Jim Harbaugh Is Building a Recruiting Machine at Michigan

Recent moves made by the Michigan Wolverines athletic department make it clear that Jim Harbaugh is upgrading his recruiting infrastructure hoping to shift the balance of power in the Big Ten East Division.

While Harbaugh was crisscrossing the nation on the Michigan private jet to complete his first recruiting class, his recruiting support staff was being transformed in Ann Arbor.

Harbaugh acknowledged his strategy of continuous improvement on national signing day:

"We'll make some improvements in all areas of our organization," Harbaugh said. "I look at it that way and always be striving to get a percent better, a mile an hour faster, better today than we were yesterday, better tomorrow than we were today in all areas in everything that we do. We'll take a look at how we're doing it, start with why and attack, even a .01 percent improvement if we can find it."

The most visible addition is the hiring of Chris Partridge as recruiting coordinator.

Harbaugh has already assembled a coaching staff with nationwide ties and both collegiate and professional experience. He now adds Partridge to the mix to serve as liaison to high school coaches. He brings experience as a high school coach who has won two state titles while developing a number of college football recruits.

"[He] coached current Michigan players Jabrill Peppers and Juwann Bushell-Beatty at Paramus Catholic in New Jersey," Harbaugh mentioned. "His job is an increasingly popular position on college football staffs. Among their many other duties, similar folks at other schools develop camps, recruiting events and high school relationships to help their coaches identify and connect with future prospects."

If Harbaugh had any doubts about his staff relating to high school coaches, Partridge’s hire should erase that concern.

It also doesn't hurt that he has ties with a future top recruit, Rashan Gary.

While Harbaugh is expanding both the reach and depth of his staff, two recent Michigan recruiting targets learned how quickly circumstances can change once they sign their letters of intent.

Mike Weber, a 4-star running back, was a longtime Michigan commitment before switching to Ohio State. After signing with Ohio State, he found out that the coach who recruited him was leaving for the NFL.

Roquan Smith, a 4-star linebacker, had a similar situation develop as rumors broke that UCLA’s defensive coordinator was leaving for the NFL, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Michael Carvell. But unlike Weber, Smith hadn't signed his paperwork yet, so he has a chance re-evaluate his decision.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, and players have huge restrictions on changing schools while coaches are free to leave without penalty. Players have the upper hand during recruitment, but the balance of power shifts quickly to the coaching staff after national signing day.

Phil Callihan is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations obtained firsthand.

Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

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