Is Jim Harbaugh A Top-Five CFB Coach?
If someone had told you heading into 2021 that Jim Harbaugh would deliver a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff, you would have been laughed at...and quite possibly mocked.
Prior to the 2021 season, Harbaugh's biggest issues seemed to arise in the biggest moments - most notably against teams like Michigan State and Ohio State. Though Harbaugh still has a small issue to deal with down in East Lansing, most of the knocks against the man in the skinny Block M hat were all but destroyed in 2021.
The Michigan Wolverines finished last year's campaign with just the third 12-win season in program history (1997, 1905, 2021), won the Big Ten Championship for the first time since the inception of the conference championship game back in 2011, beat Ohio State for just the second time in two decades and landed their first ever spot in the College Football Playoff. By all accounts, 2021 was a resounding success for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines.
In spite of his recent success, CBS Sports still has Harbaugh outside of the top-five when it comes to the best head coaches that college football has to offer - placing him at No. 9 overall. Here's what CBS Sports had to say about Harbaugh's placement:
Harbaugh spent his first few years at Michigan ranked in the top 10, and detractors constantly told us he was overrated because he hadn't accomplished anything in Ann Arbor, including a winless record against Ohio State. Last season, he beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff. That isn't likely to stop people from saying he doesn't deserve to be ranked this high because of what happened against Georgia, but Harbaugh's always been a polarizing figure. He's also one of the best coaches in the country, and while some may downplay his accomplishments, most would kill for the success he's had with the Wolverines. 2021 rank: 23 (+14)
Do you agree or disagree with Harbaugh's placement on the list below?
10. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
9. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines
8. Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes
7. Brian Kelly, LSU Tigers
6. Ryan Day, Ohio State
5. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
4. Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans
3. Dabo Swinney, Clemson Tigers
2. Kirby Smart, Georgia Bulldogs
1. Nick Saban, Alabama Crimson Tide
Other Big Ten Coaches who made the Top-25 list: Mel Tucker, MSU (No. 24), PJ Fleck, Minnesota (No. 23), Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (No. 21), James Franklin, Penn State (No. 15), Paul Chryst, Wisconsin (No. 14), Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (No. 13).
