Harbaugh breaks his silence: "Although no one knows the future, I think I will be coaching Michigan next year."

Submitted by FrankMurphy on January 4th, 2023 at 2:01 AM

Title says it all. Not sure how a random local news reporter in Charlotte managed to get him on the record, but there you have it. He's not quite as definitive as he was a few weeks back, and he gives himself some wiggle room, so it would seem like at least some of the smoke was real. Having said that, this certainly ratchets down the likelihood a bit.

In a conversation with Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan Head Coach tells @Queen_City_News “although no one knows the future I think I will be coaching Michigan next year.“

— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) January 4, 2023

The reporter also felt it necessary to add this for some reason:

This conversation was tonight and took place privately.

— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) January 4, 2023

Blau

January 4th, 2023 at 7:14 AM ^

And this is why I think he’s gone. He knows what he said last year, made the proclamation it wouldn’t happen again… and then it has very much happened again. So - you gotta go, right? I don’t think JH can really survive the optics here unless the entire time he was working with Warde for an elevated contract. 

I also don’t think anything gets resolved until early next week, so have fun fretting about this for the next 5-6 days.

Turning my attention to the Lions now as they are always reliable and never let me down.

Joined: 01/23/2014

MGoPoints: 35411

NJWolverine

January 4th, 2023 at 3:08 AM ^

This sounds like leverage to get what he wants from a NFL job (stable current roster (i.e. not Denver), total or near total control over players, no ownership meddling, long-term contract with guarantees).  If he doesn't get it, he can come back.  If he does get it, he can say "I really wanted to stay at Michigan but this is my dream job and I was given the keys to the ship so I couldn't pass it up!"  The question is, will a NFL team check all those boxes.  Indy maybe, Carolina? 

What this does not sound like is leverage to better his contract with Michigan.  Unless WM is totally incompetent, he's probably already initiated those discussions with an eye towards a long term deal to put this issue to rest.  For all we know this has already happened but without said contract, which is why we heard the "I'll be back" stuff before (but without a new contract).  I don't think it's a NIL play either since JH sounds sincere about the "transformational, not transactional" stuff.  This could also explain JUB's comment about JH being tired of the current state of college football.     

The problem is that if he doesn't get a NFL job on terms he wants and comes back, this is now going to be used against him in recruiting pretty much until he does leave.  And there's no clear coach-in-waiting in the coaching staff that wouldn't be a huge risk as none of them have HC experience at all.  There's also no coach on the market that checks the boxes on both winning at the highest levels (e.g. Urban) and culture (a bunch of guys), meaning that hiring from the outside would also be a risk because it's more risk that what you're getting now with the one guy who does check those two boxes. 

Regardless of what ultimately happens, if I'm WM, I'm also going into the market RIGHT NOW to poke around to see who's out there and who may be interested.  I'm also having conversations with key assistants like Moore, Hart, and Clink to make sure they're happy and to prevent there from being an expectations gap leading to a Gattis situation.  It's not time to be passive anymore. 

Joined: 08/31/2008

MGoPoints: 840

CWood2

January 4th, 2023 at 3:25 AM ^

Gattis leaving was likely serendipitous. The rest sounds like pure conjecture. With a normal coach (if there is such a thing), I would agree with your analysis. With Harbaugh, it’s almost impossible to handicap. We will all just have to sit back in frustration and wait to see what happens. After what happened in Minnesota on that interview last year shows trying to predict Harbaugh’s next move is fraught with peril and is a very fluid situation, to say the least.

Joined: 09/30/2014

MGoPoints: 1342

MGoArchive

January 4th, 2023 at 4:22 AM ^

This is so stupid. He really is a dick that goes back on his word.

There is a better way to get whatever it is he wants than what he is doing now. 
 

You will never be able to convince me that this isnt him acting out because we lost to TCU, and he is catching grief from fans for the two goal line calls and now wants to rub fans nose in just how great he really is as valued in the marketplace. This guy is a piece of work.

Joined: 05/13/2013

MGoPoints: 1005184

Midukman

January 4th, 2023 at 6:01 AM ^

Last year got a pass, at least from me. He was honest with recruits and it seems the administration also. When the Vikings more or less didn’t want him and he pledged his allegiance to Michigan, all seemed well. This is different. Last year I was somewhat obsessed with the thought of losing him. This time I personally don’t care and I’m sick of the drama that he’s bringing to the program and recruiting. He’s leaving at some point, whether this year or next. Might as well rip off the band aid. The idea of Jim retiring at Michigan on his own terms just isn’t gonna happen.

