Arkansas Wolverine

January 6th, 2022 at 11:18 PM ^

I think he got word that the university refuses to budge on academics for the portal and is “poo pooing” setting up and NIL program like other universities. Everyone outside of B1G has always said for as big as Michigan is in sports how little they support the athletes….and it’s time to pay the piper. TAMU/OSU/SEC hell even Miami (YTM) has a robust or the beginnings of a robust NIL program with millions of dollars flowing in from alumni and sponsors of the universities. Look at who is sponsoring or set up a sponsorship for a majority of our players…themselves…a family member…twitter blog owners etc. it’s completely and utterly pathetic. The global reach of our alumni base is second to none and our alumni themselves are some of the richest most connected people in business…yet we won’t “stoop to that level” to help our athletes.  I hope Jim decides to leave….it will be our just desserts for the abuse he has taken over the years from the fan base and the failure of a university to see the massive potential in marketing this great university. Not to go political but I just hope and pray this isn’t some woke bullshit filtering into our athletic department…if so just put us in the MAC and be done with it. 

Joined: 01/08/2015

MGoPoints: 162

Wendyk5

January 7th, 2022 at 10:19 AM ^

Of course, that is -- or should be -- implicit in every coach's meeting with a recruit. My point was that the narrative in the past week or so has been that Harbaugh doesn't talk to anyone, doesn't have an agent, etc....and then suddenly we're hearing that he told a recruit he may not be around for said recruit's tenure and we're looking at that as some real sign that he's leaving? 

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 68420

WorldwideTJRob

January 6th, 2022 at 11:34 PM ^

Let’s look at the source of the headline…Sam is as pro-blue as they come. If he’s putting this in a headline, then the Harbaugh to the NFL talk may have more smoke then we want to believe. Even John U Bacon, who is as tied in to the Harbaugh circle as anyone is tweeting out that this type of talk by Harbaugh increases the odds that he may be leaving. He would be leaving the program in a great spot, so that’s better than where we were before he got here.

Joined: 07/05/2010

MGoPoints: 31150

JonnyHintz

January 7th, 2022 at 2:26 PM ^

The authors generally don’t create the titles, even if they do they’re still incentivized to create click-bait titles. 
 

At any rate, Sam is simply reporting what a recruit claimed Harbaugh told him. Sam is handcuffed by the information available, which is secondhand information from a 17-18 year old kid. How that kid interprets the conversation with Harbaugh and his ability to communicate that to Sam is what Sam has to work with in writing this article.

Joined: 01/11/2015

MGoPoints: 48832

RobM_24

January 6th, 2022 at 11:46 PM ^

I could see why Harbaugh might think that this was the mountain top at Michigan. He seemed to value Big Ten Championships more than most, and he finally got one. It was hard enough trying to compete with Southern powerhouses, and now NIL comes in and makes it even harder. UofM doesn't seem to want to play the game the way they'd need to, if they really wanted National Championships. I can't blame him for leaving (if he does). I didn't blame Beilein either. I'm not a Brian Kelly fan, but he got to a similar crossroads. A rebuilding SEC program has better National Championship hopes than a Notre Dame team who still had a shot at getting in this year (Kelly knew what would happen if he/they did get in, he's played out that scenario a couple times). Michigan is in the same boat. With the current state of college football, we probably just peaked.

Joined: 01/27/2014

MGoPoints: 64458

AlbanyBlue

January 6th, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^

IMO, this is the most feasible explanation for a Harbaugh departure. 

"And Alexander wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer." If Jim feels he's done all he can do here, then it makes sense to move on.

Here is the obligatory difference between MSU and Michigan. MSU is content with -- and handsomely rewards -- beating Michigan. Full stop. Little brother indeed.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 22319

nperna12

January 7th, 2022 at 12:17 AM ^

I love Sam Webb, I think he’s extremely credible. I even believe Harbaugh said this to a recruit. As someone mentioned earlier, the context matters. Was he asked if he was going to be around forever and he essentially said you never know, I’ll always listen? Hard to say. Feels that way. 
 

