Sports
Column: Vegas might, but don't you bet against Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers
Las Vegas is an escape from reality — unless you’re the Chargers.
While the Chargers enter training camp Tuesday energized by a potentially transformative offseason, Vegas sports books have delivered a sobering assessment of where they stand.
The over/under for Chargers wins this season is 8½.
The modest expectations are more of a reflection of the roster than they are of new coach Jim Harbaugh, who moved to the Chargers on a five-year contract after winning a national championship with Michigan.
Harbaugh has won at each of his previous coaching stops, and there’s a feeling of inevitability that he will eventually win here as well.
“I think he’s one of the most elite leaders in all of sports,” said defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who followed Harbaugh from Michigan.
Harbaugh’s enthusiasm has swept over the organization, which has started taking on his personality.
“I don’t know how you can be in a room with Jim and felt rubbed the wrong way,” general manager Joe Hortiz said.
Hortiz added, “I love him.”
This doesn’t mean the Chargers will suddenly take off the way the San Francisco 49ers did in 2011 during their first season under Harbaugh. That year, the 49ers went 13-3 and reached the NFC championship game. The following year, they played in the Super Bowl.
The season before Harbaugh arrived, the 49ers were 6-10.
What Harbaugh did with the 49ers can’t be overstated. The 49ers were five-time Super Bowl champions but nine years removed from their last winning season when they signed Harbaugh. They were a franchise that was dead in the water.
The speed at which they transformed into contenders was extraordinary, even by Harbaugh’s standards.
Harbaugh was 7-4 in his first season with the University of San Diego. He beat No. 1 USC in his first year at Stanford, but the Cardinal finished just 4-8.
Coach Jim Harbaugh holds the Rose Bowl trophy after Michigan defeated Alabama in a College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 1. A week later the Wolverines beat Washington for the national title.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
When Harbaugh was at Michigan, he was 0-5 against Ohio State and 3-4 against Michigan State. The Wolverines became national champions in their ninth season under Harbaugh.
Each of Harbaugh’s teams might have taken different paths to success, but their philosophical foundations were similar.
“There’s a style of football that I think we both believe in,” Minter said. “It requires a toughness and a physicality, an ability to win games in multiple ways.”
On offense, that means dominating the offensive line and running the ball.
That rhetoric is familiar to the Chargers. Last year, then-coach Brandon Staley brought in a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore with designs of improving the ground game, only for the rushing attack to regress.
More substantive changes have been made under Harbaugh and Hortiz.
The increased emphasis on the running game was exemplified by what they did on the free-agent market, where their most significant financial investment was in Will Dissly, a blocking tight end.
The Chargers could have used their first-round draft choice, fifth overall, on an impact receiver such as Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze. Instead, they selected offensive tackle Joe Alt.
With All-Pro Rashawn Slater on the left side of the offensive line, the 6-foot-9 Alt is expected to play right tackle. The addition of Alt is expected to move Trey Pipkins III from tackle to guard.
The Chargers are expected to pound the ball with 238-pound bruiser Gus Edwards and reclamation project J.K. Dobbins, who are familiar with offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s system from their days together with the Baltimore Ravens.
Harbaugh is hopeful a consistent running game will create an environment in which quarterback Justin Herbert can thrive. Herbert will enter his fifth year in the NFL still in search of his first postseason victory.
Now, the Chargers shouldn’t be humiliated the way they were in a 63-21 loss in Las Vegas last year. They shouldn’t crumble the way they did when they blew a 21-point lead in a playoff loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars the year before. They shouldn’t position Herbert to have to chase the game time and time again.
That doesn’t happen to teams that effectively run the ball.
But there’s a reason the over/under for the Chargers was set at 8½ wins, as their roster looks like a work in progress.
The team’s two best receivers were salary-cap casualties, as Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears and Mike Williams was released. Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa are elite edge rushers, but the interior part of the defensive line is relatively inexperienced. The team is also thin in the defensive backfield.
Harbaugh has remained upbeat, calling his job with the Chargers “the best damn job I’ve ever had to start out with.”
“Hope it ends that way,” he said.
Eventually, it will.
Harbaugh has won everywhere, and he should win with the Chargers. Reaching that point could take time, however. Owner Dean Spanos will have to remain patient and committed.
