Questions in the aftermath of Harbaugh announcing return
I don’t want to make this snow-flakey but there are a number of interesting discussion points and questions based on yesterday’s events.
-What do you think really happened? I think it’s going to be easy for some people to laugh and point and say ha ha, he did not get his offer and needs to come back to Michigan with his tail between his legs. However there has to be more to the story than that. I think after nine hours of interviewing it was probably apparent to both sides that the fit just wasn’t quite there. And I still do think that Jim loves being in Ann Arbor.
-Will this help or hurt recruiting? I think that some are concerned that his prolonged flirting with the NFL is going to hurt recruiting, however it seems like he may have gotten it out of his system and this may have been his one last chance. That may finally solidify things that have been a negative recruiting tool that other coaches have used since he got here.
-Who do you really think was next in line? I have seen some people talk about Bill O’Brien being ready to come to Ann Arbor and I just shudder. It’s hard to know who to believe, some say Gattis would be the front runner or some say Hart was the guy. Whoever it was I feel like Ward would have moved quickly because he had a long time to consider this option. If Mike Hart is considered the heir apparent, I think it’s pretty obvious he needs to start being groomed. Because he probably wasn’t ready this year, but despite Jim saying he will be here as long as he is wanted, you just never know.
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:06 AM ^
42-27
Edit: Okay, that was snarky. I said this somewhere else, but part of me believes that JH and Warde teamed up somewhat to get an "appraisal" of Jim's value elsewhere.
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:20 AM ^
JH and Warde teamed up to get an evaluation of JH's value elsewhere, knowing that our recruiting would suffer at least in the short-term? I think some have overstated the effects the past month has had and will have on recruiting, but it simply makes no sense to put the program through a month of this just to get an estimate of FMV.
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:36 AM ^
Overall just shocked. I thought he was gone for sure. Frankly, the NFL is probably a much better gig than the mess that is college football, especially for someone like Harbaugh who has already proved he could win there. I thought the only thing that was really tying him to Ann Arbor was that all his kids and his parents are dug in here. But obviously he has worked that out. The buyout clause in his new package is going to be very interesting.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:52 AM ^
College football has it's issues for sure but the NFL isn't without it's downsides. If JH tends to be authoritative in his locker room, that doesn't always translate well to the NFL. In the NFL you sometimes have to coddle millionaires. Sure some players are professionals and come to work with their lunch pail but others need their ego's stroked and think more of themselves than they should.
There's a reason why college coaches like Saban and Meyer don't do well in the NFL, they like total control in their locker rooms. JH took the Niners to the SB in 2013 but was then out the next season after losing to eventual Superbowl Champions Seattle Seahawks in the NFCCG. Why would an organization do that? 3 NFCCG appearances and a SB appearance in 3 years. 8 years later and the Niners are just getting back to that level again. Why would ownership blow up their coaching staff that close to ultimate success in the playoffs??
February 3rd, 2022 at 12:55 PM ^
Just a slight correction - Harbaugh was actually out the season after losing to the Seahaws in the NFCCG. They went 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:30 PM ^
Yes you're correct, I missed the forgettable 2014 season. Of course many reasons can be blamed for it and obviously from that the seeds of discontent grew. The question still remains, why? What happened in one season riddled with injuries and player regression, that justified moving on from a coach that gave you 3 NFCCG's and a SB in 3 out of 4 seasons?
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:18 PM ^
Trent Baalke
February 3rd, 2022 at 4:58 PM ^
According to reports, Harbaugh and Baalke had a falling out between 2011 and 2013 and a lot of it seemed to revolve around their disagreements on player evaluations. Something JH clearly doesn't have to deal with at UM. It's interesting that York chose Baalke over Harbaugh when Jim was performing at a high level in his role whereas Trent was not.
I'm sure Harbaugh shenanigans may have played a part as well (e.g. Jim Schwartz).
Bottom line is JH has way more autonomy at UM than he'll get in the NFL.
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
1. 9ers made a bad decision.
2. That Jim Schwartz thing was awesome and Schwartz definitely looked like a boob running down the field after Jim. I guess if your a lions fan you’d see it different but you shouldn’t.
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:28 AM ^
That is exactly what I will be looking at with this contract extension. I certainly believe JH when he says this was his last time. I have been stating repeatedly that at his age (right or wrong), the window is closing rapidly on any shot of going to the NFL.
However, the real proof to me will be the new buyout clause. While I do not believe it will be some stupid number (say 20M), I would expect it to get back somewhere to the level it was pre circa 2020 (10M I believe)
Never say never, but putting your money where your mouth is will be very telling.
