Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is serving a self-imposed three-game suspension to begin the season following an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations that took place during COVID.
In the midst of the self-imposed suspension, Harbaugh and the Wolverines program announced the coaching roles for the first three games of the year with Harbaugh out. Listed in the release as an assistant head coach is Harbaugh’s father, 84-year-old Jack Harbaugh, who was an assistant at Michigan in the 1980s and later served as the head coach at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky. He retired in 2002 after Western Kentucky went 12-3 and won the Division I-AA championship.
Once a coach, always a coach, but it’s been two decades since Jack has graced the sidelines of college football. The game has changed a lot, but Jack has been a staple around the Michigan program, as well as in Baltimore at the NFL level supporting his other son, Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
Despite all of this, college football fans couldn’t believe that Jim named his dad the assistant head coach while he is out on suspension. Here are some of the best reactions to the news that broke Thursday evening.
I’ve seen a lot of Jim Harbaugh things since Jim Harbaugh was hired at Michigan. But Jim Harbaugh making his dad the assistant head coach during his cheeseburger suspension is the most Jim Harbaugh thing I’ve ever seen Jim Harbaugh do. And I’m very much here for it. https://t.co/VcHuCCq4DK
— Scott Bell (@sbell021) August 24, 2023
Jim Harbaugh naming his 84-year-old dad "Assistant Head Coach" during the 3-game suspension is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
— Justin Spiro (@DarkoStateNews) August 24, 2023
Sometimes you have to just tip your cap. https://t.co/8n9l62HQfF
Jack Harbaugh fighting a guy on Raw? https://t.co/xvIhoOQCSf
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) August 24, 2023
This looks like Ben Herbert vs. Jack Harbaugh in an Elimination Chamber match on Monday Night Raw. pic.twitter.com/rSL3LbC0kI
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 24, 2023
Watching Jack Harbaugh work the refs will be epic. https://t.co/ZdKqhYSRwg
— Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) August 24, 2023
It is statistically unlikely - but not impossible - that Jack Harbaugh wins more games in 2023 than Mel Tucker https://t.co/oTdC2zAFqE
— Mitch (@beckM14) August 25, 2023
I was annoyed at Michigan giving NCAA any respect
— Brian Stromberg (@strombergbt) August 25, 2023
but them using the suspension to name Jack Harbaugh an assistant head coach is objectively hilarious https://t.co/DhRyY82tA5
Is Jack Harbaugh a better coach than @ryandaytime ? I didn't say that, but people are talking. https://t.co/WNxN2TpSMj
— Kirk (@KirkMatthew14) August 25, 2023
One of the most Jim harbaugh arrangements I’ve ever seen, complete with a top notch troll job in the form of Jack Harbaugh https://t.co/MxqEtBKL9Y
— Malay Mody (@modymalay) August 24, 2023
