Let’s interpret the season of transition for 2024. We were aware that the Pac-12 would eventually give way to Tupac
or the Pac-Two. The number of teams in the College Football Playoff is increasing from four to twelve. The SEC and
Big Ten, on the other hand, will probably take the majority of the at-large places and keep separating themselves
from the rest of college football now that they have acquired six of the largest brands in CFB. To further compound
the shift, it was the first national championship match since 2014 that did not feature an SEC team. Then, under Jim
Harbaugh’s direction, Michigan went unbeaten, defeating Alabama in the playoffs and winning their first national
championship as a team since 1948.
Although Michigan’s national title victory was two weeks ago, it seems like twenty years ago.
This autumn, three of the four playoff teams will have new coaches. The coaches of the two teams who competed in
the national championship will be changed. Since Tom Osborne departed Nebraska after winning the national
championship in 1997, Michigan will be the first program national champion to replace its coach. Strangely enough,
that year’s Huskers and Wolverines shared the championship. Alabama won the coach position from Washington,
the runner-up. Due to the outcomes, the Transfer Portal will remain open until the middle of February. after the
deadline of January 2nd. Additionally, it has left collegiate football with a whole new outlook moving ahead. Let us
first consider the influence and legacy of Saban and Harbaugh before gazing too far ahead.
How many coaches and supporters thought Nick Saban would retire? There are undoubtedly other teams on the list
outside the Southeastern Conference teams. Saban’s Alabama résumé reads like something from a science fiction
movie or ChatGPT. Having won 10 SEC West crowns, eight SEC Championships, and six national titles. 88% of the
games he coached at Alabama were victories. As the head coach at Alabama, Saban only had 29 losses. He ushered in
an era of dominance that will be challenging to equal with his unwavering pursuit of excellence from his players,
staff, and himself. When it comes to college football, Saban’s talent assessment has had the biggest impact. The
coaches and play callers who made a difference, not the 5-Star superhumans on the field many with their own
programs, and some making a stop in Tuscaloosa before moving on to a larger position.
Brian Daboll, an NFL head coach for the New York Giants, was once a Saban assistant. In addition, former assistant
coaches of Nick Saban are in charge of 14 college football programs: Arkansas State, Central Michigan, Florida,
Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Marshall, Maryland, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, South Alabama, Texas, and Western
Michigan. If you wanted to add the fired Jimbo Fisher, Jeremy Pruitt, Derek Dooley (sorry, Vols), Geoff Collins, Mel
Tucker, and Will Muschamp to this list, it would get longer.
The community of college football coaches will suffer a loss of this kind. Saban was the shiny object that everyone
was after, but if you were willing to put in the effort and didn’t mind being chewed out (ask Lane Kiffin), you could
take advantage of the chance to develop into your own role.
Harbaugh is different from other people in that he drinks a huge glass of milk with his steak and warns against
eating chicken since it is a “nervous bird.” Harbaugh’s ability to inspire his team to achieve is beyond dispute. Before
leading the San Francisco 49ers to within five yards of a Super Bowl Title, he accomplished that in the collegiate
ranks at San Diego and Stanford.
Nine years ago, he came back to Ann Arbor as the program’s savior. Many believed that Harbaugh couldn’t take the
Wolverines to the top of college football due to their weak bowl record, failure to defeat Ohio State and Michigan
State, and dismal 2020 campaign.
Reorganizing his coaching staff in the offseason, Harbaugh arrived with a laser-like concentration. He inspired the
players and supporters alike, elevating Michigan to the forefront of the discourse among the best college football
teams. They defeated Ohio State back-to-back in 2021 and 2022, and they participated in the College Football
Playoffs. A humiliating defeat to Georgia and self-inflicted injuries versus TCU ended Michigan’s prospects of
winning a title. Entering their bunkers, Harbaugh and the Wolverines adopted the Michigan vs. Everyone mindset.
Harbaugh discovered a means to strengthen the bonds between players and supporters during a time when many
coaches and teams would crumble in the face of NCAA investigations and cheating accusations. This is true even
though bans for two different events forced them to miss half of the regular season.
The Wolverines were laser-focused despite the commotion. In route to winning their first-ever national
championship and their third consecutive Big Ten championship, they defeated Penn State, Ohio State, Alabama,
and Washington. It wasn’t meant to be for Harbaugh to take Michigan and make the program genuinely transcend.
When he was officially named the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, his wandering eyes eventually
returned to the NFL. Fans of Michigan should give credit to Harbaugh because it was him and not Bo who ultimately
moved the program to the place they always believed it belonged.
In the past five seasons, twelve coaches have advanced to the College Football Playoff. Ryan Day, Steve Sarkisian,
Dabo Swinney, Kirby Smart, and Sonny Dykes are the only five who are still enrolled at the same school. There are
now just two coaches (Smart and Swinney) who have captured a national title. Sarkisian is creating a behemoth in
Austin and has done a fantastic job. Though they appear to have lost some of their fastballs, Day and Swinney are
still a strong squad and should be able to contend once more. If Dykes and his team are able to locate the Hypnotoad
magic like they did in 2022, only time will tell.
Georgia and Smart are well-positioned to benefit from the departures of Saban and Harbaugh. Georgia’s struggles
under Saban are evident in the 2023 SEC Championship. Georgia’s chances of winning or having a strong
opportunity to win a third consecutive national championship were probably eliminated by the defeat. Smart is the
one who has brought “The Process” to Athens the best out of all of Saban’s former lieutenants. There doesn’t seem to
be much standing in Smart’s way of beginning his own dynasty, from dominating recruiting to navigating the
Transfer Portal and winning titles.
Harbaugh might have obstructed the situation. Before you laugh, fans of the Dawgs, consider how the Buckeyes
would have felt if they had lost to the Wolverines three times in a row. Harbaugh built a team that was modeled after
Georgia; a 2023 game would have been unforgettable. Even though Georgia appeared to be leading the group,
college football still suffered with the loss of Saban and Harbaugh.
Characters are adored in college football. Both Saban and Harbaugh had flawless personalities, but they expected
perfection from their players. They understood the humor and were up for having a good time. While Smart is able to
be that way with his players, he hasn’t shown the college football community that side.
In addition, Saban and Harbaugh were
skilled at playing the bad guys. Even with
Georgia’s impressive 29-game winning
streak this season, there was still some
uncertainty about their visit to Atlanta to
play Alabama. In several games, Saban’s
presence helped Alabama win well in
advance of the coin flip. He was the goat.
In 2023, Harbaugh emerged as a favorite
antagonist. From cheeseburgers to
undercover spies, Michigan turned become the antithesis of college football and a must-watch on television. Right now, no one seems suited to assume
that role. It will undoubtedly be missed.
And lastly, the influence these two men had on the actual game. They elevated the bar for play and expectations from
their teams and conferences, demanding nothing less than perfection. How many coaches’ failure to defeat
Harbaugh or Saban resulted in an angry or uninterested fan base, or perhaps even in their dismissal? College football
requires these charismatic individuals. It benefits the athletes, the spectators, and the journalists who cover it. In
college football, there are currently two large sets of shoes to fill, and none of us can confidently identify the
candidate.
