January 7th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
I choose to believe that coach will stay in Ann Arbor due to all of the reasons that we have heard he loves being here. It provides a stability for his family that the NFL will never provide. His children can grow up in one community without moves every few years and with their grandparents living nearby. We have seen his son with him at basketball games and at the Big Ten Championship game. I think that these experiences that he can share are important to him - more important than the extra money that an NFL contract might bring. Maybe I am naive, but it has always been reported that coach is not motivated by signing the biggest contract. As a person that makes career choices for reason other than money, I have had extra respect for coach based on the stories.
Again, I am probably being naive and feel free to call me out. I just know that we always hear about coach being “different” and don’t buy the normal motivations for taking a job in the NFL.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:08 PM ^
I don't at all disagree, and I don't think Harbaugh is at all motivated by money. At least not his money and what he earns. This job seems like a labor of love for him, and Michigan can pony up for his salary if they need to.
But I could see him being worn down or fed up with the AD and administration if they refuse to play ball with NIL and make it one of the most attractive programs in the country. Right now its just not, and he may feel like if they don't choose to invest in it, he's fighting the Alabamas, OSUs and Georgias of the world with one hand tied behind his back.
Harbaugh has always been extremely "pro-player" and affording them as many rights and options as they can get, but I wouldn't doubt that there is still much of the old guard remaining in Michigan's ranks that think the university is above having a big time commitment to NIL, that its "not what Michigan is about," its "not what Bo would want," etc. And that is something I could see Harbaugh leaving for. Where he just tells them "I want to be here, but you've effectively forced me out, and I can't do this job to the best of my ability if you won't enable me to. If you won't let Michigan be the best possible version of itself and still be playing by the rules."
With as much smoke as there's been at this point, I'm starting to believe there is fire.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Only reason he leaves is if the UM administration doesnt want to "play ball" in the new era of college sports. Theres absolutely no reason UM cannot compete in the modern era, unless the administration doesnt want them to.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
I am firmly in the, "Harbaugh stays," camp, but in the alternate universe where he leaves, I would kick the tires on Bob Stoops. He's 61 years old. He seemed really impressed with UofM while working the UofM-OSU game, and he stepped in to coach OU in their bowl game. You give him a 4 year contract, name Gattis the Associate Head Coach, give Gattis 4 years with increasing levels of responsibility, and then Bob steps aside and Gattis is ready to go. Stoops is an old Iowa/Youngstown Ohio guy. The Big10 is in his blood.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:46 PM ^
No thanks to Bob Stoops. Dude lived Oklahoma. He's not a viable long-term option.
I'd throw the money book at Fickell. If not, I really like Aranda.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:58 PM ^
Sure would be weird to watch Fickell leave Michigan to go be HC at OSU when the OSU job opens up (whenever that may be).
January 7th, 2022 at 3:46 PM ^
FWIW, Balas posted behind a paywall that Michigan has offered a deal. No terms reported. Since said deal, Harbaugh has went silent.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:48 PM ^
Thanks for the update. Did the deal include upgraded NIL program?
Or do "no terms" mean that we have no idea?
January 7th, 2022 at 3:52 PM ^
No terms, meaning we have no idea.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^
This tidbit is probably worthy of a board post.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:00 PM ^
What does he mean Harbaugh "went silent". Like, Harbaugh stopped talking about going to the NFL to others? (I hope?)
January 7th, 2022 at 4:12 PM ^
as in Michigan has received no further correspondence from Harbaugh, after the contract offer.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:23 PM ^
Dang, that sucks. That probably means that he wasn't impressed with their offer and is done with Michigan, considering he didn't even make a counter offer. You would think that if he still wanted to coach at Michigan, that he would've made a counter offer, right??
January 7th, 2022 at 4:34 PM ^
It is common practice to take a day or two, to talk an employment offer over with your family. Especially, one which likely locks you up through your retirement.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:18 PM ^
Balas says most recent update moves this in a more positive direction. He says those closest to situation believe it will result in raises for both coordinators, as well.
Hope this helps.
January 7th, 2022 at 6:34 PM ^
Now THAT’S what I’m talking about! Solidify the coordinator position and rock into 2022!
January 7th, 2022 at 3:46 PM ^
Chiro Chrio mfer
January 7th, 2022 at 3:48 PM ^
We need this crew to solve this mystery. Go get 'em Scoob!
January 7th, 2022 at 3:54 PM ^
To all these people that don't want to promote within... why?? If we bring some big shot from outside, then it's like we're starting from scratch all over again. Current assistants will leave, some top recruits might leave, etc.
We FINALLY found a recipe for success this year. We can't throw it all away if Harbaugh leaves by going for some person outside the program. If we promote Gattis, who I think could be a good head coach, then we are much more likely to keep our assistants, plus we'll have consistency with the offensive philosophy, and recruits are much more likely to stay... thus, we'll be much more likely to be able to build off of this past season.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:02 PM ^
Good points. Thing is Harbaugh himself is a key ingredient of this year's success. There would already be a major change if Harbaugh were gone. Thus, if Gattis were promoted, he would not run the same playbook that Michigan used this year (or that Michigan will use next year if JH stays).
