ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has determined to stay with coach Jim Harbaugh, finalizing a brand new, five-year deal on Friday.

The varsity pays him $4 million per yr and as a lot as $8 million yearly if he meets sure benchmarks, in line with an individual aware of the contract who spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity as a result of the phrases weren’t instantly launched.

“My due to athletic director Warde Manuel for the belief that he has proven in permitting me to proceed to educate the College of Michigan soccer staff, and to President Mark Schlissel and the Board of Regents for his or her ongoing help,” Harbaugh mentioned.

The deal ends months of hypothesis about Harbaugh’s future. He may have doubtlessly returned to the NFL or the college may have minimize unfastened a coach with one yr left on the seven-year contract paying him about $7 million per season that he signed after leaving the NFL.

Harbaugh is now below contract at Michigan via the 2025 season together with his new deal.

“I proceed to consider that Jim is the appropriate man to steer our program in pursuit of Massive Ten and CFP championships,” Manuel mentioned. “Our program didn’t obtain at a stage that anybody anticipated this yr however I do know these setbacks will drive the coaches, gamers and employees shifting ahead. Jim is a tireless employee and competitor. Following the completion of the season we talked for a lot of hours on what it can take for Jim to steer and get us again on the appropriate trajectory.”

Harbaugh has gained practically 70% of his video games, however is winless in opposition to archrival Ohio State and as an underdog in opposition to any opponent. Michigan has not gained the Massive Ten since 2004, seven seasons after its final nationwide championship.

The Wolverines had been 2-4 in Harbaugh’s sixth season, which ended with three straight video games being canceled on account of a COVID-19 outbreak throughout the program. They had been 0-3 on the Massive Home, too, together with listless losses to rebuilding rival Michigan State and beforehand wineless Penn State.

Story continues

“There may be work to be executed and challenges to be addressed,” Harbaugh mentioned. “These challenges are being addressed as we proceed to attempt for excellence within the classroom and championships on the sector, a message that I hope is famous within the language of our agreed-upon contract.”

Harbaugh’s hiring was hailed in late 2014 and a few steered the previous Wolverines quarterback was going to be a savior for school soccer’s winningest program.

It hasn’t labored out that manner to date.

Harbaugh does have a 49-22 document, however his 0-5 mark in opposition to the Buckeyes is obtrusive. And when Wisconsin beat the Wolverines 49-11 in 2020, Harbaugh fell to 0-11 in video games his staff was not favored to win.

Harbaugh gave the impression to be the right individual to show round Michigan’s program, which had slumped after Lloyd Carr’s retirement following the 2007 season, given his success with the San Francisco 49ers and because the coach at Stanford.

He didn’t dampen enthusiasm with a pair of 10-win seasons, however he adopted that up by averaging 4 losses the next three years. This all got here alongside a salesmanship that stood out within the staid Massive Ten: Harbaugh starred in a rap video, traveled the nation for youth camps, took his staff to Florida for spring break and abroad on journeys, and even had a sleepover with a recruit.

All of it helped his Q rating, however hasn’t executed a lot for his wins and losses.

There have been questions on Harbaugh’s future properly earlier than this pandemic-altered season kicked off. In July, Harbaugh mentioned he had been closing in on a contract extension earlier within the yr till the pandemic turned the highest precedence.

That left Harbaugh in a little bit of a lurch going into the unsure season with simply two years left on his contract. When Harbaugh was on a Zoom name with reporters for the primary time in three-plus months to preview the season, he mentioned there was no replace on contract talks.

“Different fish – larger fish – to fry,” he mentioned then.

Expectations had been modest for his inexperienced staff, which was ranked No. 18 they usually went up some after a dominating win at then-No. 21 Minnesota.

It went downhill the very subsequent recreation when the Spartans and first-year coach Mel Tucker beat Michigan, which was favored to win by 20-plus factors. Indiana and the Badgers took turns routing the Wolverines, who wanted three overtimes at Rutgers to earn their second win.

Manuel, a former teammate of Harbaugh’s below coach Bo Schembechler, has mentioned many occasions he needed Harbaugh to steer the Wolverines till he chooses to retire from teaching. And, Harbaugh seems to be completely satisfied teaching on the college and residing within the city the place his father was of considered one of Schembechler’s assistant coaches.

Michigan decides to stay with Jim Harbaugh with 5-year deal initially appeared on NBCSports.com