JUB: Contract talks with Harbaugh are at an impasse over "what should be covered by immunity"
Presumably, Bacon is referring to disagreements over the the types of adverse NCAA findings that would entitle the University to fire Harbaugh for cause or perhaps withhold certain incentives.
Take it FWIW. I don't think any of the insiders has had a great track record lately, so 'no one knows anything until we all know something' is probably not a bad rule to live by. Having said that, John U. Bacon is among the few journalists whose reporting is worth paying attention to.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:34 AM ^
"From Harbaugh's perspective, the school has already suspended him for the cheeseburger incident (i.e. the university believes Harbaugh committed some NCAA violation). "
Or maybe Harbaugh recognizes that the school knows the NCAA can be rather capricious, and the school self-imposed a penalty because the school then was able to choose having him miss 3 games that the team would win regardless of whether he was on the sideline for those game days.
January 16th, 2024 at 5:09 AM ^
The ball is in Harbaugh's court, and it has been for quite some time.
It's on Michigan. Harbaugh has the leverage as he should. He's won 3 BIGs and a Natty and clearly sees an organization that's been proven to be wildly irrational and wants protection against it. Given NFL opportunities, he's not signing a contract that could potentially terminate his current employment, if the NCAA throws the book at him. And, he's seemingly disclosed everything, thus the university has some basis in calculating the risk. At this point, I have to believe the university is not comfortable embracing his requests, hence the stalemate. It's on the university to make concessions or he's gone.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:52 AM ^
Harbaugh does have the leverage. Harbaugh is happy to go to the NFL. Maybe it's even his preference.
By making a demand that no sane athletic department in the world would agree to, he is able to keep Michigan on ice while he takes his time to find and consider his NFL options.
If Michigan actually relented, he might sign it. Although my guess is he would just let it sit there until he's done exploring the NFL. But this way he's able to convince himself (and a large portion of this fanbase) that Warde Manuel is the problem.
And you're right that Harbaugh is not interested in entering a contract that puts him at the mercy of the NCAA's irrational and vindictive decision making. That just makes this call that much easier for him in preferring the NFL.
If he gets an NFL offer he likes, he goes. If he doesn't, he goes back to the table with Michigan and gives a little bit, which he's probably loathe to do. He's probably convinced that he'll find an NFL job and he's probably right.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:55 AM ^
To be fair, it's a classic impasse with both sides having a position they feel strongly about. Whether one is right or wrong is irrelevant. Just like blaming one side or the other for the stalemate is irrelevant. What IS relevant is that they need to reach some kind of compromise agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
January 16th, 2024 at 10:00 AM ^
Honestly the best is probably to let him ride out his current contract, and continue to take the NFL interviews he’s so clearly interested in, until there is more clarity on what penalties the NCAA will actually impose.
January 16th, 2024 at 5:23 AM ^
That's letting the NCAA chase him out with bullshit to the NFL. That's unacceptable. Fuck the NCAA and their sanctions.
January 16th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
I mean you can say that, but it’s not like Michigan will, or should, risk a death penalty situation to keep trotting out Harbaugh if he gets a yearlong suspension.
They should fight it, but they should not commit program suicide to protect one man.
January 16th, 2024 at 5:26 AM ^
Fuck that, if Sherrone Moore has to be the head coach for a year that's totally fine. Give Harbaugh his 10 year contract, ncaa can suck a lemon.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:22 AM ^
Harbaugh will not and should not sign a deal that financially paralyzes him in the very likely event that the NCAA, whose animus towards him has already been clearly demonstrated, chooses to amplify some other innocuous violation into something major. If the university sees it like you do, it’s probably best that they and Harbaugh part ways.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:45 AM ^
I think people are remarkably blase about how easy it would be to have JH away from the program for a year or two. Having "shadow coach" just outside the facility will make management impossible. Who's in charge if Moore and Harbaugh disagree? (Easy to imagine camps of "Moore" and "Harbaugh" people.) If we need to hire an assistant, who signs off? If you're an assistant looking to get hired, why would you go to a place where the guy who hires you is getting demoted in a year?
And when JH comes back: what if JH has a few rough games? People will start clamoring for Moore and the way it was. Or, the more positive spin: what if the program is firing on all cylinders with Moore and people don't want to upset the applecart by demoting him in favor of a guy who's been tending chickens for two years? This is classic palace coup stuff. It's terrible juju.
January 16th, 2024 at 2:15 AM ^
Odds of Harbaugh returning to Michigan were as high as -500, now down to -130 on DraftKings. Harbaugh to Chargers at +130.
Not great.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:01 AM ^
I wouldn’t read too much into that. You’re talking about entities that just intentionally took a stand on Michigan on back to back games so they could fleece the public. Probably decided they could make a fortune on Michigan fans emotionally hedging the move to the Chargers.
