It’s that time of year again, but…

Sam Webb thinks Feldman’s report is accurate. 
 

More smoke.

Harbaugh never said he wasn’t leaving last year and was open w recruits he was considering the nfl.  I was worried his comment of serving at the pleasure of Michigan could easily be turned by him and still see him gone.  However, he already made a statement about being here in 23 and though I don’t think his love of Michigan would keep him no matter what.   He knows to go back on this statement will burn the ground at his feet and his legacy.  He will nit be welcomed back.   
 

2024. That’s another story but we have another year.  
 

I also think he brings in another offensive  mind to get more creative.  

If this was happening next year end of season then I would believe it, BUT with everyone returning next year why would he not give it another try?

Honestly I remember thinking last year. No way he's coming back. Now reading this I'm not so sure. I want him back. I think he's a great coach. Do I know for sure what he said last year means he'll be here till retirement? Nope....but I am a bit surprised and I don't know why honestly 

I think the “he said he was going to stay so he’ll never leave” people are naive. The NFL is the pinnacle of football and the job is pure coaching; no recruiting and everyone is on a level playing field with regard to the acquisition of talent. I firmly believe Harbaugh wants another shot there, and he’s entitled to it, but I hope he waits until next year. Michigan 2023 has the potential to be his best team and I think he’d have another shot at the winning it all in college, so there’s no reason to make the jump for a bad NFL job. If Michigan has another successful season in 2023, he’ll be an even more appealing candidate.
 

On the other hand, if an offer came from a team that already has a good QB in place (definitely not the Broncos), or the opportunity to draft one this year, he might feel like he has to take it, because after being rejected by the Vikings last year and nearing his 60th birthday, he knows there’s no guarantee he’d ever get a better opportunity.

Last year was the end of a 7 year contract iirc, and I believe that Harbaugh did tell the AD when he was hired that he would reassess his path at the end of the contract. He's now signed a new contract and said he was "done with the NFL"....he's been pretty true to his word.in the past, even with SF he never negotiated with Michigan until his contract option was not excercised.

But

Never say never? A team could back up a Brinks truck for him and make an offer he can't refuse....

I don't think its about the money though - Harbaugh gave away his performance bonus to coaches and people in the AD that took pay cuts due to covid. 

Its a vicious cycle - If Michigan does well, Harbaugh is always going to be targeted by the NFL...just have to accept it with the territory.

Though I do wonder if other fanbases like Georgia/OSU/Oklahoma+USC have the same amount of HC to NFL rumors every offseason?

I watched a Wolverine podcast preview of the Fiesta Bowl the other day in which show guest, all-time Michigan great, Mike Messner, was asked about Harbaugh's coaching future at Michigan given his dalliance with the Vikings job last season. 

Messner offered an interesting response, suggesting that Harbaugh while perhaps wanting to return to the NFL at a certain point, interviewed in part to drive up his coaching stock and program value. Hard to see that move as strictly a salary drive for himself and staff. But that's how Messner saw it.

While Messner is a former Harbaugh teammate, so is Warde Manuel. Harbaugh has never lied about his intentions. But he assured Warde he was tethered to Michigan as long as he wanted him as coach.

Still, he has never completely shut down speculation about his NFL interest. And he has something that few other coaches have, and that is a winning percentage that few other coaches in his position can boast. The NFL will always come calling for him as long as he continues in the profession. 

Clickbait calling clickbait. 

Ah yes the annual kill recruiting moment of the year.
 

Jim only has to pull a Kiffin every single time this stuff comes up but he refuses too. You can make every writer look completely stupid with this stuff. 

I’m not so sure this is clickbait. Sam basically just confirmed especially if it’s the Colts. I think people should start to wrap their heads around him leaving. 

Sherrone Moore as Michigan’s Marcus Freeman? Similar levels of experience. Both ace recruiters. Moore would be Michigan’s first head coach who is black. That would be a massive recruiting boost.

Retain Minter and defensive staff. Hire a more aggressive OC and let’s go.

If it happens, fine. He's had two really great years here and I thank him for those. But we just can't go through this ever year. Michigan is one of the top jobs in college, and this diminishes that if the reports are true and he's looking around. Remains to be seen. 

This shouldn't even be news anymore, year after year.  If he feels his work is better served elsewhere, then just let that be as it shall.  The man is not locked into some sort of UoM prison.  He is improving year after year with his new approach to talent development.  I do NOT want to see him go.  But he'd be leaving the blueprint for a new and dominant Michigan football program at the feet of whomever takes over.  He kicked in osu's teeth, TWICE!!! Took a minute to get there but he defined an era of which it is possible.  Winning it all in this chaotic CFB world has got to be insanity for a team manager.  I have loved and hated Coach Harbaugh, but he had a plan.  NIL could take UoM into dynasty level shit if Harbaugh and crew keep momentum. Dynasty level shit.

It’s 2023. Harbaugh is coaching Michigan. He could leave  tomorrow and technically not have told a lie. 

I don’t get why having NFL teams interested in him makes everybody so mad. As long as we are consistently winning, our head coach (especially somebody with JH’s pedigree) is likely going to be pursued by NFL teams. He said last week he planned on enthusiastically coaching at a Michigan. I guess he could change his mind, but what else do you want him to do?

Don’t want the NFL pursuing our coach?  Hire Mel Tucker. 

I trust Harbaugh as much as I can for not knowing him personally but I wouldn’t fault him for wanting to leave the college game. Michigan already had academic standards that made it difficult to recruit certain players (which I’m okay with since Michigan is a university), not in the best geographical location for talent, didn’t pay players prior to NIL.
 

Now you have this new world of NIL and it seems like a nightmare to try and recruit these kids. You’re having to work year round, spread super thin, and it’s exhausting. I would much rather be coaching in the NFL compared to college and I have zero interest in ever watching the NFL. I would be sad if Harbaugh left Michigan but I can’t blame Harbaugh if he leaves Michigan. 

Wonder if this came up with any of our 2023 recruits or their families?  I know it did last year and Jim was honest with them.

Warde, sign this man to a very generous contract and put full support behind him. That’s the next report I want to hear. Hopefully Santa comes and saves the day, if this is even an issue. 

Spoke w a friend of harbaugh’s today. 
he said Jim is not looking and very happy but if an nfl team offered him money and complete control he’d probably go. 
no one sees that happening. But you couldn’t blame him.