Joel Klatt says there is tension with Jim Harbaugh
Cherish Harbaugh while we have him. How do we get Warde to walk out the door? Sounds like he’s going to lose us another coach walk.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:38 PM ^
Give me a break, the dude has tried to bail for at least the last two years. He wants to go for a Super Bowl, what exactly is anyone at Michigan supposed to do about that?
October 5th, 2023 at 11:15 AM ^
Meh, reducing it to "tried to bail" is nothing but petty. Harbaugh entertaining offers after how the AD reacted to the 2020 "season" are two entirely different things that requires at least a shade of nuance. Acting like there's nothing Michigan could do about it is also a bridge too far.
The urgency and concern is that he is the best possible coach we could have at U of M, it would be a MAJOR blow to lose him. At least outwardly, it doesn't appear that our AD has done things to date to assure that we keep him here as long as possible, why on earth is James Franklin or Ryan Day paid more than this man? What Harbaugh has at Michigan is something no NFL team can replicate, and it's not like available NFL jobs offer a garden path to a Super Bowl (The Bears???? LOL), success at Michigan comes with football immortality in a place w/ near as makes no difference 150 years of football history, success in the NFL means you're run out in 3 years for 99% of these teams.
Hopefully a new contract is announced, and we keep the best coach we could possibly have in the sweet spot of a run that we have waited about 20 years for.
October 5th, 2023 at 7:40 PM ^
^ this ^
October 4th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
what did trump tell you? seriously, if he leaves now, fuck it and let it be.
Michigan <<<< the Bears if you really love football.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:54 PM ^
Michigan was playing Football long before the Bears.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:43 PM ^
As a Bears fan I can tell you that he will not be the Bears head coach. The last time they were looking for a coach was the season Harbaugh interviewed with the Vikings, the Bears didn't even take any formal steps to speak with him outside of an informal call. But that's not the biggest problem. The biggest problem is the ownership is super conservative and traditional. I cannot see them giving Harbaugh the amount of control and power that Harbaugh would almost certainly require to come to the NFL. They just don't operate like that. They are concerned about their image because they see themselves as part of the old guard with the Rooneys and Maras of the league, and they are, they're just the laughing stock of that group. Having a coach with that much power is not worth the trouble for them even if it results in them winning more.
October 5th, 2023 at 8:36 AM ^
Weren't you saying the same thing the last two years?
October 4th, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
I believe this will be his last season in Ann Arbor
October 4th, 2023 at 9:27 PM ^
Unfortunately, I he the same feeling.
October 4th, 2023 at 11:10 PM ^
Agree with you and MeanJoe (and fearless leader Putin) above, I am completely prepared for Harbaugh to go the NFL next year. The only question will be who is next HC, and between Moore who is my preference, and Minter, there are 2 that are ready to step into the position now. I am hoping this is a situation where there has been a planned inheritance / transition with continuity since we have young talented coaches in a position to step up.
October 4th, 2023 at 11:53 PM ^
I believe it will be either Moore, Hart or JayBaugh and honestly I don't know if there is a bad choice between them. I think all 3 guys would be perfectly capable of leading our program and that's a testament to Jim Harbaugh
October 5th, 2023 at 9:28 AM ^
No inside info, but I feel Moore and Jaybaugh have a leg up over Hart.
I also think if it's one of those three, Minter is likely gone. He will have other opportunities whether it is following Jim to NFL or as a HC in college. Hope I"m wrong, but he's not going to wait out his time behind Moore/Hart/Jaybaugh
From Harbaugh's comments it sounds like he'd probably also take Herbert with him also. We are going to have a very large program rebuild.
October 5th, 2023 at 10:19 AM ^
I wonder how many people Harbaugh would want to take with him if he jumps to the NFL. I can see him taking some of his current coaches to the NFL.
October 4th, 2023 at 7:53 PM ^
He already established a pipeline to Santa. Warde is a go-between at best at this point.
October 4th, 2023 at 7:58 PM ^
Yeah, everyone thinks this is his last year but nobody seems to give a shit that it's likely Warde's fault. He really should lose his job considering he needed the school president to step in and fix his failure.
When Harbaugh walks but Warde stays, the school will never get another dime from me.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^
This is exactly my point! What are we even doing?
October 4th, 2023 at 8:42 PM ^
Same. If he leaves it's entirely Warde's fault. And that, to me, is completely unacceptable.
I don't know what that guy's problem is, but Santa needs to sort him out or find a reason to get rid of him. I don't care how.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:02 PM ^
(I see your edit and raise you one n/m)
October 4th, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
It seems like Warde is solid in his role as a bean-counter and day to day manager, but I don't see much in the way of leadership from someone who is supposed to represent the Leaders and Best. He does not seem to be proactive (or even reactive really), but rather just doesn't want to make any waves. Just be passive and take the path of least resistance.
