Interesting Josh Pate take on the Harbaugh situation

Kalen DeBoer would be my number once choice. Great offensive mind,  wins wherever he goes, has experience in Midwest, and as a bonus has recruiting ties in the West.

 

Kyle Wittingham would be a great fit, but I doubt he'd take the job.

Having highly desired coaches at all levels by the NFL and other programs isn't the worst back handed compliment to receive! Difficult on the relationship side and recruiting though.

Love Josh - great listen if to stay in tune with the CFB world if you don't have time to watch all the games.

I'd prefer to keep the internal momentum going with someone like Moore. Having said that, I can't even think of a guy off the top of my head I'd be over the moon with. I was always convinced Whittingham would be great but he's too old at this point.

A few things stick out to me about the latest intrigue surrounding Harbaugh's situation: I agree with Pate, if he goes back to the NFL, it will only be to a team that makes a no-interview, done deal offer at the right price, meaning all coaching and personnel concessions folded in, salary negotiable. 

I think he likes the Charlotte market for a number of reasons. He played in the city for a year, has a background in IRL car racing that he first tasted as a player in Indianapolis, and would enter a media market here less intrusive than most major cities.

Michael Jordan is barely visible in the Queen City as owner of a near-do-well NBA franchise. And, of course, Michigan is one of the first major Jumpman Nike schools under the Jordan label. Jordan, of course, came to Michigan for a football weekend to celebrate his corporate connection. So, if Jordan were actually engaged in a hiring opportunity with the Panthers, he might have some influence. 

By all those measures, I believe that is why Carolina Panther owner David Tepper contacted Harbaugh about the Panther job even though his current interim choice Steve Wilks has done a good job leading the team to a 5-6 record since taking over from 1-4 Matt Rhule,  Nebraska's new head coach.

In three years, Rhule never came close to Harbaugh's worst seasonal record coaching in the NFL for the SF 49ers when he finished 8-8 in 2014. It was widely reported that Harbaugh was told with two weeks left in that season that he wouldn't be re-signed by the 49ers and still maintained his silence about his job status even as he was under serious consideration for the Michigan job. 

Afterward, when asked about his departure from the 49ers, he lamented that the team's heirarchy left him, he didn't leave the team. Harbaugh was a success in every way as 49er coach, turning around the team's fortunes in one season winning double-digit games three straight years under different qbs  and competing in Western Conference championship while nearly beating his older brother's team in a historic Super Bowl family showdown in 2013. 

All this is prologue to Harbaugh's Michigan coaching experience which has followed the same successful pattern of career achievement.

Whether the man is hard to fathom, his love of the game and ability to turn teams into winning expressions of his personality and determination are without challenge. His only flaw has been rarely winning the biggest postseason game on his schedule. But he repeatedly gets his team near the finish line, and that is why the NFL will always come calling. 

He can't really say no to a job that hasn't been offered. He can only act in his own best interests till no means no and his future is decided for him by an offer he couldn't refuse. 

That was a good segment. I think Josh makes a key point, will an NFL team be willing to make a mega offer to JH without interviewing him? Who knows at this point?

Yeah harbaugh has developed a far better program and I'm sure people would be interested....all the more reason for harbaugh to stay 

I have zero confidence in Warde to go the outside rout. But I wish we'd go after Josh Heupel. He's only making 5m a year at Tennessee.

Im just not sure how many coaches out there are going to be interested that would be considered home runs. It’s an attractive job and there would be plenty of interested parties. I just don’t know how excited we’re supposed to get about the likes of PJ Fleck and Dave Doeren being interested. 
 

I think it’s pretty safe to assume that the “top tier” coaches at power schools aren’t leaving their gigs. I can’t really think of many second tier names that excite me. 

Ryan Day would love the UofM job. Taking over back to back BigTen Champs would set him up for success. It'd be like starting out on 3rd base.

This is a good breakdown of the situation, for sure.  If Harbaugh does leave, which would not be surprising, it will be really interesting to see if Michigan hired from inside or outside the program.  Which current assistant(s) would be the best to promote?