January 16th, 2024 at 2:46 AM ^
Hint: It's in the tree, Warde
January 16th, 2024 at 2:49 AM ^
Seems as dumb as the "Harbaugh can't talk to any NFL team in 2024" clause that was supposedly in there last month. Just make the contract appealing to him and put burgers and signs under immunity.
January 16th, 2024 at 3:58 AM ^
Agreed. The buyout clause will eliminate the NFL interest. Say the contract is for $15 mil/yr for 10 years. What NFL owner is going to want to pay a $135 million buyout next year?
January 16th, 2024 at 2:59 AM ^
I feel like if Jim Hackett was still here that something would be worked out with Harbaugh.
January 16th, 2024 at 7:42 AM ^
Maybe, but it's pretty clear at this point that whoever JUB's contact is has an anti Warde axe to grind. Not saying what he's reporting is wrong, but just like with Thamel and every other reporter, full context is important.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:29 AM ^
I just wish our University would standup to the bully NCAA. SEC schools have done much worse and thy have told the NCAA to go fuck off. NCAA only picks on schools that will agree to their punishment and they usually punish these schools severely.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:50 AM ^
The NCAA can punish you, whether you agree to it or not.
What the SEC schools have done successfully is hide / suppress evidence. They are also surrounded by a local media ecosystem that protects them, unlike here.
They are good at cheating.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:09 AM ^
The NCAA can punish you, whether you agree to it or not.
That's the problem. Both sides trying to mitigate that risk and neither willing to budge.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:16 AM ^
And ultimately both sides (Michigan and Harbaugh) have reasonable positions. Harbaugh has every right to want assurances, while Michigan has every right to want escape clauses. The NCAA is the unreasonable actor here, but we can't wish them into being reasonable.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:14 AM ^
^^^^^. This… The NCAA is judge, jury, and executioner.
I’m pretty sure the issue isn’t with “US Criminal” statutes - about conduct. Criminal codes are clear. It’s what the NCAA might invent that is concerning.
Is something an L1 or L2 infraction? The NCAA will tell you later. The NCAA and B1G guidelines, By-Laws, rules, etc. - are very subjective. So, if they say you broke the rule.. they don’t really have to prove anything - you broke the rule.
What was the recruiting violation? Did Jim not remember something - or enough detail - to the NCAA’s liking? How about advance scouting? What rule is alleged to have been broken? Is it a staff member’s recording something? Or, a private citizen participating? Or - something in between? Was any rule broken? If so, which rule?
$800K for an OV is fine. Prospects arriving at signing / commitment ceremonies in a Lamborghini is becoming commonplace in the SEC - that’s fine. Tampering with players not in the portal is just “being thoughtful and sharing friendly ideas.” Pay for play… no problem.
Let’s be honest - the issue is Jim threatens a lot of entities. We all know the reason - revenue sharing.
Hopefully, the attorneys can figure out something that’s mutually agreeable.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:57 AM ^
It has to be more than just "revenue sharing"... the ncaa has been going after Harbaugh since the satellite camp days (2016 maybe?), which was long before Harbaugh ever said a word publicly about revenue sharing (and many other coaches are almost as vocal about it - Harbaugh really became the prominent coaching voice in the last year or two).
January 16th, 2024 at 10:11 AM ^
Harbaugh wants an equitable playing field - and, as we’ve seen - the NCAA bows down to the SEC.
Satellite camps started it. But, I believe revenue sharing is a much bigger deal. Why? It’s dollars. Jim has said - “I’ll take less so the players get something.”
Think of the repercussions. If Jim can drive a “players get a share of the media agreement” solution - then every team in a conference I’d going to have to belly up to the bar and do something similar. That will impact (at least) every other P4 team - and coaches across the P4 conferences - how many of them will be happy to give some of their salary to players?
I like Jim - his candor and approach. More than one entity has noted him as a target, IMO.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:44 AM ^
Maybe. I just have a feeling this is Harbaugh’s camp buying time for him to interview with the NFL by refusing to budge on contractual demands that are maybe beyond where university lawyers and brass would ever be willing to go for anyone — the total immunity thing
If he goes to the NFL, I doubt it will he because M didn’t offer a great contract. They seem willing to offer him the moon. And if Harbaugh doesn’t get an NFL offer, I bet he agrees to M’s offer.
January 16th, 2024 at 11:13 AM ^
Exactly, it's clear that Harbaugh is exploring his NFL options. If he doesn't like what is out there and comes back to Michigan I'm sure they will figure his contract out. Everything else is just posturing/click baiting right now.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:45 AM ^
The NCAA is coming to get Harbaugh. They just changed their coach suspension rules so that the coach can not be with the team during the week. It is not just an in-game suspension anymore. That is a direct reaction to Harbaugh's suspensions this season, and how they did not materially handcuff Michigan.
They want to "Death Penalty" Jim Harbaugh as a viable college coach.
And they have the power to do it, because there is no real due process with them. Rules and punishments are loosely defined (or made up on the spot under some vague "sportsmanship" umbrella). If they want to, they can ban Harbaugh for a cheeseburger while ignoring other coaches blatant NIL inducements and Portal tampering. And they want to.
