Jim Harbaugh's four seasons as the 49ers' head coach left him with a 44-19-1 record, three NFC Championship Game appearances, and zero seasons with a sub-.500 record.

He's now on the sidelines at the University of Michigan as the team's head coach. But he doesn't forget his time with San Francisco and keeps tabs on current 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

"I can tell you this: I like watching their tape, especially on offense," Harbaugh told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami. "A lot of creative things and kind of on a weekly basis. I enjoy trying to — I wouldn't say steal because, in football, you don't regard it as stealing things. You regard it as doing your homework. I do enjoy that."

He also credits Shanahan's offensive mind as it translates on the field.

"He's very creative in the game planning," Harbaugh said. "You see plays that work, that get somebody uncovered. That's hard to do, get somebody uncovered on a passing play or a blocking scheme where there's a big hole. That doesn't happen that often."

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He also said this mentality is something Shanahan is better at "than most of us."

Harbaugh told Kawakami that he's still in contact with some of his former players with the Niners as well. He still talks to Frank Gore and gets family videos from his former defensive end, Justin Smith. And in the coaching ranks, he's still keeping tabs on defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who was hired as the Denver Broncos head coach during the offseason.

At least Shanahan knows there is always someone watching him.