Those Who Almost Leave

Jim Harbaugh is staying with that team up north after interviewing with the Minnesota Vikings on National Signing Day

Adam Bloom | February 1st, 2022

There is a famous quote, etched in the walls of the athletic center of that team up north by famous coach Bo Schembechler. Bo once said, “Those who stay will be champions.” Jim Harbaugh is known as many things; consumer of milk, wearer of khakis, and now, man who contemplated leaving and ditched his team on national signing day to interview for the NFL. Harbaugh is reportedly staying at his post as the coach of his Alma Mater despite rumors that he would become the head football coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Apparently, playing the Bears and the Lions four times a year wasn’t enough of a draw for ole’ Jimmy to send him to the NFL. Let’s take a moment to reflect on Harbaugh’s time so far up north.

Jim Harbaugh was hired by TTUN to be the savior of a program in dire need of a turnaround. Having not won a title since the 90s, and after being decimated year after year by Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer, TTUN called upon the man who once guaranteed them a victory over Ohio State when he played quarterback for the school. Harbaugh, who had led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl in a stint in the NFL, was supposed to come in and turn the program around. He was brought in with the thought that he was a quarterback whisperer who would bring elite play to a position that TTUN had struggled to produce at. Fast forward to 2022, and Harbaugh is widely viewed to have failed to develop an elite quarterback in his tenure at TTUN. Harbaugh was also brought in to finally make TTUN once again competitive with the Buckeyes. Harbaugh has been unable to do so, and now has a 1-5 record against his bitter rivals to the south, and no wins in Columbus to speak of. He finally won a Big Ten Championship game in his most recent season, and made the College Football Playoff, but was demolished by Georgia, giving him a 1-5 record in bowl games. Harbaugh is very much known for being unable to win big games. Not only did he struggle mightily against Ohio State, but he also currently has a 3-4 record against TTUN’s ‘little’ brother, Michigan State. Harbaugh failed to beat Urban Meyer during the former Buckeye coach’s tenure in Columbus, and sits at 1-1 against current OSU coach Ryan Day, with one game being canceled as a result of Covid cases amongst his team during TTUN’s 2-5 2020 campaign.

Harbaugh has brought that team up north into a better situation than he found it, there is no denying this, but his legacy, as it currently stands, is certainly tainted with his inability to compete with his rivals and to return TTUN football to its former glory. After embarrassing his program by ditching them on national signing day to interview for another job, and now returning to Ann Arbor, desperate attempts by TTUN fans will likely be made to maintain that they didn’t actually hate Harbaugh for the last 48 hours and are still very much believers in his commitment to their program. While we may not be rid of him yet, let us remember the good times with our friend Jim that we have enjoyed so far. Buckeye fans have loved Harbaugh for giving us 5 wonderful victories over his program, and will be looking forward to many more wins in the future. The future for Harbaugh will likely be questioned in every offseason to come, until every vacant NFL head coaching job has been filled. The past seven years have been wonderful for the Buckeyes, and as we look forward to many more (maybe?) seasons facing Harbaugh in the greatest rivalry in sports, Ohio State will aim to maintain the highest level of domination against TTUN that Ohio State has achieved over the last two decades.

Jim has likely walked past the sign in his athletic facility that reads “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions” thousands of times, despite this, he genuinely considered whether his best chance at being a champion was to leave. For now, he remains in Ann Arbor, and must win back the trust of his fans and players after almost ignoring Bo’s eternal warning.

Read more Buckeye Kingdom here:

https://www.buckeyekingdom.com/blog