Hence Michigan's problem. They know there is a crash coming. They cannot afford to pay for a full season or more and not have him be able to coach. They would also then need to pay another coach to take his place.
They can't commit to that level of immunity.
The NCAA has made Harbaugh untouchable, as per their plan.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:48 AM ^
This is stupid. The NCAA is done. And if this is how they find out, let it be. It'll make great TV, and the networks will definitely back the $$.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:33 AM ^
I think MDog is right over the target here. The NCAA in its current form may be in its final days but they won't go away easily.
January 16th, 2024 at 10:24 AM ^
A wounded animal is the most dangerous.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:52 AM ^
Nonsense. The NCAA chief has already tipped his hand by voluntarily saying M won fair and square. Whatever additional penalties come, they won’t be killer. Nobody gets the death penalty. He may get a few games added to his suspension and probation. But nothing horrible.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:56 AM ^
To clarify, they won't death penalty Michigan, they will "death penalty" Harbaugh as a viable college coach. I'll edit it.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:54 AM ^
Why do they want to do this to Jim Harbaugh?
January 16th, 2024 at 4:58 AM ^
He is blowing up their financial model.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:34 AM ^
That and he is a phenomenal coach so his competition would be more than happy to see him go as well.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:20 AM ^
Name one other visible / influential person in college athletics that advocates revenue sharing with players louder than Harbaugh.
If Harbaugh says “X%” of media contracts should go to the players - what will the result be?
It won’t only effect Michigan and its players / media agreements. Every other P4 program will need to do something similar to “keep up”.
January 16th, 2024 at 9:54 AM ^
"Louder than Harbaugh"? Not many - maybe Deion Sanders or Chip Kelly?
Yet most coaches are now paying a minimum lip service to revenue sharing (since they can all see this is going to happen in some way).
Yet Harbaugh seems to be the only one drawing such ire from the ncaa... and this has been for years.
January 16th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
I’ve heard Kelly’s remarks about revenue sharing - but, haven’t heard Deion’s comments. Deion may have said things - I just haven’t read / heard them.
This being said - Harbaugh is the poster child for revenue sharing with players. He’s been proactive and vocal in every forum where the topic has come up. In the “day after” the NC presser - it came up again (IIRC) - and, part of Jim’s comment after a question whether he’d be willing to put something like that together and work with the NCAA was.. “Yes, I’d be happy to meet with anyone. I think they have my number.”
January 16th, 2024 at 5:29 AM ^
Bro he just won the National Championship. We can absolutely afford to give Harbaugh a Sabbatical and let Sherrone Moore do HC duties for a year.
What is this nonsense about affording anything? The moneys there obviously, it's not going to disappear if Harbaugh gets suspended.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:35 AM ^
What of the NCAA says Harbaugh can’t coach for “X years” - at $12.5+ M per year?
January 16th, 2024 at 7:26 AM ^
Then they can go fuck themselves lol. The other b1g teams will take our side when they realize the alternative is not having Michigan play the games and the tv networks start trying to cancel the contracts for it.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:06 AM ^
The other b1g teams will take our side
LOL no. Did you not just live through last November? They (and the commissioner!) were attempting to sabotage one of their best shots at the conference winning the CFP.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:24 AM ^
"The other b1g teams will take our side..."
LMAO! Dude, you were born yesterday - happy birthday!
January 16th, 2024 at 7:29 AM ^
If all your tin foil hat stuff is true then why are they even negotiating with him? Makes no sense.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:07 AM ^
Well the negotiations have kind of stopped. That's why it's an impasse.
January 16th, 2024 at 4:46 AM ^
Immunity? It should contain an apology for already having preemptively punished him for things he should have been immune to.
Anything short of a convicted crime, he should be immune to.
January 16th, 2024 at 6:38 AM ^
Look at what B1G rule was broken. Oh, you say that no rule was broken - no investigation has been conducted / completed - but, the B1G’s jealous coaches & ADs want to punish Michigan somehow because they’re too good?
January 16th, 2024 at 7:45 AM ^
Tucker wasn't convicted of a crime, but he was appropriately fired by MSU. For UM and Harbaugh, resolving the competing interests and reducing that resolution to writing isn't nearly as simple as just saying "can be fired only in the event of a criminal conviction."
January 16th, 2024 at 8:26 AM ^
WTF??? Mel Tugger is not even remotely related to Harbaugh's situation. Stop comparing the two in any way. JFC...
January 16th, 2024 at 5:05 AM ^
if the head coach is the fall guy for punishing Michigan, isn’t any head coach getting suspended? or is the NCAA dropping its investigation, and any punishment, if Harbaugh leaves? Also is it more likely to vacate wins if Harbaugh leaves because there is no one to punish? finally, is UM better keeping Harbaugh or letting him walk? gone for a year with pay or gone for forever?