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:39 AM ^
Agree. Anybody else feel even a bit sorry for JH? He wanted the NFL, only had one bite in 2 years and that was because of a connection to Minny new GM. Would he go fly there without knowing an offer was almost a sure thing? Now, it’s back to playing on an uneven field (ie. Texas A /M , etc), dealing with Ohio State, recruiting, UM administration, etc.
And another 3 loss season possibly and a rematch in Columbus against a bent on revenge away from more criticism.
I know, dumb to feel sorry for a multi millionaire but.
Guess I will be negged to Bolivia. Just wanted to see if there was one person who has similar thoughts..
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:28 PM ^
I think it's possible that the fans and media worry much more about the "uneven playing field" and the complexity of recruiting in major college football now, and the transfer window, etc., than the coaches do. I don't deny that good coaches should be aware of those things, and factor them into their plans and pitches, but ... at the end of the day it's still: do your best to recruit the best players you can, then coach them up to win football games.
And if you trust yourself and are good at your job, you're able to proceed with some confidence you'll do well. Neither our starting running back nor starting quarterback this year would have been heavily recruited by Ohio State, for instance, but they did just fine against the Buckeyes.
It's just like Bo coming in in 1969 and all his assistant coaches being shocked at the poor facilities they had to work with and worried they wouldn't be able to win with them. Bo got past that right quick.
I don't think great coaches waste a whole lot of time thinking about "poor me," and I doubt Harbaugh wastes tons of time thinking about what A&M is able to do. Just look forward, get the best players you can, and coach 'em up. It's not rocket-science, no matter what all the pundits and people with tons of time to sit around speculating would tell you.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:31 PM ^
He didn't have "one bite in 2 years." He was a part of every NFL discussion this year and many discussions in years past. He could have made Miami happen had he wanted it at all costs. Here, Harbaugh and the Vikings (or some within the Vikings) thought this could be a thing, and it became evident -- probably to both sides -- that it was not destined to be. If anything, that experience deepens his ties to Michigan.
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:37 AM ^
Agree Go Blue - that would make no sense at all. Almost as bad as asking your coach to tank games for the top draft pick!
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:45 AM ^
Since you mentioned owners asking their coaches to tank, I think the Flores lawsuit had a significant impact on the Vikings considerations. The "word" was out that Harbaugh had the job in the bag and the interview was a formality. DeMeco Ryans interviewed Tuesday. If the Vikings then hired Harbaugh on Wednesday and there is even an appearance that it was a done deal before he showed up, then it plays right into Flores legal argument. Especially in the court of public opinion. I am pretty certain that Vikings counsel advised them of that.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:50 AM ^
I would wonder if it had more to do with Miami/Flores connection. Miami is a comparable gig at Minnesota and I cannot believe that Ross would lose Harbaugh to another NFL team. Did Jim re-evaluate that situation? Did legal from the NFL put a hold on things and Jim couldn't wait longer? Looking forward to JUB's book.
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Yep, the interview at Minnesota could have been cover for Harbaugh to go to Miami. Ross said he wouldn't hire Jim away from Michigan. That said, I could see Harbaugh and Ross coming up with a plan where Harbaugh gets an offer from Minnesota, then Ross steps in and offers Harbaugh, as at that point Harbaugh is leaving Michigan anyway.
Then the whole lawsuit erupts and Ross decides he can't hire Harbaugh given what all happened to Flores and tells him. Harbaugh gives his spiel in Minnesota. They give theirs. Harbaugh says it's probably not a good fit.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:21 AM ^
Is recruiting going badly?
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:24 AM ^
I'd say this was done at the perfect time to not hurt recruiting. We weren't in on any big players for NSD. And I'm sure a few weeks of this won't have any impact on next year's class.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:37 AM ^
He is flying without a plane.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:56 AM ^
How does/did it hurt recruiting? He signed the #8 class in the nation and landed two highly rated OL in the transfer portal. I think a little divergent thinking is in order.
Lets see, your head FB coach is under contract through 2025, he has made it clear he loves his job, stated publicly he would do it for free, he's an alumnus of the school, his parents live next door to him, he family including young children are rooted and established in AA, he's stated publicly numerous times he doesnt want to return to the NFL, he recently signed a DL coach to replace the departed former.
Lets face it JH LOVES to bring attention to the program, remember "Signing with the Stars", sleep overs with a recruit, traveling FB camps, trips to Italy etc? Please explain to me how him having his name mentioned and rumored to be coveted by numerous NFL teams is detrimental to recruiting? I mean on signing day he gets to announce he's returning to Michigan and other than the Flores story thats what everyone was talking about, not the schools who finished ahead of him in recruiting and again, this years class is signed sealed and delivered.
