The SEC could still have a major head coach opening this offseason that would rock the conference
It's not often that the SEC has head coach openings past the first couple of weeks of December, but it's possible that there could be a major opening in January. But it depends on a couple of other things happening first. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh flirts with a return to the NFL nearly every […]
It's not often that the SEC has head coach openings past the first couple of weeks of December, but it's possible that there could be a major opening in January.
But it depends on a couple of other things happening first.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh flirts with a return to the NFL nearly every offseason. And this year, there's a feeling that he'll once again entertain a return to the NFL — especially with all of the noise about Michigan's sign stealing scandal.
The Los Angeles Chargers, which recently fired their head coach, are one franchise that's reportedly interested in Harbaugh.
Harbaugh also reportedly has an extension from Michigan on the table, which includes a "no-NFL" clause.
It's easy to see why Harbaugh would like to return to the NFL. College football head coaches seemingly never get a minute to breathe thanks to recruiting, the NCAA transfer portal, and tough-to-manage NIL deals. Roster management is a 24/7/365 job for college coaches these days.
If Harbaugh leaves for the NFL, Michigan could turn their attention to LSU head coach Brian Kelly. And there's a growing sense that Kelly would seriously consider leaving Baton Rouge for Ann Arbor, where he'd be a much better cultural fit.
Kelly has done well at LSU, going 19-7 in his first two seasons with the Tigers. But life in the Big 10 is a bit easier than life in the SEC. And Kelly, who is from Massachusetts, was a head coach in the state of Michigan from 1987 to 2006 (at Grand Valley State and Central Michigan). He was then the head coach at Cincinnati for four seasons and at Notre Dame for 12 seasons.
The majority of Kelly's professional career has been spent in Michigan, Ohio, or Indiana. And he obviously has great recruiting connections in those areas. Michigan, which is one of the best jobs in football, just seems like a much better fit for Kelly than LSU.
Kelly would probably be one of Michigan's top targets. He's one of the very few "home run" hires that the Wolverines could make if Harbaugh leaves.
It's a moot point if Harbaugh decides to stick around at Michigan. But this feels like it might be the offseason where Harbaugh finally finds a way back to the NFL.
Bob Stoops comments on Josh Heupel’s return to Oklahoma when Vols take on Sooners in 2024
Josh Heupel’s return to Norman will be one of the biggest moments of the 2024 season