January 7th, 2022 at 4:28 PM ^
I actually think you are both making great points. It's smart to look from within (although many times that is not the right choice) but Harbaugh is an important ingredient in what is cooking and working right now.
I don't know how I feel about it because I do think Gattis has changed and learned a lot. He sort of said as much in many of his interviews. Another year or two under Harbaugh and I think he would be 100% ready but he may have to be ready sooner. He also has some good dudes like Hart and others who can step in and I think MacDonald will take a big leap. Is Gattis ready to be top dog leader yet? I just don't know and could see it going either way.
January 7th, 2022 at 6:39 PM ^
If we have to hire we would be foolish to only look internally or only hire externally. Maybe Gattis would be more suited as a HC, maybe Weiss is the genius people think he just and he/Moore continue our offense and Macdonald leads the defense. That would give Bellamy the option to return to WR and we hire a top notch S coach.
But I hope none of this has to happen and that we investigate all options of the need arises.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^
Got your panties in a bunch about a Amber THEOHARIS tweet. JFC.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
I think it's a culmination of things that have been reported this week than just this tweet....
I'll tell you one thing...There is definitely some smoke.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:04 PM ^
Shocking twist. Ravens and John Harbaugh agree to part ways. Jim and the Ravens strike a deal, and John comes home to the good guys.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:48 PM ^
Some Raider Reporter Said Jim didn't show up for a contract meeting with Michigan
https://twitter.com/MitchellRenz365/status/1479564320581296136
January 7th, 2022 at 4:54 PM ^
Calling bullshit on that
Not something Jim would do, and if he did, UM sources would know about it way before a fucking raider source
January 7th, 2022 at 6:47 PM ^
Chat Sports guy. Not a credible source.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:48 PM ^
If he's leaving, then I hope we decide to promote from within. You've got a Broyles Award winner on staff that was probably going to be leaving after next season anyway, along with several very good offensive assistants in Moore and Hart. One of them may very well be ready to get promoted to being the OC.
Michigan just had itself its best season in twenty years. I don't want to blow all of that up and start over from scratch, lose a ton of recruits and possibly endure an exodus out of the program if we don't have to. Unless Nick Saban's on the line you do what you can to keep the staff that you have.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:56 PM ^
One problem if he's gone, (and frankly with the level of smoke we're seeing I think he's gone) is that this is clearly Harbaugh's offense. There's some Gattis and some modernization in there, but these complex run schemes are his jam, and I really don't trust anybody else to run this system or to even really want to run this system. Even if you promote from within, i.e. Gattis, Michigan is going to be going through yet another change of its offensive identity.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:04 PM ^
This true. Gattis alone will is not capable and would not want to run the exact same offense and running concepts that Michigan did this year.
But...who knows? Maybe it would just cement JJ as the starter and we would see a mix of more speed in space and RPOs, with the JH run concepts still sprinkled in.
Might work great.
Or...it could be a disaster 7-5 year...
January 7th, 2022 at 4:58 PM ^
Pretty sure he’s gone. Thanks for the memories Jim.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:59 PM ^
Personally, I think Harbaugh stays. This is his Bo A&M moment. Assuming he signs a new deal, it likely locks him up through retirement.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:07 PM ^
I think he leaves.
People forget that in the renegotiated deal last year it was not only Michigan's buy-out cost of firing JH that went way down. JH's buyout cost for him leaving on his own also went way down.
Harbaugh has had this in the back of his mind for a while.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:35 PM ^
Twitter sucks
January 7th, 2022 at 6:24 PM ^
I don’t understand the infatuation with Campbell. That guy underachieves year after year. I understand he’s at Iowa State but there are way better options. Gattis would be my choice. I don’t want Campbell he’s overrated imo. Let him stay at Ames and keep going 8-5 7-6. The dude is 42-34 at Iowa State. I just don’t understand the love for that guy by many on this blog. He’s 31-23 in a weak Big 12 conference. Stay there and keep losing Cheez-it bowls. No thank you!! Not worth the 4M he’s getting per year. This is Michigan fur Gawd Sakes. They can do better than that. He’s comparable to Brady Hoke with or without a headset. Would rather have Denny Green or Dan Reeves or John Madden in purgatory.
January 7th, 2022 at 6:34 PM ^
I think Campbell is a fine coach but as we've seen making the jump from low-stress program to one of the highest-profile teams in the country isn't for everyone, and after some of the comments (his "we don't care about conference titles" remark after failing to meet preseason expectations) and struggles this year (including still being winless against Iowa) it sort of throws cold water on the narrative that last year was some revelation for him as a coach.
I think he gets love because he's made ISU better than they were historically (though the past couple of coaches had some success as well and the Big 12 getting noticeably weaker the past 4-5 years has helped him a bit) and is a young, dynamic coach. But I feel like he's got a lot more PJ Fleck in him than the next great mastermind of coaches, and frankly at UM I don't think they need to take a flyer on a guy like him with the hope he'll turn around some of his long-term trends.
January 7th, 2022 at 6:27 PM ^
My sources are saying
1) John Harbaugh
2) Robert Salah
3) Mike Tomlin
4) Pete Carrol
Gruden is interested if UM engineering can find a way to delete his emails and fix his google search results.