Jim Harbaugh will take the Pete Carroll way; win amid scandals & bolt back to NFL

All of us here in Houston expect that in a week or so Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh will be named the head coach of an NFL team, most likely the L.A. Chargers.

Harbaugh has doggedly danced around a topic that repeatedly comes up when he meets with the media. He says nothing, which says everything.

“My message to our guys is going to be play as hard as you can, as fast as you can, as long as you can and don’t worry. And just go have at it,” Harbaugh said Sunday morning in a press conference to a question regarding his future.

“And the future, I hope to have one. Hope there’s a tomorrow. Hope there’s a day after tomorrow. I hope there’s a next week, next month. I hope a next year. Hope to have a future,” Harbaugh said Saturday morning during a press conference regarding his future.

Harbaugh arrived at Michigan in 2015, prepared to return his alma mater to Shembechler heights. The No. 1 Wolverines will play No. 2 Washington for the national title on Monday night in Houston.

If Harbaugh leaves for the NFL, this will go down as a Pete Carroll 2.0. The Wolverines can only hope they do not suffer the same fate as USC after Carroll left that job for the Seattle Seahawks.

Because both Harbaugh and Carroll won big in college. Because both Harbaugh and Carroll had final seasons awash in controversy. Because both Harbaugh and Carroll cashed out with big NFL checks, and felt consequences.

Harbaugh’s NCAA tenure

A few weeks ago, Michigan received the dreaded letter of alleged violations from the NCAA regarding potential recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period. Harbaugh served a three-game suspension by the school to start this season.

Then there is the sign-stealing scandal by a Michigan assistant that was the dominant story line of college football for months.

Michigan players and fans disregarded whatever advantages these sign-stealing efforts resulted in as, “Everyone does it.” Harbaugh issued a statement that he had no knowledge of such measures.

He says he wants to talk about it, but he can’t. He can. He doesn’t want to.

Outside of Michigan, anyone who looks at the Wolverines sees a program caked in dirt, mud and muck.

If/when Harbaugh leaves, he won’t have to deal with the consequences when the NCAA hands down any penalties.

This is all that matters: Michigan is 39-3 over the last three seasons, with three straight wins over Ohio State, three straight college football playoff invites, and now an appearance in the national title game.

Carroll’s NCAA tenure

The former head coach of the New York Jets and New England Patriots, Carroll was a curious hire by USC in December of 2000.

Under Carroll, the Trojans became L.A.’s pro team; USC won 10 games in seven of his nine years as he had a conveyor belt of NFL-caliber talent into his program.

In June of 2009, the NCAA sent USC its letter of alleged infractions. Carroll left after the ‘09 season to become the head coach of the Seahawks, where he remains.

After he left, the NCAA announced it found USC to be guilty of a variety of infractions that led to the following penalties: no bowl game for two years, four years’ probation, and the loss of 30 scholarships.

Carroll followed the proven head coach formula when he said he knew nothing about any violation.

This is all that matters: Under Carroll, USC was 97-19 with seven straight Pac-10 titles, two national titles and four Rose Bowl wins.

Carroll and Harbaugh will be fine, but maybe not Michigan

Unlike so many of the previous college coaches who left for the NFL and flopped - Steve Spurrier, Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Lou Holtz, Dennis Erickson, etc. - Harbaugh should be like Carroll and do well in pro football.

Harbaugh coached the 49ers from 2011 to ‘15; the 49ers were 36-11-1 in his first three seasons. They made the NFC title game in each of those seasons, and lost the Super Bowl by 3 points in 2012.

Whatever NFL team hires Harbaugh it will give him millions of dollars, and significant power when it comes to player personnel. That’s why Carroll left USC for the Seahawks, where he built a Super Bowl winner and a consistent franchise.

After Carroll left, USC has not been the same. It is currently on its fourth head coach, and has not returned to the title game, or made the playoffs.

Because we are in a different era of NCAA football, where rules exist more in theory than in practice, and any penalty is often over turned, maybe Michigan will avoid the USC fate.

Jim Harbaugh hopes to have a future, and if he is so fortunate to have one he can sleep peacefully knowing he will feel none of this.