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Why is this news?: Jim Harbaugh to Michigan and his long list of pros and cons

All of the big Ohio State news in one convenient location.

By Alexis Chassen
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

"Shepherd tried to use his close relationship with his former teammate to get some inside information on Ohio State before the Buckeyes play the Crimson Tide..."

- Bill Landis, Cleveland.com

Ahead of the 2014 season, former Alabama center Chad Lindsay made the decision to transfer to Ohio State. The Buckeyes needed a leader for their thin offensive line and were hoping for big things from the former SEC player. Lindsay's presence and experience, however, was short-lived, and he chose to retire from football following a serious injury in fall camp.

Having years of friendship with former Crimson Tide teammates, some were hoping to get an edge over their future opponent; luckily Lindsay didn't say much, other than to praise the Buckeye defense as one of the best.

"He and the rest of the Michigan administration are on the cusp of hitting the grand slam the school desperately needed by hiring Jim Harbaugh. After enduring a painful slide from prominence, the winningest program in college football history is set to hire the coach it needs to return to the upper echelon of the sport."

- Pat Forde, Yahoo! Sports

The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry just got a little more interesting with the all-but-confirmed hiring of NFL coach Jim Harbaugh. Michigan fans had been hoping to acquire the "Michigan Man" after a tumultuous season under recently fired Brady Hoke, and it looks like the people of Ann Arbor are ready to welcome him with open arms. With turnover of both the Athletic Director and Head Coach, Michigan is hoping to start with a clean slate and build the program back to national prominence.

The 2015 recruiting class for the team up North has whittled down to few, but the Harbaugh hire should shake things up for the Wolverines and the rest of the Big Ten. While Buckeye fans are hesitant to face a former winning NFL coach in the biggest game of the year, his experience should add prestige to a conference looking for respect.

"I would worry most of all that if Harbaugh somehow fails at Michigan, it will be the most definitive proof yet that no one can succeed in Ann Arbor anymore."

- Michael Weinreb, Grantland

While Ohio State fans are mildly interested in the head coaching situation up North, the implications of Jim Harbaugh donning maize and blue on Saturday's go far beyond the Wolverines. Michigan fans may be celebrating the new head coach, but it doesn't come without questions about Harbaugh's motives for leaving the NFL. There are several professional teams in need of new coaches after the firing spree that was Black Monday; Michigan fans are hoping that he's foregoing those options because his heart is in Ann Arbor.

"Then one night, chest pains led to his wife, Shelley, calling an ambulance to take Meyer to the hospital. That was December 2009, just hours after Nick Saban took the SEC torch from Meyer in the SEC Championship Game, 32-13."

- Todd Porter, Canton Rep

Urban Meyer left a legacy in Florida, but he also left a way of life that was literally killing him. Ohio State's head coach wasn't in a great place before taking his dream job in Columbus; obsessed with winning and forgetting all the reasons he loved the game of football and coaching young men. His career looked like it was ending as Meyer had to find a way to balance being a coach and living a healthy lifestyle for him and his family; by taking a step back from the game, he was able to re-evaluate how he did things and especially how to soak up any and every victory he could.

Without the low points, Buckeye Nation wouldn't have the leader they have in Meyer today. As he prepares to face Nick Saban for the first time since his SEC days, he and everyone else is hoping for a better outcome on and off the field.

Senior wide receiver Devin Smith has made big play after big play this season, and in addition to playing in the first ever College Football Playoff's game, his season just got a little longer. This season was Smith's best yet, amassing 799 receiving yards for 11 touchdowns. He was among the best invited to play in the 2015 Shrine Game, joining Ohio State linebacker Curtis Grant in Florida on Jan. 17.

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