January 13th, 2024 at 12:24 AM ^
I think I speak on behalf of all of Michigan when I say WARDE MANUAL PLEASE DON’T FUMBLE THIS BAG
January 13th, 2024 at 1:30 AM ^
I love the way you've stated this. He wants,"us" we surely definitely want him. Get' R done, PLEASE!!!
January 13th, 2024 at 8:24 AM ^
I would like to add "today" to that Get' R done.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:46 AM ^
...or to put it another way, if you don't get it done you can show yourselves OUT.
January 13th, 2024 at 6:23 PM ^
He may want to stay, but I don't think he will sign a No NFL contract that was supposedly discussed a couple of weeks back. If he really does want to win a Super Bowl, now that he's won a college NC, I'm not sure what UM could do keep him.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:49 AM ^
At this point, I'd be surprised if Ono isn't the one leading this.
January 13th, 2024 at 7:41 AM ^
I thought they were about to kiss. Pretty sure he has Jims back. Beneficial long term family assurances may be what the recent agent hire was to ensure.
January 13th, 2024 at 7:59 AM ^
Santa has been so visible at games and during the playoffs in his short time at Michigan. I have way more confidence in him than i do in warde or had in the guy santa replaced who didnt seem to care about football or conducting himself appropriately
January 13th, 2024 at 8:13 AM ^
I love that he crowd surfed at previous schools and had to be told not to by UM stadium security as this is a whole different deal.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:18 AM ^
He will need to crowd surf if he gets this deal done no matter what security says.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
In the clip of the team celebrating in the locker room in Roman Wilson's Rose Bowl vlog when Harbaugh shouts "Who's got it better than us?" it kinda looks like Santa replies "NO-FUCKIN'-BODY!"
January 13th, 2024 at 8:50 AM ^
Yes, 100%. I am very confident with Ono leading the charge. There is no doubt about his support for Harbaugh.
January 13th, 2024 at 5:58 AM ^
Frankly I'm confused why Jim should be so concerned about Warde at this point, so long as he's not getting in Harbaugh's way? If he doesn't understand that he's as wanted here as he'll ever be by any fanbase and University President (or NFL team owner for that matter) is he ever going to understand that?
January 13th, 2024 at 6:20 AM ^
My guess? It’s not the bag as the money is agreed upon. Its the lawyers and it surrounds how to structure the “termination for cause” clause. Harbaugh can’t turn down a fully guaranteed NFL contract for one that leaves him exposed to whatever molehill the NCAA (or B1G) may turn into a mountain.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
This has little, if anything, to do with Warde.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:10 AM ^
I don't buy the lack of love/bear hug contingency as a reason. The man is treated like a god in AA and everyone shows him love. With respect to Warde, my guess is that Harbaugh's still bitter about his unilateral decision to self-impose three game suspension when he denied any wrongdoing. He doesn't trust Warde nor does he believe Warde has his back. Now, even though Harbaugh has Ono as his trump card, Warde's still his immediate boss and their relationship (or lack thereof) certainly gives a pause when committing to a long-term deal.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:37 AM ^
I feel like if I was in Jim's shoes I wouldn't trust Warde either. Jim loves Michigan, but for a guy like him I imagine it's really hard to have a boss that A. You don't respect and B. You don't trust.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:53 AM ^
I think you're right about how he's treated in A2, but I do think he might not have as bad of a relationship with Warde as we all think. it does seem like Manuel fought for him in 2020
January 13th, 2024 at 1:57 PM ^
I don't buy for a moment your assertion that Harbaugh's suspension at the start of the season was a "unilateral decision" by Manuel. Something like that would have been negotiated, and I think that the evidence suggests that Harbaugh argued the proposed four-game suspension (rejected by the NCAA) down to the three non-con games when Michigan (Warde and ONO) decided to steal the NCAA's thunder by imposing the suspension themselves.
I also don't believe for a second that you are familiar enough with Harbaugh to tell us who he trusts and doesn't trust, or who he believes has his back or does not.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:31 AM ^
This is not new information and it's not about the bag.
What I've come to realize is that Jim Harbaugh is a passionate romantic who loves granduer. I've noticed it before but I've never been able to articulate.
Jim Harbaugh wants an arms-wide-open larger than life, exceptionally grand and epic display of love from Michigan.