Joined: 09/13/2018

MGoPoints: 15906

True Blue Grit

January 4th, 2023 at 8:01 AM ^

At this point, the damage has been done, again, to recruiting.  We won't know how severe for awhile.  This time though, the problem isn't going away even if he stays on.  Now, no one will trust his word that he's going to remain at Michigan.  This will handicap his assistants' recruiting efforts and make it harder to land highly rated players.  If Harbaugh really does love Michigan, this is an odd way to show it.  

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 32488

MichiganMan_24_

January 4th, 2023 at 5:12 AM ^

When my boss asks if I will be at work tomorrow I always answer "I plan to be"

 

I have no clue how anyone can definitively answer a question about tomorrow..nobody knows.

Joined: 12/31/2008

MGoPoints: 9459

MGoStretch

January 4th, 2023 at 9:46 AM ^

For real? You never answer anything definitively about the future? Even about important things you directly control?  Do you routinely have conversations like this?

Friend of MichiganMan: Hey, are we still getting dinner tomorrow night?

MichiganMan_24_: I would like to, I just can't say for sure, there could be a Tsunami, ya know?

Friend of MichiganMan: I mean, I suppose, but we live in Kansas, that seems unlikely.

MichiganMan_24_:  I agree, but there could also be a meteor, a plague, a moose stampede, a flat tire, there are all sorts of things that could happen that could interfere with meeting up at Chili's. Frankly, I could change my mind and decide not to go and I don't want to mislead you now.  "Maybe" we'll meet up tomorrow is the best I can do.

Joined: 03/20/2015

MGoPoints: 8654

Darker Blue

January 4th, 2023 at 5:52 AM ^

Dear Jim 

Let's smoke a bowl, eat some chicken wings, play some fifa23 and listen to the smashing pumpkins Siamese Dream.

Tomorrow we can decide on where to coach the footballs 

Joined: 10/30/2011

MGoPoints: 80492

SadDog

January 4th, 2023 at 5:55 AM ^

I'm tired of it.  Are you guys tired of this? If this continues to drag out we're going to get the same results on the recruiting trail that we saw for the 23' class.  Uncertainty with Harbaugh = hesitation by recruits.  What do you think this does in the recruitment of Harbor?  I don't think it's anything positive.  At some point, the staff is going to be tired of it as well.  This shit year in and year out is not good for the program.  

Joined: 09/21/2019

MGoPoints: 310

Goggles Paisano

January 4th, 2023 at 6:17 AM ^

Not ideal for recruiting obviously. 

The NFL teams floated out there so far are Denver, Indy, and Carolina.  At age 59, how long would it take to win there?  Especially in the AFC with Burrow, Mahomes and Allen.  

Harbaugh is a very unique dude as we all know.  Hard to really pin down what he is thinking right now and why he's doing this.  Chasing the Super Bowl trophy, trying to use it for leverage to get more resources at Michigan, just tired of the changing college football landscape?  We don't know yet for sure, so I'm just in a wait and see mode.  I do know that this can't continue to happen at the end of every season. 

In the very least, Warde needs to have a contingency plan (maybe he does) for a short list of coaches that can take over this program.  That is a huge decision and must be the correct decision.  Cannot have another disaster like we had in 2007.  

Joined: 07/30/2011

MGoPoints: 41235

tybert

January 4th, 2023 at 8:31 AM ^

Thankfully, we are in a far better place now than in 2007. 

1. We're coming off two titles, 2-0 vs. Ohio, 25-3 record vs. 7-5, 11-2 (two gut wrenching losses), and 9-4 with 0-3 vs. Ohio.

2. This staff has as least two future HC, maybe 3 (Moore, Minter, Hart) - Lloyd's 2007 staff was pathetic and part of the reason the team was totally unprepared for App St. 

3. Warde may not be that great of an AD, but he does understand UM football and how to run a program. Bill Martin was a businessman thrust into a "temporary" AD role when the bumbling Tom Goss got canned. 

4. I agree that JH, though unpredictable, is also the kind of guy to use leverage to get more from UM. I don't fully understand the ins and outs of NIL and where UM matches up (and probably never will), but UM has always been late to the table for change in "tradition" and part of JH's frustration is rightfully against the slow slog. Even back in Bo's days, when many big schools were giving coaches 3+ year contracts and big paychecks, Bo was underpaid and had a one year deal until he leveraged the TAMU job offer in early 1982 to get more money and a longer term contract. Canham was content to be 100% in control of everything until Bo forced his hand.

5. Whether he stays or goes, we've had a great ride these past two years. I don't think the train crashes back to RR/Hoke levels if he goes. 

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 8536

lmgoblue1

January 4th, 2023 at 6:32 AM ^

If not this year, next year or the year after. I can't deal with this sword of Damacles over our heads. Or a my Dad used to say, "Shit or get off the pot(toilet for the youth out there)"

Joined: 10/27/2012

MGoPoints: 12431

FlaWolverine22

January 4th, 2023 at 6:35 AM ^

After what happened last year why did Warde let this go into this off-season again. Jim should've been given a raise and extension after the osu or btcg.

