Footballscoop: Harbaugh eyeing exit strategy [Ed: "Oakland Is Still in Play" source lives, is still making reporters look bad]
[Ed-Seth: This "scoop" is pretty laughable. I'm leaving it so it won't get posted again. Harbaugh's NFL agent has floated him around to gullible reporters in the past to try to gin up interest in a client he's getting nothing for as long as he's in college. But if you think Jim Harbaugh would be "eyeing an exit strategy" during the football season you really don't know the first thing about Jim Harbaugh]
https://footballscoop.com/news/sources-jim-harbaugh-eyeing-exit-strategy/
All rumor at this point, but footballscoop was one of the first reporters of Meyer being gone last year.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:47 PM ^
Can he get enough of winning something? Because that's a bit more important than tradition at this point.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:30 PM ^
That would not surprise me at all.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:30 PM ^
I'm not saying I believe it, but his contract ends in 2 years and there hasn't been talk of an extension yet? Almost reminds me of how his run with the Niners ended. There's absolutely no way Harbaugh goes into a 2020 without an extension if he's staying, correct?
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:20 PM ^
From a recruiting standpoint it would not make sense - other teams would use it to negatively recruit against us
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:04 PM ^
But even from Harbaugh's pov, he already been in a situation before were he didn't get an extension and the last year was absolutely dreadful(Niners). I doubt he wants to go through that again. If Michigan tries to play hardball with him and puts off an extension, would it surprise anyone that he starts putting feelers out there?
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
If somehow Harbaugh does leave & they hire Meyer, I'll wait to watch Michigan football until they hire a decent human being to replace him after his inevitable medical issue (prior to NCAA sanctions hitting.)
I will also laugh at all the fanz who think it will all work out.
I'm already down to watching one football game a week. Freeing up a few more hours isn't the end of the world (but it might be the end of me watching football.)
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
Michigan isn't hiring Urban Meyer, man. And Urban Meyer is not coming to Michigan.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:05 PM ^
With Michigan fans refusing to drop it and FSU says Urban would be top of their list, I think the torch has officially been passed. Urban Meyer is the new GRUDEN WATCH
Can't wait for the juicy real estate rumors surrounding Urban
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^
Stop. There is zero chance Urban will ever coach at UM. Less than zero if that’s a thing. People need to stop saying this.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^
As a doctor, you should really be saving lives instead of laughing at fanz.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:07 PM ^
bye bye
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:41 PM ^
Hi Mikey, how is 11 warriors doing?
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:32 PM ^
I think this was first reported on a Twitter account with the handle: Pietro Derriere, which I believe is Pete Feinbottom's secret Twitter name.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:47 PM ^
It's Paul
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:15 PM ^
Thanks Mrs. Feinbottom.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:32 PM ^
Can tell you that Footballscoop is one of the worst sources in the industry. I would take anything they say with a HUGE grain of salt.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^
Wouldn't needing a huge grain of salt mean that there was a ton of substance to it needing all that salt?
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
No, it means that somewhere, an enormous midget is eating jumbo shrimp.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
This has been my thought since the Wisconsin game. Harbaugh doesn't really need this crap. He can go 10 - 6 in the NFL and nobody will really care. If he doesn't do better than 10 - 2 at Michigan, people will lose their collective shit.
My guess (with absolutely no insider info) is that he will plan an exit strategy after this year. It just makes sense at this point. I mean, how many years can he really continue to chase OSU?
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:20 PM ^
Super Bowl rings are the ultimate goal but otherwise you will keep your job for a long time regardless of record (obviously to an extent) if you can make the playoffs every season and win a playoff game maybe once every two or three years.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:45 PM ^
Is this a joke? NFL coaches last like 3 years on average. The ignorance on here is astounding.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:19 PM ^
You may be thinking of the Loins who rarely make the playoffs and never win a playoff game.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^
Sweet, I can get Mrs Fugitive the entire Sarah Harbaugh collection when it goes on clearance!
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^
Double up on the see through tops.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:36 PM ^
See ya!
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
I have a feeling he beats OSU this year. If he loses and he’s considering the nfl, he’s gone, but if Michigan can beat OSU, he’s not going anywhere.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
Michigan is NOT beating osu this year.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:01 PM ^
I CANNOT upvote this comment, but i can't neg it either. It stinks of fact
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:26 PM ^
Highly improbable yes, impossible no. People thought Illinois beating Wisky this week was not possible.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:23 PM ^
If JH had inklings of going to the NFL I think he would be more likely to leave if he beats OSU this season vs not beating them. That goal is accomplished at least.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
The biggest red flag in this article for me was where it mentioned his “representatives” were eyeing new jobs.
The only representative coach used for the M job was himself & his lawyer. That’s how they kept such a tight lid on it. Not sure why he would suddenly start using agents who can’t keep a lid on anything. This smells like fake news to me.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
Jim has been Maize and Blue since he was 10 years old. I doubt he's leaving Michigan until he feels that he's accomplished what he came here to do. I think all this Harbaugh is looking for an exit is BULLSHIT. He's one of the most competitive people ever born and Michigan is home to him. He's going to coach this team to a Big 10 Championship before leaving is in the cards.
Onward, GO BLUE!
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
Clickbait. That's all it is.
Michigan is having a down year. So what? Bo, Lloyd, Mo all had 8-4 seasons and worse on occasion. Aside from the Rich Rod and Brady Hoke experiments, down years happens.
Harbaugh has been pretty much at par with Lloyd Carr, 9-3 each year. But losing big games and losing to Ohio State. Mainly because Ohio State isn't coached by John Cooper anymore.
