ORLANDO, FL - JANUARY 01: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines watches his team warm up prior to the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Camping World Stadium on January 1, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)Michigan’s football program could be searching for a new head coach in 2021.
The Wolverines dropped to 1-3 on the season on Saturday night. Michigan was blown out by Wisconsin at home as Jim Harbaugh’s team suffered its third straight loss.
“We were thoroughly beaten in every phase, really did not do anything well. Did not play good, did not coach good. Not in a good place with the execution, not in a good place with adjusting. … Not a good place as a football team right now, and that falls on me,” Harbaugh said postgame.
Harbaugh is taking the blame for the state of the program, but it’s unclear how much longer he’ll be allowed to do so. The Wolverines love Harbaugh, but at some point, they need to just move on. We might be reaching that point at the end of 2020.
If Michigan does look for a new head coach in 2021, there are two obvious choices.
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell
Campbell, 40, is a Big Ten country native, having grown up in Ohio. He’s coached at Bowling Green and Toledo and is already familiar with most of the recruiting areas.
Iowa State hasn’t become a national power or anything under Campbell, but they’ve been better than expected. And, perhaps most importantly, they’ve won plenty of games as underdogs – something Harbaugh has failed to do at Michigan.
Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell
Fickell should maybe be target 1A for Michigan. Yes, he’s an Ohio State graduate. And yes, it’s possible that Fickell will say no to the job.
Still, Fickell has built Cincinnati into one of the premier Group of 5 programs in America. The Bearcats are undefeated this season and playing like a College Football Playoff contender.
Plus, if he did take the job, how intriguing would the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry become?
We’re all for it.
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Who do you think Michigan should hire in 2021?
