After pursuing the NFL, Harbaugh & Michigan Recommit.
Harbaugh & UofM locked in through 2026
After what many college football fans, let alone Wolverine fans, would consider a volatile start to the offseason, the University of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh have agreed on a new contract. ESPN Senior Writer Heather Dinich reports that this new deal will begin with a 2022 base salary of $7.05 million dollars, and raise incrementally until the final year of the contract which will be 2026 at the salary of $7.6 million. The newly reworked 5-year deal is a 1-year extension of the former contract and restores the pay cut that Jim took following the subpar 2021 season. The Michigan Head Coach will again be up for a number of bonuses in his 8th year. If he manages to achieve certain goals, that is.
Available Bonuses
Win B1G East - $500K
B1G Champs - $1,000,000
National Title- $1,000,000
Make CFP - $500K
NY6 - $200K
After a 9 hour interview with the Minnesota Vikings on February 2nd, which also happened to be National Signing Day, Jim Harbaugh was not offered the Vikings job and subsequently announced he was returning to UofM. The debacle was headline news in the weeks between the NFC & AFC Championship AND Super Bowl XVI. Since these events, Harbaugh has assured the university that his NFL ambitions would be a one-time occurrence and wouldn't become a distraction again. The university’s faith in Harbaugh is not unwavering though, as there are stipulations in place that require Harbaugh to formally notify the AD Warde Manuel of any intent to explore a job elsewhere, whether it be the NFL or NCAA. Both parties have confirmed that failure to adhere to these conditions could result in Jim’s termination from Michigan.
 Former Michigan OC Josh Gattis |  Former Michigan DC Mike Macdonald |
The Departures of Gattis & MacDonald
Along with a new contract, Jim Harbaugh will have new offensive and defensive coordinators going into the 2022 season and on. Michigan's former OC Josh Gattis left the program after 3 seasons, for the same position with the Miami Hurricanes under their newly hired head coach, Mario Cristobal. To replace Gattis, Michigan has elected to promote from within and bump up QB coach Matt Weiss and OL coach Sherrone Moore to Co-Offensive Coordinators. Weiss is responsible for the passing game plan with Moore in charge of the run game. On the defensive side of the ball, Mike MacDonald returns to the Baltimore Ravens as Defensive Coordinator after a 1-year stint as the Wolverines’ DC. MacDonald was with the Ravens from 2014-2020, starting as a coaching intern and eventually the LB Coach. Michigan went out of house for their new Defensive Coordinator and hired former Vanderbilt DC Jesse Minter. Michigan’s new DC was also with the Baltimore Ravens recently in his career, from 2017-2020. If Minter is able to replicate some semblance of MacDonald’s defense then Michigan will be just fine. All in all only time will tell what’s in store for Jim Harbaugh, his staff, and the Michigan Wolverines in 2022. Expectations will be lofty after an unexpectedly successful 2021 season that resulted in a B1G championship and a CFP appearance.