Manuel announces extension of contract for football coach Jim Harbaugh

Manuel announces extension of contract for football coach Jim Harbaugh

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Athletic Director at the University of Michigan Warde Manuel announced Friday (January 8) that Jim Harbaugh, J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach, reached an agreement on a contract extension that runs through the 2025 football season. Harbaugh signed a four-year extension with the revised financial terms from 11 January 2021.

“I continue to believe that Jim is the right man to lead our program in pursuit of the Big Ten and CFP championships,” said Manuel, athletics director Donald R. Shepherd. “Our program has not reached the level that everyone expected this year, but I know that these setbacks will keep coaches, players and the team moving forward. Jim is a hard worker and competitor. it will take to lead and put us back on the right path.

“Jim loves the University of Michigan and this football program. He has been committed to this university, athletics department and football program since his days as a player and returned in 2015 as a head coach. He wants to do everything possible to build a championship football team while we train our student-athletes. We all need to do our part to continue to help in this quest, as we all need to go in the same direction to have a championship level program. “

“My thanks to the Athletic Director Warde Manuel for the confidence he showed in allowing me to continue coaching the University of Michigan football team and President Mark Schlissel and the Board of Regents for their continued support, “said Harbaugh.” My additional thanks to Doug Gnodtke, our football team and the campus departments that continue to support our mission. In the past few weeks, Warde and I have had honest, open, insightful and constructive discussions to move our football program forward. Discussions that I hope to continue in the coming months and years. We have a plan.

“There is work to be done and challenges to be faced. These challenges are being faced as we continue to strive for excellence in the classroom and championships in the field, a message that I hope will be noticed in the language of our signed contract.

“Thanks to the University of Michigan players and their families, who trusted our program and our goals. All of our energy and focus is on establishing an exceptional foundation for the 2021 football season.”

Harbaugh guided the Wolverines to an overall record of 49-22 and 34-16 Big Ten during his six seasons leading the Michigan football program. He led UM in three 10-win seasons and guided teams in five bowling games, including two bowling games on New Year and three bowling games on New Year’s Day.

Eight Wolverines secured 12 All-America honors under Harbaugh, including consensus honorees Devin Bush, Jake Butt, Maurice Hurst, Jourdan Lewis and Jabrill Peppers.

In addition, Butt won the Mackey Prize as the country’s best tight end in 2016, while Peppers received the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Paul Hornung Prize and was fifth in the Heisman Trophy race that same season. Several other athletes were finalists for the national award under Harbaugh, including Lewis (Jim Thorpe Award) and Bush (Butkus Award).

A total of 24 players won recognition from the All-Big Ten first team, including four in 2015, six in 2016, three in 2017, eight in 2018 and three in 2019. In the classroom, Wolverines totaled 224 All-Big academic honors Ten during his tenure, including a program record of 50 in 2020.

Harbaugh’s teams in Michigan finished the season ranked in national polls on four occasions, including the tenth ranking at the end of the season in 2016, when the Wolverines came within inches of claiming their first Big Ten East Division title and a place in the game conference of the championship in 2016. UM ended the season as a top-15 team three times during Harbaugh’s term.

Under Harbaugh, Michigan produced two of the five most productive offensive seasons in school history. UM has had a national defense in the top 12 in five of its six seasons and a unit in the top three on three occasions.

Harbaugh was named the 20th coach in Michigan football history on December 30, 2014. He became the sixth football player selected to lead the college football’s biggest win program.

Harbaugh is in the process of evaluating and assembling his team for the 2021 season. More details will be shared at a later date.