Jim Harbaugh’s Personal Goals For 2021 Are Rather Sobering

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Jim Harbaugh, fresh off signing a new contract that includes a considerable pay cut, spoke Friday to the Michigan High School Coaches Association and listed his personal goals for 2021. Included in those goals was not be scared of being fired.

Harbaugh and his Wolverines just went through a 2-4 season, haven’t beaten Ohio State in 3,337 days and the head coach has to make sure one of his goals is not be scared of being fired at his alma mater where he’s considered a god. That’s some sobering stuff Jimbo is going through these days.

The days of tweeting like a maniac to impress recruits are over. The days of Signing with the Stars feels like a decade ago. The days of sleeping over at a kicker’s house appear to have ended too. Now Jim has to list not being scared of being fired on his list of goals.

1. Raise all those with whom I come in contact. Put players and staff in position to be successful in life and in football.

2. Create an atmosphere in the work place that supports teamwork, friendship and winning (an atmosphere that brings joy each day we come to work).

3. Develop and administer a process (Plan) that supports TEAM success and winning.

4. Be a member of the 2021 Big Ten and National Champion Michigan Football Team.

Jim Harbaugh as Michigan head coach

5. Treat others as I would want to be treated and create a personal relationship with all those I come in contact.

6. Do not be scared of any man, moment or circumstance or being fired.

When asked in 2014 what he’d need to do to get Michigan turned around, Harbaugh wouldn’t have it. “I’m not agreeing that it’s a turnaround. This is Michigan, and there are no turnarounds in Michigan. This is greatness, and there’s a long tradition of it,” Harbaugh told the media.

The numbers above say otherwise.

Jim Harbaugh

Written by Joe Kinsey

Joe Kinsey is the Senior Director of Content of OutKick and the editor of the Morning Screencaps column that examines a variety of stories taking place in real America.

Kinsey is also the founder of OutKick’s Thursday Night Mowing League, America’s largest virtual mowing league.

Kinsey graduated from University of Toledo.

9 Comments

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  2. At the risk of not being cynical…perhaps Harbaugh was humbled a bit with this stretch and is getting back to basics. He did have a good run there for a while before coming to Michigan and perhaps his head was so big he forgot what it took to be successful.

    Lists are lists…what matters is if Harbaugh actually does it.

    • I do like his “back to basics” approach, but I’m afraid being nice and building good men does not win at the level of football he’s at. I think this “we’re going to do it right and not be afraid” is just a precursor to him eventually getting canned next year. They just aren’t willing to sell their souls to the devil as The SEC, Clemson and OSU have done.

      • Same issue at ND, these schools have most likely permanently landed in the second class of College football. Its a great group of second class citizens, but they are long way from competing with the elite programs.

  3. What a bizarre list. Four of them are vague and unmeasurable, one is completely unrealistic (national champions), and one is something he should have already been doing (develop a plan for team success). This does not bode well for us.

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