Detroit Lions: 5 Replacements for Matt Patricia as head coach
By Tayyib Abu
Detroit Lions head coach candidate No. 2: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan HC
Jim Harbaugh is enduring a miserable time at his alma mater. The Michigan Wolverines head coach is under tremendous pressure in Ann Arbor. He was already on the hot seat coming into the year; a 2-4 start has made his position untenable. Michigan will almost surely fire Harbaugh at the end of the year. He will be eager to find a route back to the NFL. That route could be 40 minutes away from his current job.
I never felt Harbaugh would succeed in his return to college. He is far too intense for young people. He is football-obsessive and that is not a good character trait to have when you have to work with young adults who are still figuring their lives out. But Harbaugh knows football. And, in particular, he knows the NFL.
His career record in the NFL is 49-22-1. He took the 49ers to back-to-back NFC title games, including an appearance in Super Bowl XLVI. Before he arrived at Candlestick Park, San Francisco had endured eight straight losing seasons. He was able to turn things around very quickly.
Harbaugh will be itching to restore his reputation. It has taken a battering in Ann Arbor. That could relight Harbaugh’s fire as he looks to rebuild his image as a head coach. Harbaugh is an intense general type figure who could light a fire in the Lions locker room. He will also bring knowledge of the upcoming college players for the draft.