Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel fired back at the notion of an internal clash with Jim Harbaugh leading to the Wolverines coaching leaving Ann Arbor for the Los Angeles Chargers .
Reminiscing about Harbaugh’s tenure with the Wolverines, Manuel cited times when he was Harbaugh’s loudest supporter at Michigan, and why he wouldn’t have changed his tune, especially after a season where the coach delivered Michigan a national championship.
“It was lonely, because there were there weren’t a lot of people, other than me, that thought I should keep Jim at the time. And those voices were loud,” Manuel told Sam Webb of The Michigan Insider , regarding Harbaugh’s past with the Wolverines. “They were aggressively shouting and saying, in different ways. By shouting, I mean social media, posts, emails, all kind of things, where people were wanting him gone. And ultimately, I made a decision that Jim was a great coach. I had known Jim since I was a freshman here at the University of Michigan. I have a great appreciation for him and what he brings to the table as coach and as a person, and the all the values and things that he has helped develop here with our student-athletes. That one season didn’t stop Jim Harbaugh from being a great coach.