OWINGS MILLS — Doug Mallory has coached under Jim and John Harbaugh and sees a lot of similarities between the brothers’ coaching styles.
Mallory worked under Jim Harbaugh at the University of Michigan as a defensive analyst from 2021-23. He aided the Wolverines’ 2023 championship unit that allowed 10.4 points and 247.0 yards per game. Jim Harbaugh has since been hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
John Harbaugh hired Mallory as a defensive backs coach in February, and he has been learning quickly as the a new coach for the Ravens. Mallory recently reflected on the coaching styles of the Harbaugh brothers.
“[Their styles are] very similar,” Mallory said. “I think the first thing [is that] they’re very honest, and they’re very up front. If there’s an issue, if something needs to be addressed, he doesn’t let it string out. Both of them are going to attack it right now and get it fixed. They’re not going to wait for it to linger on. They’re always going to speak their mind. They’re going to speak what’s on their heart, and they come from the same parents, so there are definitely a lot of similarities there.”
John Harbaugh is 3-0 against Jim in their head-to-head NFL coaching matchups. Their last meeting was Super Bowl XLVII when the Ravens beat the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31, in New Orleans.
The Harbaugh brothers will meet again this season on Monday, November 25th, 8:15 p.m. when the Ravens play the Chargers in Los Angeles. The game is also intriguing because the Chargers signed or hired seven former Ravens players and coaches this offseason, including two running backs — Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins — and former offensive coordinator Greg Roman
It will be a reunion for Mallory.
“It’s funny because I always said that, even when I was in Atlanta, one time Dan Quinn talked about … We went around the staff room. We talked about the most competitive person you’d ever been around in your life. When they got to me, I said Jim Harbaugh,” Mallory said. “I hadn’t seen or spoken with Jim in years, but I’d played with Jim. I said that probably about four or five years ago, and then just in the three or four months that I’ve been here, I would say John and Jim are both pretty competitive. So, they don’t like to lose, and they’re going to do everything they can to win.
“They’re great people. They’re great men. They’re great husbands, fathers, coaches, and they have a great rapport with their team.”