In just six days, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh will achieve a remarkable feat, becoming only the twelfth individual in history to both play and serve as a head coach in the Rose Bowl. This places Harbaugh in an exclusive category that includes national champions and hall-of-famers. Among these twelve, Harbaugh stands out as the fifth to return to the Rose Bowl after experiencing it as a player, aiming to emulate the success of coaching legends like Bob Stoops and John Robinson, who secured victories in their inaugural trips to Pasadena as head coaches.
Harbaugh’s connection to the Rose Bowl extends further, as he is the third individual with ties to Michigan to achieve this dual role of player and head coach in the prestigious event. He is only the second person to accomplish this feat while representing the Wolverines, following in the footsteps of Pete Elliott. Pete, who initially reached the Rose Bowl as a Michigan player, later guided California and Illinois to the same stage as a head coach. Notably, Bump Elliott, Pete’s brother, also achieved the rare distinction of participating in the Rose Bowl both as a player and coach for the Wolverines.
On January 1, 2024, @UMichFootball head coach Jim Harbaugh will join a small fraternity of people who have played in and been the head coach of a team that played in the #RoseBowl Game. 🌹 pic.twitter.com/pgDYMH1yUk
— Rose Bowl Game (@rosebowlgame) December 13, 2023
The following list outlines every individual who has achieved the remarkable milestone of reaching the Rose Bowl as both a player and a head coach:
1. [List of individuals]
Jim Harbaugh (Michigan)
As a player: 0-1; Lost to Arizona State, 22-15, in 1987
As a coach:Â TBD
Bret Bielema (Iowa, Wisconsin)
As a player:Â 0-1; Lost to Washington, 46-34, in 1991
As a coach: 0-2*; Lost to TCU, 21-19, in 2011 – Lost to Oregon, 45-38, in 2012 (Wisconsin qualified for a third Rose Bowl under Bielema in 2013, but he left before the game to take the head coaching position at Arkansas)
Rick Neuheisel (UCLA, Washington)
As a player: 2-0; Defeated Michigan, 24-14, in 1983 – Defeated Illinois, 45-9, in 1984
As a coach:Â 1-0; Defeated Purdue, 34-24 in 2001
Bob Stoops (Iowa, Oklahoma)
As a player:Â 0-1; Lost to Washington, 28-0, in 1982
As a coach: 1-0; Defeated Washington State, 34-14, in 2003
Terry Donahue (UCLA)
As a player: 1-0; Defeated Michigan State, 14-12, in 1966
As a coach: 3-1; Defeated Michigan, 24-14, in 1983 – Defeated Illinois, 45-9, in 1984 – Defeated Iowa, 45-28, in 1986 – Lost to Wisconsin 21-16, in 1994
John Robinson (Oregon, USC)
As a player: 0-1; Lost to Ohio State, 10-7, in 1958
As a coach: 4-0; Defeated Michigan, 14-6, in 1977 – Defeated Michigan 17-9, in 1979 – Defeated Ohio State, 17-16, in 1980 – Defeated Northwestern 41-32, in 1996
Pete Elliott (Michigan, California, Illinois)
As a player:Â 1-0; Defeated USC, 49-0, in 1948 (Michigan)
As a coach: 1-1; Lost to Iowa, 38-12, in 1959 (California) – Defeated Washington, 17-7, in 1964 (Illinois)
Bump Elliott (Michigan)
As a player:Â 1-0; Defeated USC, 49-0, in 1948
As a coach: 1-0; Defeated Oregon State, 34-7, in 1965
Tommy Prothro (Duke, Oregon State, UCLA)
As a player:Â 0-1; Lost to Oregon State, 20-16, in 1942 (Duke)
As a coach: 1-2; Lost to Iowa, 35-19, in 1957 (Oregon State) – Lost to Michigan 34-7, in 1965 (Oregon State) – Defeated Michigan State, 14-12, in 1966 (UCLA)
Chuck Taylor (Stanford)
As a player:Â 1-0; Defeated Nebraska, 21-13, in 1941
As a coach:Â 0-1; Lost to Illinois, 40-7, in 1952
Jess Hill (USC)
As a player:Â 1-0; Defeated Pittsburgh, 47-14, in 1930
As a coach: 1-1; Defeated Wisconsin, 7-0, in 1953 – Lost to Ohio State, 20-7, in 1955
Charles ‘Shy’ Huntington (Oregon)
As a player:Â 1-0; Defeated Penn, 14-0, in 1917
As a coach:Â 0-1; Lost to Harvard, 7-6, in 1919
