by Kyle Golik
When Texas A&M decided to go big over going home when it hired Jimbo Fisher to the tune of $75 million over 10 years back in 2017, there was some merit behind the signing. What Texas A&M was banking on from Fisher was the success Florida State enjoyed from 2010 to 2016 – winning 10+ games a year, going to New Year’s Six bowls seemingly on an annual basis, making the College Football Playoff, and winning a national championship.
Fast forward to today, and Fisher is out of a job at Texas A&M after what will forever be known as the most expensive firing in history. Fisher will be paid nearly $76 million not to coach football.
The reasons for Fisher’s termination simply were he did not live up to the standards that Texas A&M set for him.
Another polarizing head coach, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, and the school are reportedly finalizing a five-year $55 million contract that would compensate Harbaugh over $11 million per year.
I just begin to roll my eyes and ask the question: Did anyone learn anything from the Jimbo Fisher saga?
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If this contract gets finalized prior to Michigan’s College Football Playoff Semifinal matchup in the Rose Bowl against Alabama, this is what Michigan is paying for:
- Three consecutive Big Ten Championships and College Football Playoff berths
- Two consecutive wins against Ohio State – I am not giving Harbaugh coaching credit for win No. 3. That belongs to the game-day actions of Sherrone Moore
- Zero College Football Playoff or New Year’s Six bowl wins
- One bowl win in the Citrus Bowl against Florida
- 2-5 record against Ohio State – I stick by my Moore comments
Harbaugh has never won a major college football national championship during his time at Michigan or Stanford. While he did guide the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, they lost that game.
Michigan is most likely going to be ‘fresh meat’ for a rejuvenated Alabama squad and Nick Saban. Why is a coach that has a losing postseason record and a losing record against his top rival worthy of $11 million per year?
Is it to quell any more ovations to go to the NFL? Money should be a motivating factor, but what is Michigan’s return on investment for Harbaugh?
The only thing I can deduce, Michigan cares about three things: beating Ohio State, Michigan State, and winning the Big Ten.
With the Big Ten retiring the geographical divisional alignment, one that saw an extremely lackluster conference championship games, the East won all 10 conference championship games, it won’t be a gimme for Michigan if they make a fourth consecutive trip to Indianapolis. They could see one of the Pac-12 imports in Southern California, UCLA, Oregon, or Washington make an appearance, a rejuvenated Nebraska or Wisconsin squad, or even Penn State, who may figure it out with new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
Maybe we have the ultimate armageddon that The Game may be followed by an epic rematch.
Michigan State just hired Jonathan Smith, and if he can have the same success in the transfer portal his predecessor Mel Tucker did, “Little Brother” in the 21st Century has had the propensity of beating “Big Brother.”
This leaves the result of “The Game”, and we see how Ryan Day is eviscerated by Ohio State faithful. Day’s record in the Big Ten versus teams not named Michigan is 38-0, it is his 1-3 record that has Ohio State fanatics incensed.
The only other coach to be north of $11 million is Harbaugh’s Rose Bowl coaching opponent Nick Saban. Alabama has lost 28 games in Saban’s tenure at Alabama, and in the same timespan has won 28 different championships (6 national, 9 SEC, 13 division).
To say Harbaugh is on the same level as Nick Saban is laughable, the same way Texas A&M thought Jimbo Fisher, a Saban disciple, was on the same level as Saban.
Michigan has set the bar low to even be thinking about paying Harbaugh on the same level as Nick Saban. The scrutiny will only be exacerbated if Alabama defeats Michigan. Even with a national championship, say Michigan is able to defeat Alabama and then defeat the winner of Texas and Washington, Harbaugh isn’t worth $11 million per year. Saban is paid such a huge premium because there is a long history of massive success. Michigan isn’t at nearly the same level with Harbaugh.
The lesson that needed to be learned from Fisher is unless you have results that are dominant both from a conference and national point of view, you don’t get to be paid like you are the best, let alone on the same level as Saban.
Harbaugh hasn’t made Michigan distinguishable amongst the nation’s elite, and Michigan shouldn’t feel compelled to pay a coach who has only achieved regional success and only has failed on the national stage.
