Joel Klatt to Colin Cowherd just now: “I think Harbaugh is staying at Michigan”
Cowherd’s Fox Sports radio show.
This was in response to Cowherd saying if Harbaugh bolts, Michigan could fall out out of the top tier with Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State.
Klatt pushed back, “You have to include Michigan. They’re going to be loaded next year” … “I personally think Jim Harbaugh is back at Michigan next season. Michigan will remain in that top tier mix.”
January 10th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
Couldn’t agree more.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
Agree,its a matter of time before the right offer comes in He would be leaving with the program in great shape. This can’t go on every year.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:28 PM ^
Success breeds interest and speculation. If us being in contention every years means I'm going to have to embrace for NFL rumors and interest every offseason, well them I'm just going to hold on to my butt and enjoy the ride.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
Rumors and interest would be one thing. This is much more than that. He's actively seeking out teams and now also interviewing.
He may want to be at Michigan, but it appears he wants to be in the NFL quite a bit more.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:32 PM ^
Harbaugh, just freaking go! You hold the university, players, future players, and coaches hostage. Not to include what you are doing to a future class. This is especially demeaning, if you plan to stay, there are easier ways to get a raise. If it’s to leave, be honest, too much to ask for, I know. That’s long gone. Sad thing is with how recruiting works now and NIL money and other factors I get leaving, but hell do it.
This whole thing has become a spectacle to the team and university you say you love.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:34 PM ^
Isn't the real question this: if Harbaugh is offered an NFL job, will he take it?
If the answer is no or even undecided, then this is agent posturing, etc.
If the answer is yes, then this is a problem that will rear its head over the next few years (regardless of a buy-out).
Klatt could be stating his opinion based on the fact he doesn't think he'll be offered an NFL position, not his desire to be at Michigan. How Klatt would know that, I have no idea.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
This was live this afternoon, so it was right after Cowherd discussed the Harbaugh to the Broncos news. Klatt sounded confident pushing back against that noise.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
The best possible replacement for Harbaugh, imho, is PJ Fleck. What he runs at Minnesota would match perfectly with Michigan's personnel. It is a slam dunk no brainer. I can't even come up with a second option.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
Yeah unlike the current staff he’s likely put the players in their best position to succeed.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:49 PM ^
If only we had Cade back!
January 10th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
If you can't come up with a better option that PJ Fleck as the next HC at Michigan you should probably try a bit harder.
January 10th, 2023 at 3:20 PM ^
Who then smart guy?
January 10th, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
Is Jeff Tedford still available? He was the mgoblog flavor of the off season a few years back, kinda the Matt Campbell of his day.
January 11th, 2023 at 9:37 AM ^
You won't likely see this but let me do your work for you. In no particular order:
- Jeff Tedford - Head Coach at Fresno St. Former HC at Cal during their best run. Knows how to deal with high-academics school requirements.
- Sherrone Moore - Already on staff, has been steadily improving. Ace recruiter. Young guy who has helped built an elite offensive line and, IMO, had a more robust offensive gameplan than last year's OC.
- Dave Aranda - Great DC and has shown he can run a program at Baylor that dealt with issues before he arrived. Good recruiter.
- Lance Leipold - Has made Kansas into a solid program. Did a great job at Buffalo beforehand. Has been on a lot of short lists.
- Dave Clawson - Done a good job at Wake. Runs a fun offense. Seemingly not a great recruiter but Wake is a tough place to pull talent and so you never know.
- David Shaw - Sort of a wild swing but whatever. Has dealt with replacing Jim Harbaugh once. Stanford has talent deficiencies that can only be somewhat assigned to him. Still pulled in one of the top Pac-12 recruiting class in 2022. Changed his offensive gameplan this year (similar one to Clawson's at Wake) and they made some strides.
That's just off the top of my head. People say Harbaugh wears on people but Fleck seems even worse. Also, his teams tend to not close well in games they need; they lost 3 straight games in the middle of the year and then lost to Iowa late when they could have won the division. His ceiling feels like Minnesota, and trying to make him more than that just means a bunch of 8-9 win teams.
January 11th, 2023 at 4:23 PM ^
You know PJ Flecks ceiling but are willing to roll a Marcus Freeman dice on Sherrone Moore, and... your first choice is Jeff Tedford? Did I just travel back in time to the early 2000s? Can we give Rick Neuheisel a call while we are at it. Gtfo. You're certainly entitled to your opinions, and I do appreciate you taking the time to write this out, but no, just no.