From my perspective its a fantastic tool to use with future recruits, why wouldnt you want to play for a coach who is coveted by the NFL, who can better prepare you for the NFL than a coach who is being begged to return every single year? He's friends with Adolfo in Minnesota, why not play it up as much as possible?
Going forward he can "sell" every recruit by saying he has been chased by NFL teams for years but always stays at his alma matter, that's how much he loves Michigan.
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:32 PM ^
The problem with this is everyone outside of MGo posters believes he went to Minnesota expecting to get a job offer. He didn’t get the job and now has to return to Michigan and pretend this is where he wants to be. If this was just a stunt to bring attention to the program, it wasn’t a very good idea.
February 3rd, 2022 at 2:22 PM ^
By everyone you mean finebaum.
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:09 AM ^
MAKE IT STOP!!!!!
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:08 AM ^
THIS!!
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:11 AM ^
Started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this?
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:12 AM ^
It was only a kiss
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:14 AM ^
I'm a freak. I like the girls with a boom.
(I've entered the wrong chat, sorry)
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:06 AM ^
I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom?
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^
I’m crazy, allow me to amaze the, they say I’m ugly but it just don’t phase me, I’m still getting in the girls pants and I even have my own dance.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:28 AM ^
I don't want to know anything about how you behave in Burger King bathrooms.
February 3rd, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
Weird. Name does NOT check out
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:20 AM ^
and now my stomach is sick.
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:13 AM ^
It was only a kiss..
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:44 AM ^
Now I'm falling asleep.
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:53 AM ^
and she's calling a cab
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:12 AM ^
She must be pretty old. All the young ones call Ubers.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
The East German Judge has a thing for the more "mature" type.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:14 AM ^
now he’s having a smoke
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:13 AM ^
I don’t know the answers to these questions but someone should probably start another head coaching search thread just to be on the safe side. /s
February 3rd, 2022 at 8:21 AM ^
Actually, this is all a John U Bacon plot so that he can write another book!
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:49 AM ^
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:17 AM ^
The answer to #2 is there will be NFL coaching opportunities in the future. Who started the idea that this is the last chance for Harbaugh to coach in the NFL again? Teams in the future will be like, "We need a new coach. Dang it, that Jim Harbaugh would be a good fit, unfortunately, he is past his NFL coaching expiration date. Wish we would have needed a coach in 2022 when he was still in date." Jim Harbaugh will coach in the NFL again if he wants to. Just accept it and enjoy what currently is.
February 3rd, 2022 at 9:33 AM ^
Harbaugh himself said that he is essentially done looking around after this episode.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:13 AM ^
Did he mention how he plans on convincing recruits that? Sorry his word isn’t enough at this point
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:18 AM ^
He’s been upfront with them already and we still recruited well this past season. I don’t think recruits care that much about rumors. It’s only when the coach actually leaves that they get worried.
February 3rd, 2022 at 10:52 AM ^
If you don’t think what Jim just did doesn’t create a pause with recruits and families you are a huge Michigan homer. Unfortunately now a days people don’t trust someone’s word!
Most Kids don’t pick schools they pick coaches regardless of the dribble coaches try to sell on “Pick the school”
February 3rd, 2022 at 1:17 PM ^
He has been entertaining moving to the NFL for a month now and we didn’t lose out on any recruits or hear any reports of committed recruits wavering. He is reported to have been ver upfront and honest with recruits and their families, so your logic behind it causing pause with recruits is….? Feelings and stuff?
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:47 AM ^
Jim Harbaugh is one of the few coaches (actually, one of the few people) about whom I’d say his word is enough. That being said, do we have anything g other than second/third-hand information that he actually did say that?
February 3rd, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
His word was enough this fall when he was asked by recruits and families about whether he'd go to the NFL and he is reported to literally have told them "I will entertain NFL options."
Harbaugh's trustworthiness with regard to his NFL interest has gone up significantly through all of this, because he never at any point denied or even obfuscated NFL interest when he actually had it. In previous years he smacked down NFL talk with some intensity, and this year he has done no such thing.
So next season when some rumor gets out from James Franklin or whatever, Harbaugh can say, "nope, I'm not leaving, if I am thinking about it I'll be honest about that, unlike certain other coaches in our conference."
People don't like that he was weighing his options, but nobody can say that he was pretending otherwise. The contrast with most other coaches in similar situations has been, well, quite stark.