Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. That is the mantra that Jim Harbaugh lives by, played by and now coaches by … one that was instilled in him by his father, Jack, at a very young age. That enthusiasm permeated the San Francisco 49ers organization immediately upon his hiring as the 18th Head Coach in the storied history of the proud franchise on January 7, 2011.
Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. That is the mantra that Jim Harbaugh lives by, played by and now coaches by … one that was instilled in him by his father, Jack, at a very young age. That enthusiasm permeated the San Francisco 49ers organization immediately upon his hiring as the 18th Head Coach in the storied history of the proud franchise on January 7, 2011.
In his first season as head coach, Harbaugh led the 49ers to a 13-3 regular season record, its best since 1997, and a NFC West Division title, its first since 2002. The consensus NFL Coach of the Year also led his squad to its first appearance in the NFC Championship game since 1998. Harbaugh’s 13-3 record made him just the fourth rookie head coach in NFL history to take a team to 13 wins, and the first coach to do so after the team had a losing record the previous season. Harbaugh’s record also stands tied for second among all 49ers rookie head coaches. He joined George Seifert (1989) and Steve Mariucci (1997) as the only head coaches in 49ers history to win the NFC West Division in their first year at the helm.
Known to routinely deflect all credit for success to his players, Harbaugh had a great deal to be proud of in 2011. San Francisco boasted a league-high five First-Team Associate Press All-Pros - DT Justin Smith, LB Patrick Willis, LB NaVorro Bowman, K David Akers and P Andy Lee (Justin Smith as a DE , LT Joe Staley and CB Carlos Rogers were named to the Second Team). The 49ers also posted a NFL-high nine Pro Bowl selections – Smith, Willis, Akers, Lee, Rogers, Staley, S Dashon Goldson, RB Frank Gore, and LS Brian Jennings.
Led by Willis and Smith, both finalists for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 49ers defense possessed the most dominant front seven in the game, a unit that produced 40 of the team’s 42 sacks, and a Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist, OLB Aldon Smith, who set the franchise’s rookie sack record (14). The unit began the year without allowing a rushing touchdown in its first 14 games, a feat never before achieved in league history. The defense’s NFL-high 38 takeaways allowed the 49ers to lead the league with a team-record turnover differential (plus-28). By the end of the year, the defense ranked first in the NFL against the run, second in points allowed, and fourth in total defense.
The San Francisco offense played a physical brand that controlled the tempo of games, rarely made mistakes and produced plays when it was ultimately needed. Six times in 2011, QB Alex Smith, RB Frank Gore and the Niners offense mounted come-from-behind wins. The unit tied NFL single-season records for fewest turnovers (10) and interceptions (5). Smith put together his finest year as a pro, finishing the season with a 90.7 QB rating, a 61.4 completion percentage and the NFL’s lowest interception percentage (1.1). The quarterback also tied the franchise record with four, 4th quarter come-from-behind wins on the road (QB Joe Montana – 4 in 1989). Gore also became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, surpassing Joe “The Jet” Perry.
Special teams lived up to its name for the 49ers in 2011, as the unit finished the season ranked atop the NFL. The team featured two record-setting specialists in Akers and Lee. Akers set the NFL record for most field goals made (44) and most points in single-season, no touchdowns (166), while Lee registered a 44.0 net punt average, also setting a new NFL record.
Harbaugh’s pedigree is one littered with the names of some truly great football minds. That list starts with his father, Jack, a veteran of 43 seasons in the coaching ranks, and ends with his brother, John, the current head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. The heart of that list contains the likes of Bill Walsh, Bo Schembechler and Lindy Infante, all men he credits with contributing to his coaching repertoire.
A 15-year NFL veteran quarterback, Harbaugh possesses 18 years of coaching experience, which includes spending seven years as a head coach (58-27) in the collegiate ranks. He joined the 49ers after an impressive four-year stint as the head coach at Stanford University, where he guided the Cardinal football program to the biggest turnaround in school history over a four-year span.