When given opportunities to show even the slightest bit of direct support for Harbaugh, he has passed. He didn't have to directly tell the NCAA to F-off, but he could have stated that he is certain that Jim is always acting in the best interests of the athletes, the school and the community, and ask the NCAA to do some soul-searching and ask themselves if they can say the same thing. I don't know if that is enough to keep Jim (the NIL v. "NIL" nonsense alone would be enough to drive me away), but it certainly wouldn't hurt.
October 4th, 2023 at 10:53 PM ^
Who is the guy on this board who knew Warde from his days at UConn and dropped his balls by being in the "sports establishment" and "being in the same circles as Warde" and called him "excellent and a leader and best" at a minnow school... when they were looking for a new AD. Just can't get those posts out of my head but hey at least he is not a Toys R us exec.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:02 PM ^
That's absurd, though. It's Warde's fault that Michigan won't give Harbaugh the opportunity to win a Super Bowl he clearly wants?
God, the amount of shit Warde gets here when nobody really has any idea. Sure, Warde is the reason Harbaugh stayed in 2021, when the majority of the fanbase was demanding that he be fired, and even Harbaugh has never said he's not getting enough money at Michigan, but .. somehow him leaving has to be Warde's fault. Why? Because!
How do we know Warde is failing? How do we have any idea ... what would happen if someone else were here? Coaches from other schools leave, sometimes. Sometimes -- like Lincoln Riley -- even for other schools!
Damn, fans are fickle. Everything disappointing that happens has to be someone's fault. Ref makes a bad call? It's a conspiracy! Highly-prized recruit chooses to go to another school? It's because we don't use NIL right! Coach leaves to follow his dream (and, yes, maybe because the current college landscape is a disaster)? It's Warde's fault!
Sheesh.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:09 PM ^
Agreed, and yet it seems we keep winning yet another Big Ten title in another sport, all under his watch. Can't be a coincidence.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:35 PM ^
2021, keeping Harbaugh was path of least resistance
October 4th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^
All you have to do is read this to,"know" what type of great people always comment on Warde. Warde does his job as a bean-counter from day to day. I hope that life continues in the way it should. For each person that knows what Warde does and why he should be fired, counting beans? Yeah I'll just skip this topic for now! Years back we had a consensus of people who also thought Caldwell should be replaced with,"Chatty Patty!" So yeah, keep up the good work Warde, the bean-counter.
October 5th, 2023 at 7:44 AM ^
Yeah, I'm not sure we have any evidence that Warde is the issue. I think we all know JH. Do we really think $15M/yr compared to $10M/yr will be the thing that keeps him here for another 10 years? Warde can't pull the strings that float JHs boat. He can't scratch the NFL itch for JH and he can't control the NCAA and how they operate.
All Warde can do is support JH and his program financially and in the B10 meetings re: scheduling, etc. I have no doubt JH will be compensated near the top level in college and that M will have a top pay structure for the football program's assisnts and staff. I'm confident that Warde won't micromanage the football team and step on JHs decisions.
TL;DR: sometimes, people leave and it's not about the money and it's not about the boss
October 5th, 2023 at 9:05 PM ^
I hate to tell you but Harbaugh feels Warde could have done more about the suspension. I have been mentioning it since January, Harbaugh did not want to serve a suspension an didn’t believe he needed to. He accepted a suspension because he wanted to minimize the distraction for his team, but he told them in January to handle it before it got to the season. They did not handle it so he accepted a suspension and used it to show off his assistant coaches. I fully believe there is tension, because Harbaugh believes Warde could have and should have done more with the inquiry that led to his suspension.
People holding out hope that he served his suspension so that means he’s back next year, that’s not the case. He’s e served the suspension to keep the distractions to a minimum in a season where Michigan feels they have a great chance to win something big. They felt good about the early season match-ups and decided to show off assistant coaches and make it about them. Harbaugh is very good about showing off his team and assistants and being positive.
I’m not saying he’s definitely gone, because an NFL team would have to offer him a job, but don’t be surprised if he does go this time. I was also adamant he wasn’t taking a job the last few years. But the Chargers are a legitimate threat. I do not believe the Bears are. As someone else mentioned, they won’t give him the control he’ll want. The Chargers have a legit QB, a very solid defense, and their roster construction is solid to quickly make them good. Again, he can interview all he wants it’s not a guarantee he’ll get an offer, but if he does……?
October 5th, 2023 at 8:04 AM ^
The school, or the athletic department? They're two different things.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:00 PM ^
this dude is the one who started all the trouble
i'm going to lose my $2 to mgrowold. oh woe is me, oh woe is our program should this come to pass....
October 4th, 2023 at 9:10 PM ^
Was it ever confirmed who the rat was? Dudek, or maybe a recruit.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:01 PM ^
If Harbaugh goes to the NFL, it'll be because Harbaugh *wants* to go to the NFL.