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Indiana football claimed the school’s first-ever national championship earlier this week. The Hoosiers’ stunning rise has sparked questions about which program could be next.
Urban Meyer, who coached Florida and Ohio State to national championships, made his pick. The college football studio analyst believes Rutgers could be the next program to take the sport by storm, saying the Scarlet Knights are in prime position to become the “next Indiana.”
“Give me three programs that could be the next Indiana, meaning teams that are used to losing, have really bad records and can somehow rise from the ashes to become national champion,” Meyer said on “3 and Out,” a podcast Meyer co-hosts alongside Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts with the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The Hoosiers’ rise from college football’s most loss-laden program to dominance started last season, when Curt Cignetti arrived in Bloomington and coached Indiana to its first playoff appearance.
Indiana was defeated in the first round by last year’s eventual national champion runner-up Notre Dame. But the latest edition of the playoffs was a much different story. Indiana dominated Alabama in the Rose Bowl before soundly defeating Oregon in the semifinals.
The Hoosiers then outlasted Miami in this past Monday’s title game to secure a 16-0 record and claim the national championship trophy.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football helmets sit on the field during warmups prior to the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct, 7, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports)
Meyer worked with Rutgers coach Greg Schiano at Ohio State, with the current Rutgers head coach serving as the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator for three seasons. In addition to the Scarlet Knights, Meyer also named Rice and Wake Forest as programs that could go from among the worst teams to the best.
INDIANA’S CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: A HISTORIC RUN BY THE NUMBERS
“I have no idea about Rice, no idea about Wake, but I’m going to throw them out there because if Indiana can, they can,” Meyer added. “But I will say Rutgers because Greg Schiano — who I’m biased; he’s a great friend and a great football coach — he had him in the top five in the country at one point in (2006).”
Urban Meyer on the sidelines prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff between the Oregon Ducks and the Indiana Hoosiers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
Rutgers got off to a 9-0 start in the 2006 season and surged to No. 7 in the AP Top 25. After winning the Texas Bowl, the Scarlet Knights finished the season ranked No. 12.
Rutgers ended its most recent season with a 5-7 record. The school’s 708 defeats currently rank third on college football’s all-time list. Despite recent success, Indiana still leads college football’s all-time losses list. Rutgers is scheduled to play Indiana in 2026.
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” he said on Wednesday’s edition of his Triple Option podcast.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
CITY SECTION
Alliance Bloomfield 39, Alliance Ted K. Tajima 36
Animo Robinson 72, New Designs University Park 30
Animo Venice 89, Burton 40
Animo Watts 65, New Designs Watts 26
Bert Corona Charter 44, Lakeview Charter 32
Central City Value 76, Animo Bunche 37
Collins Family 48, East College Prep 46
Downtown Magnets 90, Annenberg 23
Hollywood 60, Northridge Academy 58
LA University 94, New West Charter 40
Orthopaedic 49, Aspire Ollin 28
Rise Kohyang 50, Stern 45
San Fernando 59, Panorama 54
Triumph Charter 102, CHAMPS 43
WISH Academy 71, Animo Pat Brown 53
SOUTHERN SECTION
Alpaugh 39, Coast Union 28
Alta Loma 32, Colony 30
Beaumont 45, Redlands 43
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 67, Paraclete 49
Channel Islands 47, Fillmore 42
Chino 90, Ontario 47
Chino Hills 69, Los Osos 67
Colton 57, Rim of the World 32
Compton Early College 49, Pacific Lutheran 47
CSDR 71, Anza Hamilton 25
Don Lugo 65, Chaffey 56
Eisenhower 67, Bloomington 47
Elsinore 89, West Valley 54
Excelsior Charter 84, ACE 36
Geffen Academy 52, New Roads 44