Among Harbaugh’s many accomplishments while at Stanford was the orchestration of two of the highest scoring teams in school history, three of the top four rushing teams in program history and back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time since 1995 and ’96. He also coached back-to-back Heisman Trophy finalists in running back Toby Gerhart and quarterback Andrew Luck.
As Stanford’s head coach, Harbaugh led the Cardinal to a 29-21 overall record, including a 20-6 record over the past two seasons. It was in stark contrast to the program he inherited in 2007, which had compiled a 16-40 record in the previous five seasons, including a 1-11 mark in 2006. After leading the Cardinal to records of 4-8 and 5-7 in his first two seasons, Harbaugh guided Stanford to an 8-5 overall mark and an appearance in the Sun Bowl in 2009, followed by a historic 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl win, in 2010.
Harbaugh fielded one of the greatest teams in Stanford football history in 2010, as the Cardinal posted a school record of 12 wins on the season, suffering its only setback to the Pac-10 champion Oregon Ducks. The Cardinal proceeded to win its final eight games of the season, which was capitalized by a 40-12 victory over Virginia Tech in the first Bowl Championship Series bowl appearance in school history.
The Cardinal offense set a school record with 524 points on the season, having scored 30-or-more points in all but one game, to finish the season ranked 9th nationally in points scored (40.3) and 14th nationally in total yards per game (472.5). Harbaugh played an instrumental role in developing Luck, who completed 70% of his passes for 3,338 yards and 32 touchdowns. Stanford’s ground game also proved productive as the team ranked 17th in the nation in rushing yards per game (213.8).
The team’s defensive unit was just as impressive, ranking 10th nationally in scoring defense (17.4). The Cardinal posted three shutouts on the year and finished ranked in the top-25 nationally in five defensive categories.
In 2009, Harbaugh was able to effectively transform the Cardinal into one of the most productive offensive units in the nation, as the team finished the season ranked 19th in total offense (427.6 yards per game), while setting single season records for total yards (5,559) and rushing yards (2,837). The year culminated in a trip to the Sun Bowl, a 31-27 loss to Oklahoma, marking the program’s first bowl appearance since the 2001 season.
Harbaugh came to Stanford from the University of San Diego, where he guided the Toreros to an impressive three-year overall record of 29-6 (.829), including back-to-back 11-1 seasons that netted a pair of Division I-AA Mid Major national titles in 2005 and 2006.
Prior to joining the University of San Diego, Harbaugh spent two seasons (2002-03) as an offensive assistant with the Oakland Raiders. In his first season, the Raiders posted an 11-5 regular season record, won the AFC Western Division title and advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII.
Harbaugh laid the groundwork for his coaching career while he was still competing as a player in the NFL, serving as an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant coach at Western Kentucky, where he worked with his father and Hilltoppers head coach Jack Harbaugh, from 1994-2001. Jack is a 43-veteran of the coaching ranks who led his Hilltoppers team to a Division I-AA National Championship in 2002.
As a first round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 1987, Harbaugh played for five teams over 15 seasons, including the Chicago Bears (1987-93), Indianapolis Colts (1994-97), Baltimore Ravens (1998), San Diego Chargers (1999-2000) and Carolina Panthers (2001). He racked up 26,288 passing yards to go along with 129 touchdown passes, while completing 2,305-of-3,918 passes in 177 career games (140 starts). Harbaugh ranks in the NFL’s top-50 in two career passing categories - completions (41st) and pass attempts (45th).
Success is no stranger to Harbaugh. A product of nearby Palo Alto High School, he enjoyed a storied career at the University of Michigan, where he played for legendary coach Bo Schembechler and helped lead the Wolverines to two bowl appearances, garnering Big Ten Player of the Year honors.
Jim and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters, Addison and Katherine. Jim also has three children, Jay, James Jr. and Grace. He is the son of Jack and Jackie. His brother, John, is the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and his sister, Jackie, is married to Indiana University Men’s Basketball head coach, Tom Crean.
