The Michigan Wolverines need a new head coach now that Jim Harbaugh has taken his talents to the NFL to become the new coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The decision wasn’t a huge surprise given that Harbaugh has had an eye on the NFL for years and just led Michigan to their first national championship in nearly 30 years. His presumed desire to win a Super Bowl has taken him back to the big leagues, leaving a huge hole in the college football coaching ranks.
The big question is, who gets the coveted job? Rumor has it that the school may promote from within, but just in case they don’t, here is a list of names to keep an eye on. (UPDATE: Moore is their man!)
Sherrone Moore
The obvious choice here is going to be assistant coach Sherrone Moore and the odds are solid that he’ll get the job. Moore led the Wolverines to 4-0 during Habaugh’s two suspensions, proving he could keep the team on track and, most importantly, win. It would be a smart move for the school and a way to stop any bleeding before it begins. Of course, Moore could have his reasons for not taking the job. Maybe he doesn’t want to be left with the bag when the NCAA brings down a potential hammer on the program over Harbaugh’s mess. If that’s the case, the school might need to have a backup plan ready.
Brian Kelly
A name that started to surface when rumors of Harbaugh’s departure started was Brian Kelly. Many people think that Kelly would drop LSU in a heartbeat if the Michigan job became available. He may also be the ideal fit for the Wolverines. He has recruited the region well and knows how to handle a big-time head coaching job. Plus, he took Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff and won the SEC West in 2022 with LSU. Even though Saban is gone, the pending arrival of Oklahoma and Texas is about to make his job harder, so it might be the right time to make the move.
Urban Meyer
Wouldn’t it be ironic if Urban Meyer decided to pull a Nick Saban and go from one rival Big Ten school to another? The chances of this are highly unlikely, but in the world of college football, never say never. Meyer could bring stability to the program and continue his legacy as one of the greatest football coaches of all time. We know he knows how to win championships and recruit, so this would be a win-win, even if it would make things incredibly awkward for him and Ohio State. But Meyer seems to be happy in retirement and it sure sounds like he’s happy staying in the studio.
Lane Kiffin
Would Michigan be so bold as to pull the trigger on this one? You never know. Although Lane Kiffin has yet to win a championship, he has Ole Miss in place to make a run at the CFP next year. That’s also why he may not want to leave the Rebels. But it couldn’t hurt to at least see if he is interested. Kiffin did win a national championship as an assistant at Alabama and has taken Ole Miss to new heights, but he may be too brash for the Michigan administration. Plus, Ann Arbor may be a little bit too uptight for his style. But money talks and sometimes coaches walk for the right offer.
Joe Brady
Joe Brady is one of the hottest names in football right now. The offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills is in charge of a high-powered NFL offense and how a lot of teams and schools taking notice. Although he has never had a head coaching job, he was a grad assistant at Penn State, so he is familiar with the Big Ten. He also won a national championship as the offensive coordinator with the LSU Tigers in 2019. Brady is a quarterback guru remembered for turning Joe Burrow into a star at LSU. But does Brady want to give up his NFL gig for a college one? He’s probably going to have his pick of NFL head coaching positions soon.
