Should the New York Jets Have Jim Harbaugh On Speed Dial?

Well, Jets fans another week has gone by, and despite another loss, Adam Gase still has a job. He did save New York the trouble of having to fire their defensive coordinator in Greg Williams but how bad would it be if Adam Gase still was the head coach next year. At this point, what more is the front office waiting for? A winless season? they’re one pace. To have one of the worst offenses in football? They’re on pace. For an able-bodied replacement to be available? They could be on pace.

Right now, no one knows what’s going on with Jim Harbaugh as coach of the Michigan Wolverines. Harbaugh was supposed to be the big man on campus but his tenure never really took off with all the fanfare. If he is let go at the end of this season, the New York Jets better come calling.

Yes, Harbaugh has struggled as a coach in college football in Michigan, sort of. His record for the Wolverines is just shy of .700 (.690). At the college level alone he sits at .645 so he’s got no problem winning football games at the college level. His problem isn’t winning football games, it’s winning where it counts. Against rival Ohio State, he’s 0-5. Against their in-state rival Michigan State 3-3. When it comes to bowl games his record is a sad 1-8.

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But Jets fans don’t care about his college record, the question is if he can coach at an NFL level?

In four seasons as a coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Jim Harbaugh’s record was 44-19-1 good enough for .690 win % and 5-3 in the postseason. Twice he’d make it to the NFC Championship game and once to the Super Bowl, but would each of those contests. Another sign that he’d win when it counts.

However, starring down a 0-12 season, the New York Jets could use someone who’s a winner. At the end of the day, Jim Harbaugh will turn up with a winning season, but should the Jets have interest?

Rumors swirled around how much Miami Dolphins head coach secretly wanted the Michigan alum in-house before hiring current head coach Brian Flores but Harbaugh would eventually choose an extension. If the Jets do in fact fire Adam Gase, Harbaugh should be their first call.

First and foremost, he’s a former quarterback himself and could do the one thing Gase has not as a head coach, develop a good young quarterback. Sam Darnold has all the tools to be a good quarterback in the NFL but continues to play below his potential. His lack of development in New York has some fans ready to move on from the young play-caller.

Luckily for the Jets though, Gase has been historically bad and they’re in a pretty good spot to get one of the top two QB prospects in this year’s NFL Draft. If they can get either Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields they could have a quick turnaround. Their roster isn’t void of talent it’s just being under-coached.

Imagine the scenario where the Jets get Trevor Lawrence and let’s say he doesn’t have what it takes to be a starter right away, hypothetically of course. The New York Jets would be able to develop a quality quarterback who has chemistry with receivers already, while simultaneously developing what they think would be their QB of the future. It wouldn’t discourage Darnold to fight for his job any more than an 0-16 season will.

Adam Gase was supposed to be the “quarterback whisperer” or an “offensive guru” but nothing in his tenure with the Dolphins or Jets has shown that. He’s a great football mind, but he can’t seem to get the most out of his guys. Even if he’s not going to win the big games, Harbaugh is a proven winner who would keep pace with the rest of the division. A few years of above-average play and the Jets would finally be back on track. When it was time for Harbaugh to move on, they’d hand the keys to the city to his replacement with a winning team intact. The New York Jets would be foolish not to contact him if he doesn’t retain his job in Michigan.