans in stands

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh has no problem coaching without fans in the stands.

Jim Harbaugh is like the rest of us: he just wants sports back. It’s a simple-minded viewpoint with all too many unrealistic solutions. While fall seems far away, the tracks are already being laid for college football’s return now, as they must be given the circumstances COVID-19 has presented.

Whether the masses can attend college football games remains to be seen, but it’s time coaches stop fighting against what may be inevitable. Harbaugh, for one, is open to the concept of playing without fans, assuming it means games can be played in Ann Arbor.

Appearing on Wednesday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN, Harbaugh said he has no problem coaching without fans in the stands because it means we’ll have games.

“Can you test 100,000 fans coming into a stadium? Probably not. You probably couldn’t do that,” Harbaugh said on ESPN’s Get Up. “So to answer your question, heck yeah, I’d be comfortable coaching a game without any fans. If the choice were play in front of no fans or not play, then I would choose to play in front of no fans.”

Fan atmosphere is part of what makes college football great, especially at the Big House, the largest stadium in college football. Gameday tailgates and stadium traditions from Ann Arbor to the Rose Bowl provide us with entertainment every Saturday. But when the choice is between ‘games without fans’ or ‘no games at all,’ it’s pretty clear a sacrifice must be made.

Harbaugh’s accomplishments at Michigan may not be to the level expected of him just yet, but his acumen for what’s best for college football is unmatched. Despite the recent reopening of states nationwide thanks to incremental victories in the fight against COVID-19, we’re still far away from gathering in crowds of 40,000-plus people.

The sooner sports fans acknowledge that the better off everyone will be.

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