How Jim Harbaugh Could Fix Broncos' Offense

There is significant excitement about the possibility of Jim Harbaugh becoming the Denver Broncos' next head coach. Harbaugh has proven success, and his style could turn an undisciplined team into a contender, and per reports, the Broncos have already "reached out" to him.

The buzz is centered around what Harbaugh could do for Russell Wilson after the quarterback's uncharacteristically abysmal 2022 season. The optimism is warranted.

Alex Smith — the first overall pick in 2005 — was bordering on bust status until Harbaugh changed the trajectory of his career. Arriving as the San Francisco 49ers head coach in 2011, Harbaugh immediately turned Smith into a solid quarterback that led the team to the playoffs.

Harbaugh also got the most out of Colin Kaepernick. This prior success indicates Harbaugh could do wonders for Wilson.

Even though the focus is on the quarterback position, the piece to the puzzle that is being overlooked is what Harbaugh would mean for the Broncos' running game. He understands the importance it holds for the offense, and that focus would ultimately help Wilson. Even though Harbaugh is seen as a quarterback coach, his rushing offense has proven success as well.

In all four of his seasons in San Francisco, Harbaugh fielded a top-10 rushing attack. In three of the four seasons, it was top five. He was committed to the run, as evidenced by his teams also finishing top 10 in rushing attempts each season. It didn’t hurt that Frank Gore was the running back.

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However, it goes beyond just being committed to the run. Harbaugh was very smart about what type of rushing attack he implemented. He adapted it at every head-coaching stop so that it could reach its full potential.

At Stanford, Harbaugh implemented the power attack to take advantage of the smaller, quicker defenders that were being used to fight the spread offense. He punched the other team in the mouth to great effect. He has evolved his running game to implement the zone blocking scheme and other styles to keep it innovative and unpredictable since his time at Stanford.

An improved running game will help Wilson as much as a change in offensive style. The Broncos did not commit fully to the run game in 2022 under Nathaniel Hackett and relied on Wilson in a scheme that didn’t fit his skill set. That was a recipe for disaster, and Hackett was fired before the season ended.

Harbaugh wouldn't likely have that same mentality. For greater effect, the Broncos will need to invest in the running back stable for 2023.

Javonte Williams is working his way back from a major knee injury, and both Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack are set to be free agents. If the Broncos can pair Wilson and Harbaugh with a solid running back group in 2023, the team will reward the fans with significant improvement.

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