WATCH: Jim Harbaugh in His Own Words

Jim Harbaugh can be a bit of an enigma, at least in how the wider public views him.

But in a Sunday conversation with ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski, he’s asked directly how he’d describe himself. Watch his answer:

“The public perception of you is you can be brilliant, you can be calculating, you can be down to earth, and you can be a little bit nuts. What’s the actual reality, how would you describe you,” Wojciechoski asks.

“Nuts? I wouldn’t describe myself as that,” Harbaugh says.

Instead, he describes himself as being very serious about his relationship with his kids and his wife, and serious about being a good football coach.

“I pour my heart and soul into those three things,” he says.

Harbaugh also points out that he’s with himself 24 hours a day — a pretty shocking thought — and that maybe two or three hours a day might be better.

He also hits on his reluctance to do interviews in spite of his many public antics, such as bringing his own glove and cleats to throw the first pitch at Wrigley Field.

“I was always taught to bring your own glove to a game,” Harbaugh explains. “You never know when you could get a foul ball, etc.”

Makes sense.

Next up is the “Who’s Got it Better Than Us?” rap song.

“It’s a real toe-tapper,” Harbaugh says.

Harbaugh also thinks he could still lead a series at quarterback, saying he dreams about it and can smell the grass as it happens.

Harbaugh has nothing but respect for both Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and for Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio.

That said, competing isn’t always fun.

“During the competition, I literally stand there on the sideline — it’s like being in the dentist chair getting a root canal done for three and a half hours,” says Harbaugh. “I love it when we win. I really enjoy that.”

Last is Harbaugh’s life plan:

“I would play as long as I could. And then I would coach. And then die.”