Honestly, I think he deserves it.
What does that look like?
Is it a multi-million dollar annual summer picnic blowout for all the university students, employees and fans and their families that's Jim Harbaugh themed where everyone takes home a free mini bronze sculpture of him, his dad, his brother and Bo all standing around playing a game of catch?
Sounds like fun to me.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:22 AM ^
Give him a statute now.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:05 PM ^
Let’s kill two birds with one stone and rename Schembechler after him, is that gesture grand enough?
January 13th, 2024 at 12:19 PM ^
He wouldn't want that.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:59 AM ^
Harbaugh wants assurances that they'll actually take this to court instead of bend the knee like they did at the end of the season and I don't blame him.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:05 AM ^
Agreed as well. Look what the mini mafia in Indy just did to FL state over a whole lot of nothing. I mean Christ! Did they have Allen Harpers divorce attorney doing the negotiations!?
January 13th, 2024 at 9:43 AM ^
Don’t go blaming Heather Locklear! Charlie knew what he had to do…
January 13th, 2024 at 9:18 AM ^
If he does fumble this Michigan should move on from Warde. He also needs to get Courtney Morgan back in the fold.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:44 AM ^
If Harbaugh leaves Warde Manuel needs to be broomed with a good shove so the door doesn't hit his ass on the way out.
And it doesn't matter the reason Harbaugh decides to leave. IT. DOES. NOT. MATTER.
Warde's only job right now is retaining Jim Harbaugh. Job One. If he fails, he gets fired. There is no possible excuse for fumbling this.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:34 PM ^
What is wrong with people like you? Always looking for scapegoat. This is between Harbaugh and the lawyers. Period. An AD isn't involved at this point. He doesn't legally vet contracts. There's literally NOTHING Warde can do here. Use critical thinking.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:32 AM ^
I love how the same people who trash Feldman for articles from anonymous sources, eat up this shit (and yes I mean shit) from JUB. Yes, let’s all blame Warde Manuel when the only person who decides whether Harbaugh coaches here next year is Harbaugh.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:19 PM ^
It makes me wonder if JUB has an axe to grind with Warde over the Pearson thing. Is JUB that attention starved that he doesn’t mind being used as a shill for the pro-Harbaugh side of a negotiation that is reaching 10 year, $125M territory?
January 13th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
It is hilarious to think that Warde does not want Jim to stay or that Warde is willing to take the risk of tanking the football program, which pays his salary. People criticize Warde for being too slow to make a coaching change in the case of Mel Pearson. He was reluctant to fire a successful coach because he knows how difficult it is to find a good coach; See Howard, who turned out to be a crappy coach, or Naurato, who may not be as good as everyone thought.
I have not talked to Ward in more than nine months and do not know what the hold-up is. I know for certainty that no AD, including Warde, wants to go through a coaching search process for the most high-profile program on campus.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:24 PM ^
If it were me, my concern would be the NCAA. Especially after becoming the point man for paying players he is undoubtedly in their sights. He might get hammered with some ridiculous penalty for the currently charges and then be under a microscope looking for other charges they can trump up.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^
This is why I think Jim had to hire an agent and it’s taking so long to finalize a contract.
Michigan would be idiots to sign a contract which says Jim has a “get out of jail free” card for anything he may get in trouble for. Likewise, Jim should get some assurance against the currently known issues if Michigan fully believes there is no hidden incriminating evidence.
Coming up with legalese language to thread the needle here takes time and expertise.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:32 PM ^
Warde isn't negotiating this one...Harbaugh basically reports to Santa (which, for the record, is not uncommon for high profile head FB coaches).
But what I don't get is...what more does Harbaugh want?
Michigan stuck with him through two separate 3-game suspensions. Michigan was ready to fight to the death before the second one went off the rails.
Michigan offered him a reported 10 year contract worth $125M.
Jim should publicly shared what "love" is to him because I, for the life of me, can't figure out WTF this man wants.
We love you, Jim.
(and for the record, with Jim being Jim...there isn't another NFL team or college team that would still love Jim like Michigan after everything. It's well documented that he wears folks out...and he hasn't done that at Michigan. We love him for who he is...not for what he produces on the field. There is NO ONE else who could say that.)
