Jim Harbaugh has reached a contract extension to remain Michigan’s football coach until the 2025 season, athletic director Warde Manuel announced on Friday.
A source confirmed to ESPN that the new business includes a lower base salary and many performance incentives. Harbaugh had one more year off his original contract in Michigan, which paid the coach just over $ 8 million in 2020.
“I still believe that Jim is the right man to lead our program in search of the Big Ten and PCP championships,” Manuel said in a statement. “Our program has not reached a level that anyone expected this year, but I know that these failures will lead coaches, players and staff to move forward. Jim is a hard worker and a tireless competitor. After the season ended, we talked for many hours. about what it will take for Jim to lead and get us back on track. “
Michigan and Harbaugh began discussing a new contract after the team’s regular season ended in November. Harbaugh has spent much of his last weeks on vacation in California, but returned to Ann Arbor this week, a source said.
In a statement, Harbaugh thanked Manuel and university president Mark Schlissel, among others.
“In recent weeks, Warde and I have had discussions that have been honest, open, insightful and constructive in advancing our football program. Discussions that I look forward to continuing in the coming months and years,” Harbaugh said. “We have a plan.
“There is work to be done and challenges to be addressed. These challenges are addressed as we continue to strive for excellence in the classroom and field championships, a message that I hope will be mentioned in the language of our agreed contract. . “
Wolverines finished the 2020 season 2-4, canceling their last three games due to COVID-19 concerns in the program.
Harbaugh, a former Michigan star, is 49-22 in six seasons at school and 34-16 in the Big Ten, but is far from having his worst alma mater season. Michigan won 10 games and finished in the top 15 in three of its first four seasons, but has yet to beat rival Ohio State and given up four home games.
Michigan fired defensive coordinator Don Brown last month, and six other assistants have contracts that expire on Sunday.
The school said in a statement that Harbaugh was “in the process of evaluating and training its staff for the 2021 season.”
ESPN’s Dan Murphy contributed to the report.