5 Jim Harbaugh replacements Michigan needs if he leaves for the NFL
P.J. Fleck, Minnesota Golden Gophers. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Jim Harbaugh is either going to keep on coaching at Michigan or make his return to the NFL.
Michigan is either going to be Jim Harbaugh’s last coaching job, or his penultimate if he were to return to the NFL.
Harbaugh was a finalist for the Minnesota Vikings gig that ultimately went to Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell last winter. It was not a good look for Harbaugh to play flirt with the Vikings during the second National Signing Day of last year’s cycle. Though he may be done pursuing the NFL, it may not be done pursuing him just yet. He will have suitors, alright.
Harbaugh would be a candidate to replace Nathaniel Hackett on the Denver Broncos, Frank Reich on the Indianapolis Colts and potentially Matt Rhule on the Carolina Panthers. Denver wants to go with a former head coach in this hiring cycle. Harbaugh is a former star quarterback for the Colts. As for Carolina, Panthers owner David Tepper has never been afraid about being aggressive.
Should Harbaugh receive a Godfather offer from a woebegone NFL franchise, who replaces him?
5 coaching candidates to replace Jim Harbaugh at Michigan if he leaves for NFL
5
P.J. Fleck
Head Coach Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck could Row the Boat from Minneapolis over to Ann Arbor
If Michigan were to look at poaching a head coach in-conference, the best bet would probably have to be getting P.J. Fleck to Row the Boat from Minneapolis over to Ann Arbor. Although he has transformed the Minnesota Golden Gophers into a high-quality program over in the Big Ten West, there are obvious limitations with that particular job. However, he just might work in Ann Arbor.
Fleck’s Minnesota teams do play with a lot of confidence offensively. Moreover, he is a Midwest guy through and through. Most importantly, he had sensational success at Western Michigan previously. Although it would be highly controversial if Fleck were to replace Harbaugh at Michigan, the program is not going to drop off while it went through this period of adjustment.
However, there is chance this could end up like Dan Mullen leaving Mississippi State for Florida…