January 13th, 2024 at 2:55 PM ^
Jim reports to Warde. Santa would be crazy to get directly involved with the negotiations. He could let Warde know how he feels about very big picture stuff. He may not even know Jim’s total compensation, he certainly does not know the market for football coaches and their assistants.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:26 AM ^
Come on Warde, Administration, and UofM community, let's get it done.
Also, I notice all the national talking heads seem to all still be certain he's headed to the NFL despite them knowing nothing.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:59 AM ^
I find it interesting that there has not yet been a single report of Harbaugh having actually had any contact with an NFL team. Just a bunch of speculation. With every day that passes without such a report, my level of optimism rises.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:07 AM ^
The NFL teams are not doing a good job either. If the LA bolts “want him” they need to show it and just go all in on Jim. Their “process” and playing standoffish wont work. So far no NFL team gets it. That is good for us.
Warde, Santa and Michigan are clearly “wanting” Jim. And if it’s not the money or the love, the only thing I can imagine is that he wants to know, contractually, that if the NCAA unfairly targets him after he stays, the Michigan and the Regents will go all in to back his and the team’s integrity and fight back the way they almost did with the B10.
January 13th, 2024 at 2:00 AM ^
Chargers is a not a great job IMO- from what I’ve heard their home games are overrun and they use a silent snap count…at home. I think they are something like 30 million over the cap.
Raiders are the other team I’ve heard- also a home stadium populated by transient casino comped tickets.
I cant say Jim won’t take either of those jobs, but I can say he will be loved in Ann Arbor in a way he never will with those teams.
January 13th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
It can be hard for us to acknowledge as college fans but NFL guys don’t care about the culture aspect like college guys do. It’s all about the competition. Do you want to be the best and play against the best? Then there are 32 opportunities to do so and you’ll take any of them. You’re not going to hold out for one of the 10 teams in the league who have real traditions and diehard fans
you start winning games in LA with the Chargers and the fan situation turns around immediately.
January 13th, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
The Rams have the exact same situation except they win games and won SB. It doesn't matter as long as they win games.
Chargers has one of the best QB in the league in Herbert and that's step 1 where most franchises would struggle to find. They have the fastest path towards turnaround.
January 13th, 2024 at 3:54 AM ^
This seems to be the crux of it. The money offered is fine, along with more money to keep our great assistant coaches happy. Just tell Jim that we have his back come Hell or High Water, and he will stay. Jim has evolved as a person. He is less driven by pure competition and more by - dare I say it - love. He truly loves UM and his players. This is where he belongs. Get it done!
January 13th, 2024 at 7:03 AM ^
If a team runs hard at Harbaugh, they also have to have a minority candidate lined up to interview, (and if it’s clear the team is putting you through this as a formality, why bother) and then if Harbaugh doesn’t take the job or whatever, now you have possibly several weeks of everyone knowing the eventual hire was a second tier choice, AND everyone knows you couldn’t have done due diligence since certain candidates cannot yet be interviewed. I think there’s good reason why only 1 NFL job has been filled.
The more I read and hear speculation, the more I gravitate towards the argument that Harbaugh’s agent is working on language with the university that protects Harbaugh from future NCAA reports & leaks, making it harder to fire him “with cause” and not paying him. Fired for losing? Get paid. Fired because the NCAA did NCAA things? Fired with cause and either not paid or for a lower negotiated amount.
January 13th, 2024 at 7:18 AM ^
I don't think there is an NFL market for Jim. NFL teams are trending to younger coaches, not 60 year old retreads. I could be wrong but I think the talking heads like to say Harbaugh because his name gets clicks and attention.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:33 AM ^
He's not a retread, though. He was highly successful in the NFL and may be the best active coach in the NCAA (or any league?) right now.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:37 AM ^
Those young but unproven up and comers carry a lot more risk.
A team that whiffed on Brandon Staley or Matt Rhule may want what is likely a “safer” choice, even if the guy is 60.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:50 AM ^
My understanding is that there is a new NFL rule this year, where teams cannot meet with Coaching candidates until after the Divisional Round of the Playoffs. So that is still over a week away.
That means we have roughly a week to “show him the love” - parade anyone??? - and convince him to stay.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:08 AM ^
That rule only applies to current NFL assistants. Other coaches can be interviewed any time.
January 13th, 2024 at 8:57 AM ^
PFF just reported he’s meeting with the Chargers next week.