Jim Harbaugh’s unceremonious exit from the NFL doesn’t mean he’s put the 49ers entirely in his rearview mirror. The former 49ers head coach and current head coach at the University of Michigan told Tim Kawakami on his podcast, “The TK Show,” that he still watches film of his former team to go to school on Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

“I can tell you this – I like watching their tape,” Harbaugh said when asked if he sees anything positive happening for the 49ers. “Especially on offense. Lot of creative things on a weekly basis, so 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. So I do enjoy that.”

Harbaugh’s Wolverines went 10-3 last season to put the coach’s record at his alma mater at 38-14. They’ve yet to make the College Football Playoff in his four seasons there. Michigan’s highest postseason ranking under Harbaugh was No. 10 after his second year in 2016.

Kawakami went a step further to find out from the coach what he sees when he watches tape of the 49ers offense under Shanahan. Harbaugh was very complimentary while pointing out Shanahan’s knack for scheming players open and generating running lanes.

“He’s very creative in the game planning and you see plays that work that get somebody uncovered,” Harbaugh said. “That’s hard to do to get somebody uncovered on a passing play or the blocking scheme where there’s a big hole. That doesn’t happen that often. Probably Better than most of us, I think, Kyle and his coaches do a good job scheming those things up.”

Harbaugh and the Wolverines could certainly benefit from taking a few cues from Shanahan, who’s widely regarded as one of the most creative offensive minds in the game.

One of Harbaugh’s calling cards as a college coach has been a hard-nosed, pro-style offensive attack, but even in San Francisco his offenses were never as explosive as Shanahan’s.

Harbaugh went 44-19-1 in four seasons with the 49ers, including three trips to the NFC championship game and one Super Bowl berth.

He hasn’t been able to replicate that success in his new job, but perhaps he’ll find it through borrowing some of the plays and concepts that have put Shanahan on the forefront of offensive innovation in the NFL.

Harbaugh is always a fascinating interview, and we encourage you to check out the entire podcast to see what he’s been up to since leaving the 49ers.