January 10th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Welcome to the MGoBandwagon, PJ!
January 10th, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
bad idea is bad
also I think very rare for a coach to go from one big ten team to another. making an offer - and then having it turned down - would be quite the shit show.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:49 PM ^
So you don't offer because you're afraid they might say no?
January 10th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
Seems like the more details that come out about these interviews and teams is that it’s Harbaugh’s people reaching out to them and not the other way around.
Which tells me he’s likely staying because nobody in the NFL wants him, but also shows that yes he has interest in leaving for the NFL with the right offer.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
I am quickly becoming a Joel Klatt fan
January 10th, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
Careful of that kool-aid. Kinda like the Sam Webb kool-aid.
January 10th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
What person is not interested in exploring jobs that pay substantially more than their current one?
Anyone that questions Harbaugh's integrity regarding this is ridiculous and unrealistic, especially considering that he already took a massive pay cut from his initial base salary to continue coaching here.
He's proven that he can reach key performance incentives in his job. He is deserving of resetting his base pay to a high level, commensurate with, or above other leading coaches in and beyond the B1G. If we want him to stay, we have to pay.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
I have no problem with what you're saying. However, your golden boy said one thing, and is doing another. That is the issue. Integrity is doing what you say. Integrity is being a man of your word. If Jim wants to go, then be honest with everyone and go. It's not "Those who flirt with the NFL but say they aren't leaving will be Champions." He shouldn't preach one thing then do another. That's all :)
January 10th, 2023 at 4:05 PM ^
Joe Klatt thought TCU would give Georgia a game.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:34 PM ^
He also thought we would cover the spread against TCU . . .
January 10th, 2023 at 4:14 PM ^
joel klatt thought OSU's defensive coordinator was about to have the series of his life...
and then, "TOUCHDOWN, THE DON!"
January 10th, 2023 at 4:46 PM ^
I should check the tape, but I think he said that he "needs" to have the series of his life. Not that he was about to.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:15 PM ^
You are correct.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
Well ok that settles it then
January 10th, 2023 at 4:26 PM ^
“Although no one knows the future"
January 10th, 2023 at 4:40 PM ^
Breaking News: Harbaugh release statement...
"No one knows the future, but I think I'll probably be back at Michigan next season. That is, God willing and if the creek don't rise, I'll be here. Seriously, it is my intention to be in Ann Arbor. I don't plan to chase any more NFL jobs that aren't offered to me. If an NFL team calls me, I will not be the one to answer the phone. I am fully committed to the idea of being the coach of Michigan at some point in the year 2023."
January 10th, 2023 at 7:19 PM ^
Imagine a married couple renewing vows by saying, hey, look, no one can predict the future, but we think we’ll stay together.
Any proclamation along those lines would be seen as hollow and revealing, which is how NFL insiders viewed Jim Harbaugh’s highly qualified comments about “expecting” to remain head coach at Michigan even though “no one can predict the future.”
https://theathletic.com/4068505/2023/01/09/jim-harbaugh-broncos-russell-wilson/?source=twitterhq
January 10th, 2023 at 4:38 PM ^
Joel is usually on top of these things but i just hope he honestly believes this and not just wearing his fan googles
January 10th, 2023 at 7:14 PM ^
Meanwhile, there's now talk that's there's going to be up to a 4 NFL teams bidding war over Jim Harbaugh, Denver giving the opening bid.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
Betonline which is pretty large hasHarbaugh staying at +220 https://www.betonline.ag/sportsbook/futures-and-props/nfl-regular-seaso…
Bookies.com has Harbaugh back to Michigan at +275 https://bookies.com/nfl/picks/jim-harbaugh-nfl-team-odds
My intuition would have been Harbaugh staying at much better than 50/50. The fact that markets have it at 25-33% chance he stays after the statement from last week is pretty telling. They aren't in the business of handing out free money.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:41 PM ^
Who knows? If Jim gets an NFL gig he’s gone. If he is 2nd or 3rd, he will be back. Meanwhile recruiting will suffer! We should be in the top 5 recruiting given 2 playoff appearances but instead we are lucky to crack the top 20. Every year Jim will keep on trying to get an NFL job. I hope the coaches can keep coaching up 3 stars?
January 11th, 2023 at 7:22 AM ^
I personally think Jim Harbaugh is back at Michigan next season.
You can quote me on that. I expect if John Klate gets a board post, I should get no less than a diary post about my quote.