Warde Manuel releases statement on Jim Harbaugh's return, state of UM football moving forward
Warde Manuel has been thrust into the conversation recently as Jim Harbaugh went through another flirtation with the NFL this offseason. Now that Harbaugh is back for another year, Michigan’s AD addressed getting the coach back in Ann Arbor, along with some key players for 2023.
“We are also excited at the recent news involving coach Harbaugh’s commitment to continue leading our program and announcements from many student-athletes of their intentions to return to school instead of seeking professional opportunities,” Manuel said in a recent update statement. “Options abound for people throughout this program; I am heartened that they choose to further their education and careers here at U-M and I look forward to announcing further specifics.”
Michigan AD Warde Manuel just sent this update regarding Jim Harbaugh and the football program to the Michigan Athletics community: pic.twitter.com/1FbrX1nrmA
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) January 20, 2023
While Harbaugh is returning to the Wolverines, that return comes in spite of what is reported to be a rocky relationship currently between Manuel and Harbaugh. Michigan insider John U. Bacon recently reported in a radio interview that the two leaders at Michigan have not been talking since a bad conversation in May “that ended up in shouting.”
With Harbaugh staying put, it’s likely that the relationship gets resolved down the road. At the end of the day, it is a good time for Michigan football heading into 2023.