“The departure of a cherished head coach — an alumnus who appeared to be a fantastic cultural match with the crowd — for a new position is undoubtedly going to cause a great deal of disappointment among the supporters. However, I believe that most fans were somewhat anticipating it. It made perfect sense for Harbaugh to make the move now, having interviewed for NFL jobs each of the previous two years. The squad was about to lose 17 starters and was coming off a national championship. While disappointed, fans weren’t taken by surprise.

“There is still some tension and discussion about whether Michigan could have been more cooperative and proactive in negotiating Harbaugh’s extension. Michigan was willing to pay him the highest salary in college football, but they moved more slowly when it came to Harbaugh’s demands for NCAA protections and terminations for good reason. However, I believe the majority of supporters are aware that Harbaugh was hoping for the one thing Michigan was unable to provide: a Super Bowl victory.