Harbaughs defend Crean, take shots at Indiana administration

Tom Crean has received a wide array of support since being fired from his position as head coach at Indiana, first from fellow head coaches John Calipari and Rick Pitino, and now apparently from a notable head coach from the gridiron.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who also happens to be Crean's brother-in-law, spoke with Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated on Friday, likening Crean's recent job-loss to his own when he was shown the door by the San Francisco 49ers in December 2014. Jim wasn't the only Harbaugh to voice support for Crean, as father Jack and brother John also had their own take on Indiana's decision to let Crean go.

"Much like my situation in San Francisco, the people that are doing the micromanaging ... when it comes to building a ball team, what they know could not blow up a small balloon," Jim said. "In my case, an owner and a general manager. In his case, an administration. They are so similar in that way. And he still wins two Big Ten championships outright."

John echoed his brothers sentiments.

"In the end, it was the lack of support that basically takes its toll the most," the Baltimore Ravens head coach said. "You want to feel like you're part of a team and you're doing it together. It's about knowledge, loyalty, and leadership. This is the merry-go-round that Indiana athletics has been on forever."

John even went so far as to text Crean the day of his firing, saying "This will be the best day of your career."

Even the elder Harbaugh, Jack, had a shot to fire at Indiana.

"They haven't supported a coach at Indiana since Branch McCracken," the 77-year-old former head coach of Western Kentucky quipped. McCracken led the Hoosiers basketball team on two separate occasions, first from 1938-43 and then again from 1946-65.

It is widely thought that Crean will coach again in the near future, but it remains unknown whether or not any specific programs have him on their radar.