One head coaching target Michigan football should go after if Jim Harbaugh leaves is Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers.
Michigan football is coming off a 12-2 season and its first Big Ten Championship since 2004 as well as a CFP berth. Ideally, Michigan would be building on its momentum and getting ready to run it back.
However, Jim Harbaugh is exploring his options in the NFL. Harbaugh is well within his right to do so and contrary to popular opinion among Michigan football fans, I think the Vikings job makes sense for Harbaugh.
By now, you have probably heard that Aaron Rodgers’ future in Green Bay is uncertain. If Rodgers leaves, the NFC North may be the worst division in the NFL next season.
The Packers are $46 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac. That does not include All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, who is an unrestricted free agent and will not have much interest in returning next season if Rodgers is gone. The Packers will get under the cap but will have to let go of some key pieces to do so.
The Lions will be in year two of undertaking a huge rebuild. . . in addition to being the Lions. The Bears have the most intriguing quarterback prospect in the division in Justin Fields. However, it also has a bad offensive line, an aging defense, and may lose Allen Robinson in free agency.
The Vikings have one of the most talented rosters in the league, including skill players Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen. The Vikings do have Kirk Cousins at quarterback but are only tied to him for one more season. A coach that won at a 70% clip with Alex Smith could make due for Cousins for a year even if he isn’t the long-term answer.
If Harbaugh does decide to move on, Michigan will need to move quickly to find a replacement. It could go with an internal option like offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. It is likely that Gattis will be a head coach somewhere soon, but has he done enough to be the head coach at Michigan?
Let’s not forget that Gattis had produced mixed results as an offensive coordinator in his first two seasons. The biggest case for promoting Gattis is stability. However, the reality is there will be both coaching and roster turnover should Harbaugh leave. Michigan benefitted from the turnover at Notre Dame. The Irish hired first-time head coach Marcus Freeman and that was partially for stability, but then Mike Elston decided to come home and coach Michigan’s defensive line.
Personally, I would love Mike Hart to be the head coach at Michigan one day, but running backs coach to the top job is a big leap. Hart may need to get a head coaching job at a group of five or a smaller power five job school to boost his resume. In my opinion, the ideal candidate to replace Jim Harbaugh at this moment is Matt Rhule, and here is why.
Why Matt Rhule is an ideal replacement for Jim Harbaugh
Temple has been playing college football since 1894, but it has not been very successful. The Owls only have three 10-win seasons in school history and Matt Rhule is responsible for two of them. Rhule went 20-7 with the Owls from 201 to 2016. Then, he went to Baylor and took over a program reeling from the sexual assault scandal that happened under Art Briles’ watch.
Baylor won just one game in Rhule’s first season, but by year three he posted an 11-win season. The Bears went 11-3, closely losing to Oklahoma in the regular season and Big 12 Title Game and the Sugar Bowl to Georgia.
Rhule was born in New York and has ties all over the Northeast. He played at Penn State and got his start in coaching there as a volunteer assistant. He also coached at Buffalo, UCLA, Western Carolina, and with the New York Giants.
Additionally, Rhule has spent time coaching linebackers, the defensive line, special teams, tight ends, and quarterbacks. He also spent time as a recruiting coordinating and offensive coordinator.
Rhule consistently had Temple in the upper echelon of the AAC’s recruiting rankings. His 2016 class finished second in the conference. Rhule now has ties in Texas, thanks to his time at Baylor. That would not hurt considering Texas is one of the talent-rich states in the country. Baylor’s classes finished in the top 40 from 2017 to 2019, which is even more impressive, fresh off the scandal. Now imagine what Rhule would do at Michigan.
Thus far, Rhule has been the master of the turnaround, similar to Jim Harbaugh. However, this Harbaugh finished the turnaround for him. Rhule would be stepping into a top 10 program fresh off a top 10 recruiting class and with more resources than he ever had at Temple or Baylor.
If Harbaugh does leave, Rhule does have interest in the Michigan job, according to reports. His owner Dave Tepper might not be too sad to see him leave either. Tepper was said to be “unhappy and embarrassed” about the contract he gave Rhule, who has a seven-year, $62 million contract with the Panthers.
Carolina is just 10-23 in Rhule’s first two seasons. However, he won’t be the first or last college coach not to cut in the NFL. Nick Saban is the greatest college football coach of all time, but he was just 15-17 with the Miami Dolphins.
Now I am not saying Rhule will return to college and win seven national championships like Saban. However, he may be the best coach Michigan football could get to replace Harbaugh right now.