Jack Harbaugh

Jack Avon Harbaugh (born June 28, 1939) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Western Michigan University from 1982 to 1986 and Western Kentucky University from 1989 to 2002, compiling a career college football head coaching record of 116–95–3. In his final year at Western Kentucky, he led the 2002 Hilltoppers to NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship title. Harbaugh's sons, John and Jim, are the first pair of brothers to serve as head coaches in the National Football League (NFL) and the first pair of head coaching brothers to face off in a Super Bowl. Harbaugh currently is the Assistant Head Coach for the University of Michigan Wolverines, where Jim is the Head Coach. Early life Harbaugh was born in Crestline, Ohio, to Marie Evelyn (née Fisher) and William Avon Harbaugh. He is of German and Irish descent. He graduated from Crestline High School in 1957. At Crestline, he was a four-year letterman in both football and baseball. He was an all-state quarterback and shortstop in his senior year. He was also a two-time letterman in basketball. Playing career He played college football for the Bowling Green State University Falcons from 1957 to 1960, where he was a three-time letterman. In his junior year, the Falcons finished the season 9–0 and were named the small college division national champions. He was drafted in the 1961 AFL draft by the Buffalo Bills as a running back. Coaching career Harbaugh began as an assistant coach to Jerry Nowak at Perrysburg High School in Perrysburg, Ohio, southwest of Toledo. Both sons were born while Harbaugh was in Perrysburg. In 1964, Harbaugh was the head coach of Eaton High School football team in Eaton, Ohio. His record was 5–4–1, their first winning season in many years. In 1965 the team went 6–4. In 1966, Harbaugh was the head coach of the Xenia High School football team in Xenia, Ohio. His record for the one year that he coached was 8–1–1. He received championship honors in the Western Ohio League and was named conference Coach of the Year.