Just thinking out loud here:

• If Michigan went the "established" route, then the below come to mind.  Yes, I know that 2 of them are "retired" but I think they would absolutely fit at Michigan:
  • Kyle Whittingham
  • Chris Peterson
  • Gary Patterson
• If Michigan stayed internal, then I think it has to be Sherrone Moore (and personally I would take Moore over Hart as a HC if forced to choose)
• Other potential suitors
  • Josh Heupel
  • Bryan Harsin (i know he didn't do well in 2 years at Auburn but the guy can coach, and I don't think he was set up for success at Auburn, smells like a RR situation there)
  • Lane Kiffin (I know we all joke about this, but Lane with Michigan resources would be really interesting) Plus, like it or not, he will bring an offense that probably can go more toe to toe with the SEC which we will be needing come playoff time.
  •  

We'd surprised? Like John Harbaugh comes on down?!?!

To those advocating PJ Fleck or Matt Campbell I would recommend they get back on their meds.

I think Warde opts to stay inside the program, probably Moore. I also don't think anyone but Weiss maybe jumps with him to the NFL. This is vastly different than 2007/8 when Lloyd pushed for an in-house hire from a staff that had just found a way to lose to App St and then get demolished by Oregon, both at home. 

Warde has to have some kind of inside knowledge of who on the staff the players look up to. If Moore has the connection with the players, I think he gets the job because he's earned a better offer and the player attrition would be lessened.

Personally, I'd rather do an inside and outside search and see who's interested. Deboer would be a HR. Unlike RR, who inherited a pretty solid foundation from Nehlen at WV, Jimmy Lake left a mess at UW. Klieman from KSU would also make sense. I wouldn't cast too wide a net and would want a current CFB HC. 

Funny, two guys that got some love here a year or two ago, Campbell at ISU and Hafley at BC, don't look so good anymore.

Which names are "surprises"?

If LSU and USC can pry away coaches for similar programs as Michigan then absolutely UM can get a great coach if they have to move on.  

When it comes to replacement coaches, please remember: the odds may be good, but the goods may be odd.

Of course. Whoever takes would be inheriting an immediate National Championship contender. PJ Fleck would be my choice.

He'd be in my top two with Prime Time on my wish list

Outside of Kirby, Saban, and Lincoln Riley what coach would turn down the current Michigan job? I can’t even guarantee that Brian Kelly wouldn’t give it a thought (no thanks though). 
 

Michigan - beat Ohio State and Penn State -> win Big Ten -> go to CFP. And after this playoff expansion (and as Ohio State has shown) you don’t even have to do that anymore. Also, you will be in the biggest stadium, one of the top 3 watched teams in the nation, with resources as long as you win. 

I LOVE JH I hope he stays around for a LONG time...HOWEVER Im getting very tired of thisannual flirting with the NFL  MAKE UP YOUR MIND Hes hurting recruiting by every year going  this I thought he said last year that he was done with the NFL flirting for good and here we are at it again...This is NOT good for the Michigan football program...make up your mind or get off the pot JH

Chris Klieman has to be near the top of the list. Winner everywhere he goes and KState has probably hit their ceiling. 

I couldn't make it through the entire clip as I didn't hear any intresting takes.  We know the drill as we've have been through it more times than any media member/podcaster. 

In terms of surprising names, I’d say Sean Payton.  His name came up before for the  Michigan job before and it made zero sense because he seems NFL for life, but I wonder if he’s said things about the job in passing that are the basis for insider folks bringing his name up during searches.   I don’t think he’s realistically interested, but if I had to pick a genuinely surprising name that’s “interested” I’d said him.   He’s a brilliant coach, imho and I think he’ll be back in the NFL before long.
 

It is my belief that near any coach less than upper tier SEC or Big Ten could be a candidate. So let me throw out some interesting established names.

- Chris Kleinman

- Sam Pittman

- Lance Leipold

- Gus Malzahn

- Mike Elko

- Dan Lanning

- Don't neg me, Sonny Dykes

I’d like Dan Lanning. Super young (36) and can relate with recruits, while also very well versed in Georgia/Alabama tactics.

Plus it would continue the sweet tradition of Oregon coaches leaving the program early into their tenures.