Jim Harbaugh, Chargers expected to hire Michigan strength coach Ben Herbert

Jim Harbaugh is expected to hire Michigan strength coach Ben Hebert as he’ll follow the coach to the Los Angeles Chargers.

According to The Wolverine’s Chris Balas, Herbert switched course after indications revealed he’d likely stay under Sherrone Moore. However, it appears he had a change of heart and will go to the NFL.

Harbaugh was hired by the Chargers last week to return to the NFL while Moore was promoted internally by the Wolverines to be the next head coach.

Harbaugh has a particular fascination with Herbert as the strength coach. He raved about him early on in the 2022 season.

“To me, Ben Herbert … X-factor in our entire football program,” Harbaugh said about Herbert in 2022. “The level of conditioning, the level of strength, the lesson of mental toughness. That’s been the center of it.”

Moore was even pretty confident in Herbert staying, per The Wolverine.

“Very,” Moore said when asked if he was encouraged in his ability to keep Ben Herbert. “You know, we’ll take it a day at a time and see what happens with the staff. But definitely excited. I have talked to him. I’m going to try to get it done as fast as possible. So … getting to work. Ben … getting to work, got to work last night, get to work today and throughout the day, and as we go on the recruiting trail, that will be a top priority. We’ll get it done as fast as possible.”

Jim Harbaugh explains leaving for NFL

While speaking to CBS ahead of the AFC Championship Game, Harbaugh emphasized how special the Lombardi Trophy is, in particular, to him.

“It was tough,” Harbaugh said. “I was torn. My wife, my kids, I love Michigan, but I love the NFL too. There’s no Lombardi Trophy in college football.”

This is going to be Harbaugh’s second stint as a head coach in the NFL. The first stint he spent was with the San Francisco 49ers and he made a Super Bowl during that time, falling short in the Super Bowl to his brother John Harbaugh.

He also played more than a decade in the NFL without winning a Super Bowl.

“And I’ve only got so many sands left in the hourglass and I want to take a crack at that and there’s nowhere better to do it than with the Los Angles Chargers. Susie Spanos, Dean Spanos, Ed McGuire, and this great quarterback [Justin Herbert].”

This story will be updated.