Should Jaguars add Jim Harbaugh to list of head coaching candidates?

The Jaguars have already started the process of looking for their next head coach. They already interviewed some of the candidates on their wish list, including former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and former Philadelphia Eagles head caoch Doug Pederson. Could they add another name to their list? More specifically, should they consider targeting Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh?

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported Harbaugh might be tempted to return to the NFL and Matt Lombardo of FanSided cites an NFC scouting director who believes Harbaugh could have success if he decides to coach in the pros again. Keep in mind that even though Michigan just lost to Cincinnati in the College Football Playoffs, they’re coming off their most successful campaign with Harbaugh at the helm, so he may not be tempted to leave just yet. Moreover, he signed a four-year contract extension in January 2021.

Lombardo quotes a long-time scout who thinks this might just be a “leverage ploy” by Harbaugh to get a raise from the Wolverines. The truth is that it’s hard to tell what his end goal is but if he’s available, should the Jaguars make a run for him?

The case for and against the Jaguars pursuing Jim Harbaugh.

The first thing (or person) that comes to mind when thinking about the Jaguars pursuing Harbaugh is his general manager Trent Baalke. They worked together for the San Francisco 49ers in the early 2010s and although they found success early, they often clashed, which prompted Harbaugh to leave at the end of the 2014 season after losing a power struggle. It’s fair to say that they may not be sending each other Christmas cards anytime soon and working together might not be something they’re interested in doing again.

If the Jags wanted Harbaugh, they would need to move on from Baalke first. They would then have to arrange an interview him and listen to his plan to turn things around. Ok, but why should Jacksonville make a run for him? After all, they already put together a list of candidates to fill their opening and their vacancy will be one of the most attractive in this hiring cycle. What does he bring to the table that others don’t?

Harbaugh has a penchant for getting the most out of the quarterbacks he’s worked with in college and the NFL, including Rich Gannon, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, and Colin Kaepernick. Then, there’s the fact that the Niners became a playoff team in his first year at the helm and they made three consecutive trips to the NFC Championship game during his tenure. Back in college, he turned the San Diego and Stanford into successful programs and left them in better condition than they were when he arrived. It took him a while but he also won with the Wolverines.

Basically, the Jaguars would get in Harbaugh a head coach who can untap Trevor Lawrence’s potential and quickly turn the team around. That should make him an enticing candidate for their opening. While it’s hard to tell whether he can recreate his past success in Jacksonville, it doesn’t hurt to perform due diligence and find out. Maybe the Jags finally gets the head coach they’ve been looking for, or not.