Glendale Adventist 64, Beacon Hill 55
Glenn 39, Edgewood 36
Godinez 70, Garden Grove 43
Highland Hall 43, Lighthouse Christian 21
Holy Martyrs Armenian 66, Buckley 46
Jurupa Hills 58, Grand Terrace 41
La Palma Kennedy 69, Placentia Valencia 63
Mesrobian 82, Southwestern Academy 29
Milken 68, AGBU 62
Montclair 66, Diamond Ranch 59
Nordhoff 46, Carpinteria 40
Ocean View 81, Westminster 36
Palm Desert 66, Shadow Hills 55
Palm Springs 52, Xavier Prep 22
Rancho Cucamonga 66, Upland 37
Rancho Mirage 79, La Quinta 34
Redlands East Valley 71, Citrus Valley 68
Riverside Notre Dame 61, Kaiser 59
San Jacinto Valley Academy 67, SJDLCS 20
Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 50, Tustin 41
Santa Clarita Christian 73, Lancaster Baptist 45
Santa Rosa Academy 63, California Military Institute 46
Segerstrom 49, Santa Ana 38
Summit 80, Carter 57
Tahquitz 48, San Jacinto 36
Tarbut V’ Torah 77, Newport Christian 63
Temecula Prep 78, Nuview Bridge 26
Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian 61, Sequoyah School 47
Trinity Classical Academy 72, Desert Christian 61
Vistamar 83, CAMS 25
Weaver 51, Noli Indian 27
INTERSECTIONAL
Georgia-Cumberland Academy 52, Loma Linda Academy 30
San Fernando Valley Academy 80, Summit View 19
San Gabriel Academy 56, Greater Atlanta Adventist (GA) 18
San Gabriel Academy 75, Chisolm Trail Academy (TX) 47
Spencerville Adventist Academy (MD) 49, Loma Linda Academy 43
GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Alliance Ted K. Tajima 32, Alliance Bloomfield 22
Animo Robinson 41, New Designs University Park 4
Animo Venice 34, Burton 12
Animo Watts 88, New Designs Watts 2
Annenberg 32, Downtown Magnets 12
Aspire Ollin 44, Orthopaedic 9
Central City Value 56, Animo Bunche 16
East College Prep 32, Collins Family 13
New West Charter 40, LA University 21
Northridge Academy 82, VAAS 11
San Fernando 63, Panorama 16
Stern 41, Rise Kohyang 17
Vaughn 34, Fulton 10
SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 67, Granite Hills 14
Alemany 100, Marymount 40
Alpaugh 53, Coast Union 27
Beaumont 54, Redlands 36
Beckman 59, San Clemente 43
Bishop Diego 59, Coastal Christian 47
Bishop Montgomery 63, St. Anthony 48
Buena 49, Santa Barbara 18
Calvary Baptist 67, Bethel Christian 29
CAMS 43, Vistamar 42
Cantwell-Sacred Heart 46, Bishop Conaty-Loretto 8
Cate 56, Santa Barbara Providence 18
Chaffey 52, Don Lugo 40
Chino 68, Ontario 47
Chino Hills 54, Upland 26
Citrus Valley 41, Redlands East Valley 27
Colony 57, Alta Loma 32
Colton 36, Arroyo Valley 31
Corona Centennial 65, Moreno Valley 54
CSDR 64, Anza Hamilton 30
Elsinore 60, West Valley 18
El Toro 49, Mission Viejo 34
Fontana 67, Grand Terrace 35
Foothill Tech 42, Thacher 35
Gardena Serra 74, Ramona Convent 29
Harvard-Westlake 55, Marlborough 36
Highland 40, Littlerock 21
Holy Martyrs Armenian 46, ISLA 28
Jurupa Hills 47, Bloomington 23
Kaiser 41, Rim of the World 15
Knight 61, Palmdale 27
Laguna Beach 45, Capistrano Valley 27
Lakewood St. Joseph 54, St. Monica 45
Lancaster 46, Quartz Hill 41
La Quinta 68, Rancho Mirage 18
Los Alamitos 65, Corona del Mar 33
Marina 45, Fountain Valley 40
Mary Star of the Sea 58, San Gabriel Mission 16
Mater Dei 58, JSerra 48
Milken 45, AGBU 30
Montclair 35, Diamond Ranch 24
Newport Christian 28, Anaheim Discovery 20
New Roads 32, Geffen Academy 15
Notre Dame Academy 50, Flintridge Sacred Heart 27
NOVA Academy 55, First Baptist 9
Oakwood 55, Le Lycée 7
Pilibos 61, Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 59
Rosary Academy 58, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 37
Samueli Academy 57, Legacy College Prep 9
San Dimas 52, South Hills 28
San Jacinto 50, Tahquitz 39
San Marcos 62, Oxnard 24
Santa Clarita Christian 61, Lancaster Baptist 44
Santa Margarita 78, Orange Lutheran 73
Shadow Hills 54, Palm Desert 39
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 74, Louisville 49
Sierra Canyon 93, Chaminade 35
South Hills Academy 23, Animo Leadership 15
Southlands Christian 66, Vista Meridian 0
Spring Valley Academy 46, Loma Linda Academy 32
St. Bernard 62, Pomona Catholic 8
St. Bonaventure 85, Santa Clara 12
St. Genevieve 52, Paraclete 38
St. Paul 55, Sacred Heart of LA 44
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 70, St. Mary’s Academy 43
