U of M Alumnus Jim Harbaugh

 Many of us know that on December 30, 2014 Jim Harbaugh became the 20^th head coach for the University of Michigan, the winningest team in college football. Not only that, but Jim joined  Gustave  Ferbert , Elton Wieman, Harry Kipke, Benny Oosterbaan, and Bump Elliott  as maize and blue former players who also became their head coach. Further, he joined Fielding H. Yost as a football coach who coached at Stanford before coaching Wolverines. Also, he’s the only former Michigan Wolverine player to serve as the head coach in the Super Bowl and we know what happened in that game. Yes, he lost to older brother John in a close and exciting game that went through a halftime blackout.

The University of Michigan’s football record in 2014, was five wins and seven defeats and did not make a bowl game appearance. However, there is more to Michigan than football. For instance: 1. In Kiplinger’s, U of M ranked number 6 as far as best values in public colleges for 2015. 2. In the Open Doors Report on higher education, Michigan ranked number 6 with the most students studying abroad in 2012-2013. 3. U of M ranked number 14 in the list of colleges producing billionaires. 10 U of M alumni are billionaires. 4. Ann Arbor ranked number 2 in the list of 50 best college towns in America. 5. Michigan received 28 Fulbright grants the most of any other public university in the nation during the 2014-2015 academic year, according to the US State Department. And 6. Michigan ranked number 5 in the list of Peace Corp’s list of top producing graduate schools.

Hopefully, Coach Harbaugh did not forget to tell his 14 student-athletes [His first U of M signing class] of the exceptional educational opportunities available to them. And, Jim Harbaugh should make sure that his coaching staff should also impart this and other information to potential recruits. It’s one thing to have a dynamic football coach and prestigious football program, but it’s another to have the resources of the University of Michigan. Just ask former Michigan players such as Jim Brandstatter, Mike Keller, Fritz Seyyferth, Thom Darden, Dan Dierdorf and others about their Ann Arbor and Michigan experience off the field as well. While interviewing these players in Bo’s Warriors, they all made it perfectly clear of their appreciation, gratitude, and opportunity to identify with the University of Michigan. Their blood runs maize and blue. Hats off to all Michigan alumni and they will all tell you: Go Blue Go!