On the other side Jim Harbaugh is flat out liar and he gone. Certain jobs in college football like Michigan, Alabama, USC, Texas,Ohio State, etc. are destinations not stops. Jim has managed to treat Michigan like a stop and has embarrassed our program. We cannot allow this to stand. I'm not saying fire him today but we need to hire a search firm today and say look Harbaugh, go weigh your options and we'll weigh ours as well. He is treating himself as a sympathetic figure like Aaron Rodgers. He wasn't winning enough to continue to get paid the salary he was receiving. No more capitulating to a coach who is still 2-5 vs OSU, 4-4 vs MSU and 1-6 in bowl games. If leaves his legacy won't be the back to back blowout wins over Ohio State and back to back cfp appearances, his legacy will be destroying back to back recruiting classes for his successor by keeping everyone in the dark except his inner circle.

Joined: 01/04/2023

MGoPoints: 6792

FlaWolverine22

January 4th, 2023 at 8:17 AM ^

Interviewing for the Vikings on National Signing Day was flat out disrespectful. I swear some people don't understand how important January is for recruiting. Then when he doesn't get the job, he calls Warde and says he wants to come back, and it'll be a one time thing. Then he went on record and said he'll be  returning in 2023. 

Michigan is basically the desperate girlfriend right now. Jim gets around then runs back to Michigan with open arms whenever the other girl gets tired of him. So yes, Jim has embarrassed our program. The players/commits deserve better.

Joined: 01/04/2023

MGoPoints: 6792

mitchewr

January 4th, 2023 at 10:27 AM ^

Jim has managed to treat Michigan like a stop and has embarrassed our program.

Come on man, I mean really?

  • First wins over Ohio State since 2011
  • First Big Ten championships since 2004
  • Back to back wins over Ohio State (first time since 1999-2000)
  • Back to back Big Ten championships (first time since 2003-2004)
  • First win over Ohio State in Columbus since 2000
  • Back to back appearances in the College Football Playoff
  • First 13-0 season ever in the history of the program
  • Back to back Joe Moore award for the O-Line (first time in the history of college football a program has one it two years in a row)

That's a hell of a legacy. Sure it took longer than any of us wanted or expected and yeah there were some rough years, but let's not re-write history or pretend that Harbaugh hasn't done anything here. This is the strongest the football program has been arguably since the 1997 national championship.

I'm not happy with how Jim's flirting with the NFL has happened two years in a row either or how it will undoubtedly impact recruiting and I think Warde needs to draw some sort of line in the sand and force Harbaugh to either commit long-term (via new contract with massive buyouts) or tell him to move on so the program can be done with this off-season drama...but in no way has Harbaugh "embarassed" the program.

Joined: 08/29/2016

MGoPoints: 13773

MRunner73

January 4th, 2023 at 7:27 AM ^

Did Harbaugh make any promises to JJ, Donovan and other player he recruited that he'd be their Head Coach until they either graduate or go to the NFL? Jim made a similar promise to Andrew Luck at Stanford, then he got the ideal HC job with the 49ers.

The point being, Jim would be breaking a promise to JJ, Donovan and others. I don't know that but it was mentioned on various media outlets.

Joined: 11/11/2018

MGoPoints: 16966

ColeIsCorky

January 4th, 2023 at 7:41 AM ^

I honestly don't think we have a clue what his intentions are. It could be just as likely that he has demands set to Warde to be addressed in his contract that he is using the NFL as bait to ensure Warde meets his demands. It has seemed that Warde hasn't exactly wanted to follow suit with the current NIL stuff (not to mention former Michigan president), and it is just as likely that these are all tactics to force Warde's hand to comply with what Jim wants (whatever that is, which likely isn't entirely about money especially his own personal salary). With Santa now as the president, Jim might see another opportunity to secure the deal he really wants not just for himself but for his entire staff and team. 

It is also just as likely, if this theory was true, that Jim does have intentions of leaving if his new contract does not address all his requirements. Maybe he is just hoping that the leverage he is using finally gets it done and moves Michigan forward so that he can compete more to his liking. 

The reason I see it this way is he was upfront with everyone last year, and this year is his "contract year" which likely would be his last chance at securing his demands and quite possibly his final contract, period. This doesn't mean he won't leave, but it could mean that he in fact does intend to stay with a list of demands that need to be met. And if that is the case, this could be a good thing for the future of Michigan football. 

It is also just as likely Warde gives Harbaugh the middle finger and he leaves for the NFL in this scenario.

Who the heck really knows. This is just my theory. 

Joined: 11/15/2016

MGoPoints: 4627