Michigan offers Harbaugh largest contract in college football

Submitted by GoBlue96 on January 24th, 2024 at 12:51 PM
https://twitter.com/TheWolverineOn3/status/1750211642992849258

 

Football

Bill22

January 24th, 2024 at 2:40 PM ^

Good point, but I still think it’s relevant.  It’s like when the Alabama AD hired Saban from the Dolphins and flew to Miami to physically put him on the plane back to Alabama.

Or when Tua physically put Najee Harris on the plane to Alabama from the Army AA Game in Texas, instead of letting him go to Michigan.

Where you physically are matters and the fact that the Chargers ownership didn’t immediately hold a press conference announcing the hire is a big fucking deal!

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Kevin13

January 24th, 2024 at 6:03 PM ^

There is probably a lot in play here.  It's possible the Chargers also like other candidates they have interviewed and aren't 100% sold on Jim either.  Everyone assumes Harbaugh is every NFL teams first choice and dream hire.  There are a lot of good candidates out there and Jim is just one of them.   It sounding like Michigan is now giving Jim a contract he may not be able to refuse and everyday that goes by that he's not going to the NFL makes it more likely he is UM's coach for a while more

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Communist Football

January 24th, 2024 at 1:30 PM ^

According to the article, the Chargers organization isn't too keen on the GMs that Harbaugh favors. On the flip side, Michigan is taking steps to address Harbaugh's concerns, by saying Harbaugh couldn't be fired for cause based on current/ongoing investigations, but rather could see a pay cut due to an NCAA-mandated suspension.

Furthermore, the three-man panel provision apparently is something that would only kick in if Michigan fired him and he sued the university, which is considered a less controversial provision.

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FrankMurphy

January 24th, 2024 at 1:40 PM ^

What you're referring to is essentially an arbitration clause, which is very common and shouldn't be controversial at all. My understanding is that (if the reports are to be believed, which is a nontrivial if), Harbaugh is demanding that the for cause decision itself be left to an independent panel. That effectively amounts to a requirement that the AD seek permission from a third party before firing its own worker for cause. That introduces some significant complications.

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bluesalt

January 24th, 2024 at 1:59 PM ^

It’s still a reasonable clause.  Harbaugh is the most important employee in the AD.  Michigan shouldn’t want Harbaugh’s fate to rest in the hands of one employee who is hierarchically above him but institutionally below him.  If Warde or any future AD thinks Harbaugh should go, they can make that case to said panel, without going rogue or having a turf war.

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JonnyHintz

January 24th, 2024 at 3:12 PM ^

This implies the AD has complete say over whether or not Harbaugh would be fired in a for cause scenario. 
 

Any decision to fire any coach for cause would certainly go through the legal team representing the university to ensure the decision would hold up in court. And also wouldn’t happen without the input of the AD’s bosses. 
 

The AD may run the department, but they don’t really have complete free range to just do whatever they want.

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bluesalt

January 24th, 2024 at 3:39 PM ^

Going through a legal team is not the same thing as not having the authority and expectation to make the decision.  Either he does, in which case my point remains, or he doesn’t, in which case this should be an easy thing to give to Harbaugh.  If this is an actual demand, Harbaugh must believe that the AD has the power on this stuff.

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Mr Miggle

January 24th, 2024 at 4:13 PM ^

Does anyone believe that Warde, or a future AD, has the actual ability to fire Harbaugh without the agreement of the president or the regents. I certainly don't. He would be out of his job if he tried any move involving that much money on his own. 

The AD may be the football coach's boss, but he doesn't have carte blanche to run his department however he wants. It's much too important to the school.

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JonnyHintz

January 24th, 2024 at 5:56 PM ^

Exactly, and that was the point I was making above. There are too many hoops to jump through and too much money at stake when it comes to firing a contractual employee for one individual to make that decision without the approval of THEIR superiors. 
 

Warde is in charge of running the department, but he doesn’t get to just do whatever he wants with no overhead. If Harbaugh were ever fired by any AD, it would be with the approval of the school president and the regents. 

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Communist Football

January 24th, 2024 at 3:30 PM ^

Here is the clause from Kansas BB coach Bill Self's contract that, apparently, is being adapted for Michigan purposes:

F. Current Infractions Case: The parties agree that Athletics will not terminate Head Coach for cause due to any current infractions matter that involves conduct that occurred on or prior to the date of full execution of this Agreement. If Head Coach is suspended by the NCAA and/or the Big 12 Conference as a result of the pending NCAA infractions matter, Head Coach agreed that he and BCLT will forfeit 50% of earned Salary (Section 4 herein) and Professional Services Payment (section 5 herein) during the time of such suspension. For clarity purposes and by way of example, if Head Coach receives a one-month suspension, then for that month only Head Coach's salary and professional services payment would be reduced by 50% to $9,375 (salary under Section 4) and $114,583 (professional services under Section 5).

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