Michigan president: No, Jim Harbaugh is not on the hot seat
Given that it’s Sept. 5, 2018, and the college football season is a week old we probably didn’t need to tell you that Jim Harbaugh’s job was tenuous after a season-opening loss to Notre Dame. You knew better than to think that.
But in case you, for some reason, were thinking that Harbaugh was on the hot seat, Michigan president Mark Schlissel is here to dispel your thoughts.
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‘I don’t know where it came from’
Schlissel spoke at the Detroit Economic Club on Wednesday where the topic of Harbaugh’s job security came up.
.@DrMarkSchlissel on @CoachJim4UM: "He's not on the hot seat. He's under contract for four more years." #econclub
— Detroit EconomicClub (@deteconomicclub) September 5, 2018
Here’s a more detailed quote from Schlissel on the topic. He sure doesn’t seem like a president who is itching for a change in football leadership.
More from the Detroit Economic Club luncheon today, where University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel defended Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/L3c0RBtthd
— Aaron McMann (@AaronMcMann) September 5, 2018
It’s safe to say that Harbaugh is under significant pressure for his Wolverine team to contend for the Big Ten East title. And that pressure intensified after a lackluster Week 1 performance against the Irish, Michigan’s fourth straight loss dating back to 2018.
But pressure doesn’t always mean a coach is coaching for his job. That’s important to remember. This could be the beginning of the end, as our own Pat Forde wrote after Saturday’s game. But the end may not be anytime soon.
If Michigan’s offensive line continues to look like it did against Notre Dame, maybe things change and the end gets closer. But it’s absurd for anyone to believe Harbaugh is coaching for his job at this moment — especially a university official. There are still 11 games to go. And then three more years on that contract between Harbaugh and the school.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
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