Getty Picture / Aaron J. Thornton
The years-long, will-he-won’t-he saga of Jim Harbaugh returning to the NFL has come to an finish, because the reigning nationwide champion Michigan Head Coach is heading to the Los Angeles Chargers.
This information may have large ripple results across the NFL and school soccer. Among the many greatest of these are the consequences it can have on Michigan soccer program going ahead.
There’s little doubt that Jim Harbaugh had it rolling at Michigan. After almost shedding his job after a disastrous 2020 season, he turned it round in a giant means. They’ve gained the final three Large Ten championships, have three straight wins over Ohio State, and simply capped off an ideal 15-0 season with a win within the Faculty Soccer Playoff championship recreation.
An enormous a part of that was defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Minter, who coached for Jim’s brother, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, schemed up two super defenses the final two seasons in Michigan after 2021 defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald was employed by John to teach for the Ravens.
In 2022 and 2023, the one recreation that the group’s protection didn’t carry out properly within the final two years was the 51-45 Faculty Soccer Playoff loss to TCU in 2022. Exterior of that, the Wolverines shut down numerous excellent offenses the final two years, with Minter being a giant a part of that.
Sadly for Michigan followers, I count on Jim Harbaugh to convey the 40-year-old with him. Fox Sports activities analyst Joel Klatt agrees with me.
I will probably be very stunned if Jesse Minter will not be with Jim in LA…Jesse is an unimaginable defensive coordinator and has at all times wished to finish up again within the NFL
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) January 25, 2024
With Michigan in all probability hiring offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who crammed in as an interim throughout video games Harbaugh missed this yr on account of suspension down the stretch, that defensive coordinator rent will probably be a giant query mark for the group transferring ahead.
As for the Chargers, not solely did they get themselves a wonderful head coach, however they’re possible getting an important defensive coordinator, too.
