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Report: Harbaugh Remains Comment Count

Seth February 2nd, 2022 at 7:40 PM

After a moribund 24 hours, Schefter dropped a Schef-Bomb.

According to multiple reports, Harbaugh left Ann Arbor with goodbyes and expected to take the Vikings head coaching job if offered. Apparently it wasn’t offered, or else the meeting convinced Harbaugh that Minnesota’s situation is a worse bet than coming back to Michigan and beating Ohio State again.

Michigan will happily have him back, and resume their search for a defensive coordinator. With Harbaugh’s interest in returning to the NFL established, preparing (or hiring) a coach-in-waiting might not be a terrible idea.

Comments

Doctor Wolverine

February 2nd, 2022 at 9:40 PM ^

I think Harbaugh is as good of a bet as anyone to still be at their current school in 4 years. The coaching carousel spins fast. Coaches are leaving “lifetime gigs” at OU and ND. Even Saban is getting old and can’t guarantee he’ll be coaching another 4 years. If I had to guess, I’d bet this was Harbaugh’s last swing at the NFL. I think he sticks around until he is ready to retire or do something less stressful.  

Joined: 08/13/2009

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Judge Smails

February 2nd, 2022 at 7:50 PM ^

A couple thoughts:

Despite Schefter's follow up tweet that these NFL dalliances "won't be a re-occurring issue," Manuel needs to force a Juwan-like statement on him or this will be used to continually negative recruit against us.

And don't underestimate the effect of the Brian Flores suit on this situation. Optics would have been abysmal had the Vikings offered him the job today.  24 hours made a huge difference. 

Joined: 05/02/2009

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Optimism Attache

February 2nd, 2022 at 8:30 PM ^

Basically, Balas said it was a done deal and Harbaugh's trip to MSP was a formality. That was tweeted while Graham was literally in the middle of a 9 hour interview with the Vikings. So, if they hired Harbaugh today it would have lent credence to the assertion that they were interviewing an African American coach as a mere formality with no intention of giving him consideration (essnentiall what the Flores lawsuit claims). 

And from what it seems like transpired, the Flores situation was definitely a case of team making up their minds to hire a white coach before they even interviewed the minority candidate. 

 

 

Joined: 09/13/2011

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JBM

February 2nd, 2022 at 8:47 PM ^

For the record, they had interviewed 2 black candidates before meeting with the white guy. Flores was the third. 
 

Don’t shoot the messenger - I’m not saying African American hiring is not an issue. I just think it’s noteworthy that a lot of the reporting and framing of this situation totally disregards the fact they had followed the Rooney rule even before Flores’s interview. 

Joined: 08/26/2011

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Optimism Attache

February 3rd, 2022 at 6:50 AM ^

I don't think anyone wants to shoot the messenger here. The issue is they allegedly had made up their minds before interviewing a minority candidate--doesn't mean they didn't interview others. I don't know if it is true, but Belichik was sending congrats messages to (who he thought was) the ultimate hire before Flores' interview. 

Joined: 09/13/2011

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Gohokego

February 2nd, 2022 at 10:06 PM ^

So basically Vikings changed their mind on hiring Harbaugh after the Floers news broke? If not Harbaugh goes? 

Or maybe he looked more at Vikings situation and realized he's not winning a superbowl there and came back to Michigan. 

It's hard to find a team looking for a new coach who has a reasonable opportunity to win the Superbowl. 

He drums to his own beat. Maybe the fans should be a little more supportive of the coach then all the bitching and moaning.  Noone wants to win more then he does.  He lived in AA, he played QB, and he guaranteed victory.

It makes it hard to want to stay when all around you here people want you gone then your pay is slashed in half.  

Would you feel appreciated if you boss cut your pay in half?

Joined: 09/21/2013

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UgLi Eric

February 3rd, 2022 at 1:59 AM ^

I think the Vikings were interviewing coach Harbaugh to meet the requirements of the future "Meyers rule", which will roughly state that "all NFL teams must interview and publicly turndown, or alternatively hire and publicly fire mid-season, one current blue blood NCAA coach in order to ensure the NFL coaching tree smells morally superior to that seedy college crappe." 

Joined: 10/09/2016

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aiglick

February 2nd, 2022 at 7:54 PM ^

No idea what the future holds except that we have him back for the 22-23 season. Let it ride and have a fantastic year coach and if you’re successful enough that a NFL wants you then I’ll wish you luck. Congrats on staying in Ann Arbor and continuing the work of making Michigan a power again and for deciding to play school.

Go Blue Coach.

Joined: 11/27/2010

MGoPoints: 21568

jdraman

February 2nd, 2022 at 7:56 PM ^

I'm glad the Vikings didn't offer and that he'll be back for next season (and beyond???). Alas, it is slightly upsetting that Michigan was essentially his backup plan behind any NFL team that would have him. 

Oh well, can't say I blame him for trying to get back to the professional league. Deliver us another B1G championship coach!

Joined: 10/23/2019

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jdraman

February 2nd, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^

Considering that IF Dickinson had received a higher draft grade from any team he would have officially declared, uh yeah?

That's not a bad thing and neither is Jim Harbaugh searching for an NFL job. They are trying to make the decisions they feel are best for themselves. As a fan, I can both recognize that aspect and also feel bad about their potential leaving the school.

At the end of the day, I'm glad they both made decisions to return to Michigan. 

Joined: 10/23/2019

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Fletcher Hall Lives

February 2nd, 2022 at 11:43 PM ^

Did Harbaugh say that Michigan took a back seat to any NFL offer? That was a thought offered by various unnamed sources. All that we know for sure is that coach has not shared any public insight into his thinking beyond what he shared publicly with recruits who asked. As far as we can tell he wasn't secretive, he asked for permission from his boss while his buyout figure was low (as negotiated by his boss).

Also, you can always offer a job without offering a contract and still maintain that the job was never offered. The details of the Vikings meeting will no doubt be leaked through "unnamed sources close to the Vikings". Of course,  Coach Harbaugh will eventually speak for himself on the record when pressed by the media. 

If our recruiting was harmed, I  would have expected a string of decommits and transfer portal entries. Michigan has seen none of it. Harbaugh owes nothing to anyone but his family. He played the hand that he was dealt. There is no evidence of any harm to Michigan recruiting...only the hurt feelings of a bunch arm chair athletic directors. 

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DetroitBlue

February 2nd, 2022 at 8:31 PM ^

Looking at your posting history, it’s funny how you’re wrong about pretty much everything (‘harbaugh’s heart’s not in it’ and ‘houstan is gaining confidence’ are my personal faves) - it’s *almost* admirable you have the confidence to make more idiotic future predictions, but you do you, man. 

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