Temecula Prep 66, Nuview Bridge 30
Trabuco Hills 60, Tesoro 57
Trinity Classical Academy 67, Desert Christian 32
Valley Christian Academy 46, Lompoc Cabrillo 38
Victor Valley 45, Barstow 30
Western Christian 49, Webb 8
Xavier Prep 41, Palm Springs 36
Yucaipa 68, Cajon 37
INTERSECTIONAL
Loma Linda Academy 37, Collegedale Academy (TN) 28
Redlands Adventist Academy 51, Pine Hills Adventist 23
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San Francisco 49ers president of football operations and general manager John Lynch offered clarity about wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s future with the franchise.
“I think it’s safe to say that he’s played his last snap with the Niners,” Lynch said at the team’s end-of-season news conference Wednesday.
Lynch went on to acknowledge that the situation with Aiyuk had gone off course.
“It’s unfortunate. A situation that just went awry. And I will look long and hard at what could have been done differently, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out. And I think that this was a case where that happened.”
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, left, celebrates with general manager John Lynch after a game against the Los Angeles Rams Sept. 17, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
While including Aiyuk in a future trade package is not off the table, Lynch suggested the 49ers would be more inclined to release the 27-year-old wideout. Whichever move comes next would end one of the NFL’s most turbulent player-team standoffs.
Aiyuk’s contract dispute lasted through the 2024 training camp. The two sides eventually reached an agreement on a four-year extension in August 2024, shortly before the regular season kicked off.
GEORGE KITTLE’S WIFE SAYS 49ERS STAR WILL RETURN STRONGER AFTER DEVASTATING NFL PLAYOFF INJURY
Just a few weeks later, Aiyuk and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan engaged in what appeared to be an animated exchange over the color of the receiver’s practice shorts. Players were reportedly instructed to wear black shorts for a Sept. 27 practice, and Aiyuk arrived in red shorts.
Before tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee in October 2024, Aiyuk was not nearly as productive as he had been in past seasons. He finished with 374 receiving yards over seven games. Aiyuk also missed multiple rehab sessions last offseason.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is introduced to the crowd before a game against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium Sept. 9, 2024. (Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
In July 2025, the 49ers decided to void an estimated $27 million in guarantees included in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026. In December, Shanahan said a considerable amount of time had passed without contact from Aiyuk.
“It’s been pretty simple for me. I haven’t seen him in a month,” the coach told reporters Dec. 15.
On Wednesday, Shanahan offered more details about the unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with Aiyuk.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk catches the ball during warmups before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field Oct. 10, 2024, in Seattle. (Steven Bisig/Imagn Images)
“I’d say it officially stopped for me when the last time I tried to get ahold of him and couldn’t and then tried a couple more times and still couldn’t,” he said. “And then that matched everyone else that was trying to get ahold of him to come in. And, eventually, there’s not much of an explanation because it’s really hard for us and anyone else to understand. And that’s why it’s something I’ve never seen in 22 years of coaching. It’s unfortunate, and it’s confusing because it’s confusing for all of us. But it eventually becomes ‘it is what it is.’”
Aiyuk was moved to the reserve/left team list last month. He did not appear in any 2025 regular-season or playoff games.
The Niners will likely look to address their wide receiver room this offseason, considering Aiyuk’s pending exit and Jauan Jennings’ scheduled free agency. Ricky Pearsall remains under contract through 2026, but injuries limited him to just 10 appearances last season.
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