Anyway, I feel like this new On3 recruiting service has been coming on hot and heavy as I can imagine that’s putting a ton of pressure on 247, especially with it being x employees. Something about all of this seems intentionally overblown because of pressure from 247 to use Sams credibility to make some loud noise and get readers and be louder and more relevant than On3. It’s not that the story isn’t true to me it’s that 247 is sensationalizing it more than I feel Sam Webb normally does for clicks. 
 

just my thought. I think there is a real chance Harbaugh leaves. But like 30-40% max. If I was a betting man, he will have a new Michigan contract next week. In fact, I should find if there is a way to actually bet this online.

Joined: 10/02/2010

MGoPoints: 391

ALeafOnTheWind

January 7th, 2022 at 12:39 AM ^

I was among the extremely wrong people who said after the MSU loss that Michigan under Harbaugh would never do better than a 10-win season. It would be absolutely perfect if he exploded that trope and then immediately bolted for the NFL.

Anyway, who is the proven head coach you would hire if Harbaugh left?

The following is a list (if I missed anyone, let me know, also below) of all active or recently-fired coaches who have guided their team to a CFP berth: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Ed Orgeron, Dabo Swinney, Ryan Day, Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly, Jimbo Fisher, Lincoln Riley, Luke Fickell.

Similar list of coaches who have won a major conference/AAC championship without reaching the playoff since 2014: Pat Narduzzi, James Franklin, Gary Patterson, Dave Aranda, David Shaw, Mario Cristobal, Kyle Whittingham, Clay Helton, Scott Frost, Josh Heupel, Matt Rhule, Tom Herman, Mike Norvell, Justin Fuente.

This list gets whittled down basically to Narduzzi and Aranda if you lose the ones who were recently hired or recently fired, are at a clearly better place, are nearing the end of their careers, haven't had recent success, or are already at conference rivals.

Who else would constitute a proven head coach?

Joined: 04/23/2014

MGoPoints: 506

BoCanHam15

January 7th, 2022 at 2:05 PM ^

Did you actually include Urban?  This year in football has become more like Mike Tyson, to most.  Ludicrous at best.  Harbaugh stays.  Some people can be quoted less than a year ago, “fire Jimmy, he sucks!”  Now it’s please don’t leave me Jimmy!  Some people wouldn’t know a good thing if it slapped them in the face.  

Joined: 07/08/2016

MGoPoints: 16114

ALeafOnTheWind

January 8th, 2022 at 12:09 AM ^

I included Urban Meyer because he is on the list of active(ish) coaches who have led a team to a playoff berth, not because I think he's a plausible coaching candidate. You'll notice that later I narrowed down, based on what I think are reasonable criteria, to just Aranda and Narduzzi. I'm not asking the question rhetorically. I'm just asking who would be a "proven" head coaching hire if Harbaugh left. I think it's an interesting question.

As for the "fire Jimmy, he sucks"...I never hated Harbaugh or went on some tirade about him sucking. I thought he was a good coach that, for whatever reason, wasn't working out. It happens. I didn't think he should've been fired mid-season for moving to 3-4 against MSU, but I did think they should've parted ways in the preceding offseason. I was clearly and decisively (and entertainingly) proven wrong.

Joined: 04/23/2014

MGoPoints: 506

caguab

January 7th, 2022 at 3:37 AM ^

Personally, I think all you guys are spot on with the NIL/transfer portal being an area that Harbaugh sees as needing fixing.  I seriously doubt the problem is his or his assistants' compensation.  We know he is as pro-player as they come and is probably pushing extremely hard not just for recruiting purposes, but also because he rather see some money flow to the players as well.  Harbaugh knows the only way to get these fixed is to use his contract as leverage and what better way than to threaten leaving to the NFL.  Knowing UofM quite well, I could see the NIL/portal being a huge point of contention given what Harbaugh wants/needs may conflict with what the other sports (aside from men's basketball and hockey) at the university could offer their players (thinking equity among the sports here).  I hope they listen to Harbaugh because with the current paradigm in college football where the Texas A&Ms of the world are offering 20-30 million to recruits and the Easter Michigan's offering 1 million to a single player, UofM football could quickly become Northwestern without a substantial change.  Not to mention, what current successful college football coach would want to replace Harbaugh knowing we can't compete for the top recruits?  