Michigan is never going to field consistently 11-1 and 12-0 teams in this era. It simply can't.
First, Michigan doesn't recruit at the level of Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia or even Notre Dame.
Second, even if it did, it could not possibly retain the talent on its roster longer term given competition for such talent, playing time opportunity and recruiting practices of other schools.
That said. Michigan is still comparatively speaking very competitive and will be one of the BIG10's and Midwest's finest football fixtures. Every 3 or 4 years or so Michigan will field a top-ranked, nationally powerful team and win a lot of big games. But not consistently so on the national level. Not anymore.
Replacing Jim Harbaugh with some kind of spread option offense guru, or an NFL "moneyball" coach is not going to change any of that reality on the ground at Michigan.
Unless Michigan changes into something it definitely is not, and never was.
You would need to establish big Michigan football booster clubs and private donors and then have them all start throwing tattoos, dealer cars, sexually generous hostesses and stacks of cash at recruits, players and their families.
But that's not Michigan.
Michigan is not Alabama with Nick Saban.
Michigan is not Ohio State with Jim Tressel or Urban Meyer
Michigan is not Clemson with Dabo Swinney
Michigan is not Georgia with Kirby Smart (discount Alabama)
Accept and learn to be happy with 9-3 seasons, some thrilling players, decisive trouncings of college football weaklings, and an occasional 11-1 or 12-1 season. Then life is going to be a lot better for you, and for the rest of us.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
"Accept and learn to be happy with 9-3 seasons"
How about no.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:21 PM ^
I completely agree. Until there is a tidal shift in the college football landscape, 10-2 and 9-3 seasons will be the norm. I'd be extremely happy if we could at least go .500 against OSU while dropping the occasional clunker in conference, get a shot at the B1G championship game and the Rose Bowl over the next 5-6 years, but I just don't see it being a consistent scenario every season.
I'd prefer to go 13-0 winning the conference championship with wins over OSU and an appearance in the CFP, and that kind of season is definitely a possibility, but I just don't see it consistently happening. Hell, maybe Day will end up like Larry Coker and fall off a cliff, but I can't see into the future, so I'm not going to presume it happens.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:34 PM ^
Two words Saban, Day and Sweeney never have to utter or worry about:
Admissions standards
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:21 PM ^
I refuse to believe that Michigan can’t compete with the big boys. This is Michigan fergodsakes
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:36 PM ^
" Replacing Jim Harbaugh with some kind of spread option offense guru, or an NFL "moneyball" coach is not going to change any of that reality on the ground at Michigan. "
Ummm... Harbaugh is kind of the epitome of the "play it safe" NFL "moneyball" coach trying to make it work in college.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
This is complete BS. Other than Georgia who has a built-in recruiting advantage the other schools got to that level because they won at a high-level first. And Georgia hasn’t even had sustained success up to this point, they could easily lose 3 games again this year. Let’s try making it to playoffs first before we talk about the ceiling of the program.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
I don't think that anyone on this board expects consistent 12-0 11-1 seasons year in and out. What people do expect is to win big games, and to beat Ohio State occasionally.
Its not the record over the past 4.5 years that fans are upset with. Its the way they look achieving 10-2 or 9-3. Not only are we not beating Ohio State, not beating top 10 teams or showing up in big games--- there are several head scratching in game decisions being made that are obvious.
If you were to say that Jim Harbaugh has the same exact record at Michigan as he has now, but has 2 wins over Ohio State, and a few more top 10 wins, I'd be 100% happy.
October 22nd, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
Ok given youe excuse to being pummeles by Ohio, whats youe excuse for 1-10 vs top 10 and 9-1 vs ranked teams and 1-8 vs ranked teams on the road?
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
Can someone ban this troll? All of his posts are exactly the same
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:44 PM ^
Being in play is still in play?
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:45 PM ^
Maybe he is exhausted with shit officiating, shit karma, absurd UM expectations (compete with BAMA, OSU, Clemson...just don't pay players), and have your players practice half as much as other elite teams because ours actually have to go to class.
October 22nd, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
if he’s exhausted with shit officiating then he’d also be exhausted with the shit officiating in the NFL.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:45 PM ^
It would be kind of funny to me to see all the tough guys who scream Fire Harbaugh every 10 seconds, swallow hard and then wonder what’s next. Be careful what you wish for.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
Ann Arbor is a long way from Manhattan..................Ks.
Jim isn't leaving.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:46 PM ^
footballscoop was one of the first reporters of Meyer being gone last year.
Citation?
I don't remember that. I do remember Brett McMurphy saying it before everyone else.
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:46 PM ^
Harbaugh had an NFL agent who's not allowed to work college. During IT'S HAPPENING this agent was a fount of "sources" articles claiming Miami or Oakland were still in play, even during the week after Christmas when all the details had been hammered out. He popped up again during and after 2017.
Given the style and which reporter was suddenly given the sources, I would bet the football program it's the agent trying to gin up interest. People close to Harbaugh found the idea of him wanting to leave after Wisconsin laughable.
It's incredible that people still doubt the first thing about Harbaugh that's been evident his entire athletic career. Having his agent reach out to NFL teams midseason? Are you fucking kidding me? Even with San Francisco clearly falling apart he refused to have any discussions until their season was over. Even with Stanford calling he wouldn't take a meeting until San Diego's season concluded.
On the other hand, how many people will read fodder like this? If you're an underpaid reporter who doesn't have a nose for bullshit and you get an NFL agent calling you with a scoop for Footballscoop, how carefully do you look at it?
October 22nd, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
It's close to the end of the month and his clicks were down.