Jim Harbaugh appeared at a noon press conference Tuesday that was nothing short of a love fest.
Acting Athletic Director Jim Hackett said a deep search led to Harbaugh's selection as the 20th head football coach at the University of Michigan.
"I mentioned that I talked to lots of people. And one particularly famous pro coach who had done broadcasting for many years told me this: 'You know Jim Hackett, you didn't just get a great coach, you got the best the coach in football today, college or pro in Jim Harbaugh.'"
Harbaugh, dressed in a suit and tie, stepped up to the podium amid applause. His family was there, along with some previous coaches -- including his father who coached for UM's football team.
He spoke in a hoarse voice, saying he had Gatorade dumped on him at his last 49ers game on Sunday.
Harbaugh said he was glad to be in Ann Arbor.
"I thought about that, dreamed about that since the time I was a young lad, nine, 10 years old and throughout adult life. Dreamed about coaching at Michigan and now it's time to live that... I have no other words to describe how that feels.
He hopes to make Ann Arbor his permanent home, the new guy in town says.
Related coverage today:
Tigers' Staffer Kicks Up a Tweet-storm With Her Shot at Jim Harbaugh's Pay
Graphic from the University of Michigan Athletic Department
