Jim Harbaugh already making an impact at Michigan

The Big Ten could not have gotten off to a better start in 2015. Ohio State’s dominant national title victory over Oregon was the biggest accomplishment for the conference. Not to mention bowl game wins for Michigan State and Wisconsin, which are also big statements made to the rest of the college football universe.

The biggest positive development for the Big Ten, though, might be Michigan’s hiring of Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh isn’t even a month into his new gig and he has breathed new life into a dormant football program. 

It might be a hard truth for Michigan fans, but at the end of 2014, Michigan football found itself in a low place. The Wolverines concluded the fourth season of the Brady Hoke era with a losing record, and the program was in disarray. Hoke was ultimately dismissed in what ended up being a disappointing chapter for the program. 

Fortunately, a new year brought a renewed sense of optimism for a brighter future in Ann Arbor. Michigan got the coach it so desperately coveted — a Michigan man no less. Harbaugh has a lot on his plate in transforming this iconic program into a contender once again, but he’s already made an impact on the recruiting trail.

Michigan’s current recruiting class ranked last in the Big Ten and 71st overall, according to 247sports. The hiring of Harbaugh has already paid dividends on the recruiting front. The biggest of these developments comes in the form of Saturday’s verbal commitment from quarterback four-star prospect Zack Gentry. Gentry, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was committed to Texas until Harbaugh swooped in and convinced him to slip from burnt orange to maize and blue.

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This would likely not have occurred had it not been for the hiring of Harbaugh. His reputation as a college coach was, it can be inferred, a major factor for the change in Gentry’s college choice. Gentry is also the second addition of a quarterback to Michigan’s recruiting class along with Alex Malzone, a Michigan-native.

It should be presumed that both freshmen quarterbacks will be thrown into the competition for the starting quarterback job throughout the spring and summer. Both quarterbacks, but especially Gentry, have an opportunity to earn the starting job. Most quarterbacks currently on the Michigan roster have little experience — main competitor to the two freshmen should be Shane Morris.

Whichever quarterback is chosen as the starter come late August will have the privilege of working under a coach with a proven track record of developing successful playcallers. A lot can be said about Harbaugh’s success in developing Andrew Luck at Stanford into an elite quarterback. He even found success with Alex Smith and Collin Kaepernick in San Francisco. There should be plenty of confidence for Michigan fans that Jim Harbaugh can turn any quarterback he has at his disposal into an elite player.

Harbaugh still has plenty of work to do. As of Tuesday, Michigan only has nine verbal commitments with only one week to go until National Signing Day. At the same time, Harbaugh’s true impact on recruiting will not be fully felt until next season. 

As the commitment of a four-star quarterback prospect indicates, it is completely justifiable why the optimism surrounding Harbaugh is so palpable in Ann Arbor. A high-profile coach like Harbaugh will bring high-profile recruits to Michigan in the same rough and tumble attitude he brought to the 49ers. 

The football program at Michigan is taking positive steps forward as it embarks on a new era. Ultimately, though, Harbaugh’s success at Michigan cannot be judged until games are played. Only then will it be known if Harbaugh is building a successful program or if he regrets leaving the NFL. 

Dan is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected] and Twitter @danescalona77.