The Key Metric That Could Save Jim Harbaugh’s Job

The shortcomings during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan have been well noted. Whether it’s the record against ranked teams, top ten teams, or Ohio State, Harbaugh has fallen short by nearly every metric except one.

When evaluating Harbaugh’s overall job performance, the decision makers at Michigan are likely most interested in how Michigan has performed relative to the other programs within the Big Ten. To see how Michigan stacks up against the rest of the Big Ten, I’ve compiled each program’s winning percentage since 2015 – Harbaugh’s first year in Ann Arbor.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Ohio State 66-7 90%2. Wisconsin 54-18 75%3. Iowa 52-21 71%4. Penn State 51-22 70%5. Michigan 49-22 69%6. Northwestern 44-27 62%7. Michigan State 41-30 58%8. Minnesota 40-29 58%9. Indiana 36-34 51%10. Nebraska 30-38 44%11. Maryland 23-37 38%12. Purdue 24-44 35%13. Illinois 22-45 33%14. Rutgers 15-52 22%

For most fans, the overall winning percentage doesn’t hold much weight when compared to other metrics they view as far more important – like beating Ohio State. Even so, Harbaugh has managed to keep Michigan near the top of the Big Ten conference when it comes to overall wins and losses. If he does indeed receive an extension in the coming days, it’s likely a sign that Michigan feels quite cozy in the spot they’ve carved out for themselves within the Big Ten Conference as far as on field results are concerned – not the best, but definitely not the worst.