Joined: 02/23/2009

MGoPoints: 349

LDNfan

January 7th, 2022 at 4:52 AM ^

Maybe he will take Ryan Day w him as his OC and Melle Mel as his DC. And Franklin as his IDK..director of scouting or something not too game day critical. 

Joined: 09/28/2014

MGoPoints: 10604

Blue in Yarmouth

January 7th, 2022 at 7:39 AM ^

Entertain offers doesn't necessarily mean you are going to take one. I, as most people, entertain every offer I receive regarding  my professional life. I think you'd be silly not to. Of the myriad offers I've received over the course of my professional life, how many did I actually accept and move on? 1. Entertaining does not equal accepting. He may or may not leave, we'll know soon enough.

Joined: 02/18/2009

MGoPoints: 6527

MightyMatt13

January 7th, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^

A few people have mentioned the NFL jobs not being that attractive, and I don't understand that at all. Open NFL gigs are rarely perfect, and there's no 2021 Jags situation with the top pick with a supposedly "can't miss" QB prospect, but still... this is a supremely confident guy as most are at his level. We're looking at:

Raiders

Bears

Vikings (probably)

Giants (possibly)

Texans (?)

Broncos, Seahawks also possible

There are some iconic franchises on this list, and some get-out-of-your way owners. Plus a few that will come with new GMs, which is probably attractive as a HC as the pairing should be more intentional to have them work together. I'm not saying he will leave, but yes there are some very good NFL jobs available if they have interest in our guy

Joined: 02/26/2012

MGoPoints: 5791

Perkis-Size Me

January 7th, 2022 at 8:13 AM ^

The NFL is the NFL. You can make an argument that the Jags job is better than any college job. Better than OSU or Alabama. There’s only 31 NFL teams, and you are coaching the best of the best. 

Doesn’t matter if you are coaching the Cowboys or the Jaguars. There are some things the NFL can offer that the likes of OSU, Alabama, ND, Michigan, USC, Texas, or any other high profile college job will never be able to offer you. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106163

Perkis-Size Me

January 7th, 2022 at 8:10 AM ^

If he leaves, he leaves. That’s kind of my thought process at this point. Won’t be any sour grapes. If he leaves, it won’t be about money. It’ll be about something that either Michigan can’t offer, or stubbornly won’t, and at that point, you kind of tie the guy’s hands. 

Who knows, maybe this is why Gattis is still here. Maybe Harbaugh gave a nudge a few weeks ago that he was looking to make the jump back to the league and that he’d be giving Warde his recommendation to make him the next HC. I guess if you were looking for continuity this would be what you’d do. Especially if you wanted to make sure McCarthy is still here. 

Promote Gattis to HC, promote either Hart or Moore to OC (or possibly make them Co-OCs), and do what you can to retain McDonald and the defensive staff for at least another year. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106163

SpaghettiPolicy

January 7th, 2022 at 10:07 AM ^

Ever the players coach. I respect the hell out of this and love hearing how honest he's being. 

 

If the University won't commit to his success(NIL is a big part of that, so is support of transfers on the academic side), he doesn't need to commit to the success of the program and I would totally be fine with him leaving. 

 

If he leaves and this is why, then Michigan Football is in for a world of hurt and this year will be the exception moving forward, not the rule. Michigan Football will look a lot like it did 2008-2014, IMO.

Joined: 04/17/2015

MGoPoints: 897

smitty1983

January 7th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^

I don't have a problem with JH going to the NFL if that's what he really wants, But if its for NIL reasons (They don't bend to give him want he wants) we have a much bigger problem on hand. Do you really think your going to get a good replacement HC without him asking what we are doing about NIL. For "leaders and best" we are lacking and hurting ourselves for no reason in the transfer portal NIL new era. 

Joined: 05/29/2012

MGoPoints: 13537