If he decides he wants to stay at Michigan, you can be absolutely sure he will be able to. He isn't the type to walk away if they "only" offer him $10 million and not $12 million per year. And they aren't going to push him out the door after the last three seasons, that's for certain.
You can hate on Warde if you want but Warde isn't going to be anywhere near the top of the list of reasons why Harbaugh goes. (And to be fair, also if he stays). That relationship, tension, whatever just isn't that important when the decision gets made. By Harbaugh.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
Probably not, but every little thing matter. I don't know if Warde is a problem but this 3 game suspension was asinine. If Warde couldn't tell everyone to fuck off and get behind Jim, then I say he attributed some to his tension. That is just one example.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
I think your concept of pushing out the door is different from mine. Warde has indirectly been pushing Harbaugh since 2017. Made him change his sideline behavior, lowered his salary (2020), hasn't backed him during the NCAA "Investigation," and he hasn't gotten a new contract completed. So physically push out, no, but subtlety pushing (not doing anything to keep him), yes. When your boss's boss has to intervene, that's more telling to me than anything else. Warde obviously has a great responsibility for a $220 million budget for the athletic department, but when the majority of income is produced by football, you bend over backwards to keep the gods happy. If and when Harbaugh leaves, there will be a drop off in monies produced by the football team. The longer he stays the better. But, I agree with the *majority, he's going to be in the NFL for next season. I wish he would stay!
*not majority, but the minority
October 4th, 2023 at 8:53 PM ^
You don’t know that Warde hasn’t had his back. Michigan has never been the school to air its dirty laundry in public. The NCAA rejected a 4 game suspension. This possibly staves off Harbaugh getting suspended for more games next year.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:11 PM ^
Seriously? Lets go back to 2016, shall we? Remember when Warde utterly failed to back Harbaugh after the OSU game was stolen by the refs and the B1G fined him? I remember that! Warde not only agreed with the fine, he made Jim apologize for his comments. Remember the summer of 2017, when OSU's AD made unsolicited comments about the UM football team trips overseas, saying they were dumb and not needed? Jim clapped back 'welcome back to the game', and again Warde made him apologize for standing up for his program. Remember when Speight's neck was broken at Purdue and they transported him in the front seat of a van? Warde backed Harbaugh's attempt to upgrade B1G stadium medical facilities, but took the back seat and never kept pushing it at board meetings. Remember all the anti-Jim NCAA noise about satellite camps? Warde never said a thing, nor did he lead any effort to keep them.
We know for fact that Warde hasn't backed Harbaugh in a lot of public flaps. Show me a Harbaugh win in any of those (or a hundred others), and I might listen to an idea that Warde may have helped.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:44 PM ^
Agreed! The blame Warde for everything that isn't liked crowd is irrational and boring.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
He isn't that type, but Ono will jump in and makes sure Harbaugh gets as many dozens of millions of dollars as necessary
October 4th, 2023 at 9:03 PM ^
Yep. Best post here.
So much angst around here about Warde, but whatever Harbaugh does, the AD will rank about 85th in terms of his decision criteria.
$$$ is higher but I doubt it is that much higher.
numbers 1 & 2 & 3 would have to be (1) have i accomplished what I wanted to accomplish here, (2) do I want another coaching adventure and (3) am I running out of time for that.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^
End thread
October 4th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
PLEASE!!!
October 5th, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
The list goes like this:
1) Wants to win a super bowl
2) Doesn’t respect Warde
So yes, Warde is the bottom of the list. He’s also number two on the list. I don’t know where you get the idea that a boss that Harbaugh doesn’t respect wouldn’t be on the list, but it certainly isn’t from Harbaugh or anyone close to him.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
I doubt Joel Klatt knows more than anything widely speculated publicly.
There's some buzz going around on Twitter that a new Harbaugh contract is getting done soon. So maybe keep your pitchforks in the shed for a while longer?
October 4th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
I will gladly eat crow if you’re right!
October 4th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
This is the correct statement. Let’s enjoy the season.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:18 PM ^
Damn, I just got mine out. I better put it back.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:23 PM ^
Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:56 PM ^
Best way to prevent rust on tools is to use them often.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:27 PM ^
I think this is exactly right. I like me some Joel Klatt, but only when he's commenting on a Michigan game going on in front of his face. Especially when we're whipping the Buckeyes. It's disingenuous for Klatt to say those things as if he has inside knowledge.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:39 PM ^
That's what I am looking for too. Coach Harbaugh is home imho. Thank you for being a voice of reason. Would rather just focus on this season, and enjoy it each step of the way until the season is completed. Lot of guys came back that could have left. This is a special Michigan football team and staff imho. I hope every Michigan fan can enjoy it. Whose got it better than us ? Nobody !!