It’s not just Kansas’ head coach receiving a public boost from one his superiors just a week into the 2018 season.
Jim Harbaugh came into this campaign feeling the heat from an increasingly disgruntled fan base for having, thus far, failed to live up to the immense on-field expectations that followed his return to his alma mater. Following the season-opening loss to Notre Dame, the heat was cranked up even further, as evidenced by a former Wolverines football player’s very harsh social-media critique.
Given the rising tide of anger from those connected to the program, U-M’s president felt the need to publicly support the university’s head football coach.
.@DrMarkSchlissel on @CoachJim4UM: "He's not on the hot seat. He's under contract for four more years." #econclub
— Detroit Economic Club (@deteconomicclub) September 5, 2018
After winning 10 games each of his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, Harbaugh’s squad slipped to 8-5 last season. Most maddening to his growing number of critics, though, is the fact that, one, he’s finished third, third and fourth in the Big Ten East and, two, his abysmal record against U-M’s two biggest rivals -- 0-3 vs. Ohio State, 1-2 vs. Michigan State.
Throw in a 1-2 bowl record, and Harbaugh needs to start winning and winning big sooner rather than later -- regardless of how many years are left on his contract.