There's no telling how long Jim Harbaugh will stick around in college football, but one thing is certain: he's putting the time he is in the college game to good use. When he's not satellite camping or showing American Sniper or shooting 60 Minutes specials, Harbaugh will be working with underprivileged Detroit middle schoolers for two weeks next month.
Michigan announced Thursday plans for its Youth Impact Program in partnership with former NFL player Riki Ellison, who has established similar programs with Stanford, Northwestern and the U.S. Military Academy. Michigan's Youth Impact Program will partner Michigan coaches and Wolverines sophomore athletes alongside members of the Marines and local teachers to teach 100 Detroit-area sixth, seventh and eighth grade boys "life skills, football, language arts and STEM-based curriculum."
The program will run from July 6-18 and provide "touch points" throughout the year.
"We are excited to have our football program working and associated with the Youth Impact Program," Harbaugh said in a statement. "This will be a tremendous growth opportunity for the youngsters participating in this program. It will also provide an opportunity for our student-athletes to learn valuable leadership skills as mentors, coaches and teachers."
Good on Harbaugh to make use of what is otherwise a dead period in a coach's always-hectic schedule.