Michigan football has options while Jim Harbaugh serves suspension. Here are the top 5.

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for the first three games of the 2023 season.

News of the program's self-imposed sanction broke Monday.

That came just 10 days after a reported "negotiated resolution" U-M had sent to the NCAA's Committee on Infractions — which would've seen Harbaugh suspended the first four games of the season and assistants Sherrone Moore and Grant Newsome each suspended one game — fell through.

Now it's official: Harbaugh will still serve as coach throughout the week, but he will not have any contact with team personnel on game days. It's a chance for the Wolverines to demonstrate the depth — in players and coaches — in Harbaugh's program, which the coach has lauded all summer long.

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"Every one of our assistant coaches will be a head coach,” Harbaugh said in June at a recruiting camp at Wayne State. “I'd even say four after this season. The talent, the coaching acumen and talent is really good.”

But who will be the head coach on game days in September? A release by athletic director Warde Manuel said the interim coaching decision "will be made at a future date."

Until then, here are five likely options to serve as interim head coach, in alphabetical order.

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Defensive backs coach/co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale

The most vocal of U-M's coaches, Clinkscale has served as the defensive backs coach, the defensive passing game coordinator and last season, co-defensive coordinator. That coincided with Michigan featuring a defense that finished with more interceptions (14) than passing touchdowns allowed (11).

Overall, U-M finished No. 5 nationally in opposing passer rating while holding foes to the seventh-fewest points in the nation. Although Clinkscale is known as a tough coach, he is U-M's top recruiter and undoubtedly resonates with the players.

With two defensive coordinators, it would seem that U-M has one to spare on game days without gutting that unit. One caution: Clinkscale hasn't had to make gameday decisions before — that can feature a steep learning curve.

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Special teams coordinator/safeties coach Jay Harbaugh

Consider this the favorite of all media pros used to typing "Harbaugh" every week. But beyond that — and perhaps of more importance to those making the call — Jim's son is U-M's longest-tenured assistant.

Over the nine years working under his father, Harbaugh has held multiple responsibilities in Ann Arbor; this is his fourth season heading up special teams and his second in charge of safeties. His myriad duties through the seasons are perhaps the best argument going for Harbaugh: in addition to his current duties, he has coached tight ends and running backs, with success every step of the way. Jake Butt won the Mackey Award (best tight end) 2016 with Harbaugh as his position coach, and Jake Moody won the Lou Groza Award (best kicker) in 2021 under Harbaugh's tutelage.

The résumé is there, but would U-M really want Harbaugh's son facing questions about his father while the program tries to keep the world's focus on what happens on the field?

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Running backs coach Mike Hart

Hart checks a shadowy box not expressly required but often preferred: He is, in Bo Schembechler's words, "a Michigan Man," through and through.

But beyond that — and again, this is likely more important — Hart has spent some time seeing the big picture, rather than focusing on position groups, serving as assistant head coach under Tom Allen at Indiana in 2018-19 and associate head coach there in 2020.

Furthermore, Hart is in his third year as the running backs coach and entering his second season as the run game coordinator. Although the overall plan for the season is expected to include an increase in passing — perhaps near a 50/50 balance — Michigan is likely to run up a solid lead against subpar competition and then ice the game with the ground game — Hart's specialty.

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Co-defensive coordinator Jesse Minter

Minter is perceived as an up-and comer in coaching circles after just one season in Ann Arbor; he interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagles' DC job this past offseason, not long after their Super Bowl appearance.

His second season in Ann Arbor looks to be even better than his first, when he was a finalist for the Broyles Award (best assistant) with a defense that ranked among the top 10 in opposing passer rating (fifth), total defense (sixth), rushing defense (seventh) and scoring defense (seventh).

Additionally, Minter is used to callIing plays during games, as he makes the decisions on defense, which would seemingly make for a smooth transition.

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Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore

Moore might be the favorite for the position, thanks to the belief he's the top candidate to follow Harbaugh as head coach if the lure of the NFL (or something else) proves too strong. Three games this season would be an opportunity to test his skills.

Moore has climbed the ranks since arriving in Ann Arbor in 2018; he spent three years coaching tight ends, then took over the offensive line in 2021. Last season, he coached the offensive line and added co-offensive coordinator to his list of duties. Both seasons, his group was named the top in the nation. This year, he'll be the sole offensive coordinator, after the firing of co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss; the new role is expected to come with play-calling duties.

He's already set to run the offense, so it might not hurt to get him involved in everything else. Then again, he already has a second job; adding much much more, even for just one day a week, might be a case of subtraction by addition overall.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football: 5 options as coach during Jim Harbaugh's suspension