Reading Harbaugh Tea Leaves: Todd Anson Edition
It seems as though Harbaugh's good pal Todd Anson believes all of Harbaugh's antics are related to his UM contract negotiation. This is one tweet, but there are more like this from his Twitter from yesterday.
https://twitter.com/TJA4Michigan/status/1612099294559105026?s=20&t=0ni1uS2on-e3DXKs-tc7Zg
January 9th, 2023 at 1:43 PM ^
I think that Harbaugh is a great coach, a good man, and at his core, an honest person when he listens to his better angels. However, I certainly don't see him as altruistic and above manipulation and posturing. In fact, it appears he can be one of the most passive-aggressive people of all time in some circumstances and holds mega-grudges.
I think he cares about his players very much, for sure, but I don't necessarily think "Michigan" means as much to him as some people think it does. There is a side of Harbaugh that I could see leaving and also sticking it to the Michigan athletic department as hard as he can. I don't think he is doing that, but I certainly could see it.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
Can't win a Super Bowl at Michigan
January 9th, 2023 at 1:48 PM ^
if he tries a little harder maybe he could
WHY LIMIT YOURSELF
January 9th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
Harbaugh almost certainly could tell Michigan to stick it at any time. I totally believe that is in him. I do not see him making that statements he's made knowing he is searching for any possible way to get to the NFL. If him and Warde sit down and Jim don't like what he hears I would almost expect him to stick it to that athletic department for sure. Especially after eating crow, taking less money and then getting them exactly where they want to be. He wants to feel the love and rightfully so! He is deserving through performance!
January 9th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
I believe multiple things are true
1. Harbaugh has legitimate NFL interest, given the right scenario
2. Harbaugh also loves coaching Michigan
3. Warde should pay the man what he's worth, should be highest paid coach in the Big 10
January 9th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
No reason he shouldn't be the highest paid head coach in the B1G. I would love a no NFL clause in there to end this for the life of the contract!
January 9th, 2023 at 2:06 PM ^
How would that work? We'd fire him if he looks at an NFL job? I don't think we want to go that far. (He also probably wouldn't sign it.)
Coaches of Harbaugh's caliber have all the leverage. That's just how it goes.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
As John Bacon says, only one person really knows what Jim is thinking.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:03 PM ^
Frank Stallone?
January 9th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
Is that person .. Sarah Harbaugh?
January 9th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
Part of me wonders if that one person often has self-doubts about exactly what they're thinking.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
I believe in doing whatever it takes to not once again have a recruiting class outside the top 15 and lacking a blue chip QB. Stay... go... but get that stuff figured out.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:45 PM ^
Bring on the money cannon....keep harbaugh at Michigan for life and make it clear that's the plan
January 9th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
“Money cannon” has got to be the most over used term on this board.
January 9th, 2023 at 3:41 PM ^
How about Greenback Gun? Or Hard Cash Howitzer?
January 9th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
For life? Nobody can predict the future.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:46 PM ^
“I can bail for the NFL” is essentially the only leverage that Harbaugh has, so if Warde is dragging his feet on anything Jim may feel like he has to establish that that leverage is real by getting real offers from the NFL .
And it might not be “money for Jim” per se, maybe NIL, staff/assistant pay, longer guaranteed contract, whatever.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:06 PM ^
I remember he took less money on his first contract in order to get a larger salary pool for his assistants, so that could be a sticking point. We have always underpaid coaches, especially assistants.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:12 PM ^
I’m not sure if that is accurate. ALL the money necessary for assistants may not have been there, but - I believe “enough” was.
Mow, that was 8 years ago, and.. the market price for the “highest level” assistants has gone up.
Hopefully, Warde realizes this and opens the checkbook.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
"Enough" is the point of Anson's tweet about Warde - he only does 'enough'. And that is so easy to see... Monetarily, Harbaugh - right now - should be the highest paid coach in the B1G, and it's not even a question. Non-monetarily, Harbaugh has earned some public support from his bosses in regards to the notice of allegations. Minor shit like this should have already been addressed by Warde in a manner such that the NCAA would not have included the bullshit of a level 1 violation. Let alone the idle threat of a suspension.
I mean, JFC, Warde Manuel failed to support his staff and program after the 2016 debacle and forced Harbaugh to apologize. He also forced Harbaugh to apologize to the OSU AD a second time in 2018 (I think) when he made some pointed comments about Michigan's international trips. The one time Warde 'helped' was after the Purdue medical incident when Speight had to be moved via van with a neck injury. Manuel stayed in the background just to get his name involved.
Please enlighten me on other times when Manuel publicly supported one of his teams in situations like that... Football? Basketball? Doesn't happen...
January 9th, 2023 at 1:51 PM ^
I'm curious why a close friend would constantly say all this and risk watering down any of the perceived "negotiating power." To me it's more likely a friend says this stuff so recruits have something UM-positive to see... a small effort to try and limit some negative impact in the event that, ultimately, UM remains his destination.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
Again, Nobody is stopping Warde from offering Harbaugh a massive contract! Nobody is stopping the University from making NIL prior to arriving on campus okay. No one is stopping the University, AD and everyone involved from being all in to win the Natty, and support our HC who has proven he can get it done!
January 9th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
then call it. offer him the mega deal and move out. weird to me that warde and harbaugh are both willing to sabotage future teams and recruiting to take this stand?... AGAIN?
January 9th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
Honestly, I think it may have to do with the NCAA stuff more than anything else. I think Harbaugh wants the UM AD to back him and make a public statement rejecting the NCAA findings and indicating that it will fight it completely.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:27 PM ^
Yeah, that's going to happen.
If his decision is based on whether he gets the backing of Warde Manuel, or based on the state of NIL, or based on being given the highest (or one of the highest) salaries in college football, or whether or not his attempts to reform policy are successful? Then he should leave. At the end of the day he does deserves fair compensation, and hopefully successful policy changes to be made (although, fat chance).
He's had an enormous impact on his players, fans, etc. He's fighting for policy changes, his players, and more. I understand how the seeming lack of impact on policy can be frustrating. But if he leaves now the things he's given to players and the college football game itself as a college football coach ends. Maybe I'm biased but I think he should stay even if he feels his efforts have failed and now certain goals are clearly impossible to achieve. Letting the success of his efforts to change things dictate whether he stays or goes is bullshit. He's successfully molding his team and it's staff into players into men/women of character. He needs to understand (if he doesn't already) that no policy or idiot outside of the team should dictate whether he brings those things to this football program in the future. If he leaves now his impact on the college game from the inside ends.
Please don't do that, Coach Harbaugh.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
The more I read into this stuff, more and more people are hinting at Warde dragging his feet. What's the holdup? A buyout? Dollars? control?
Get this done Warde
January 9th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
Why would he take recruiting 2 years in a row just for more money? He'll eventually start to have worse results since the players will be worse on the team. I know Michigan does a good job with scouting but Corum was a high level recruit with a OSU offer, JJ, Will Johnson, Donovan Edwards all 5 stars.
We should be getting more of those kind of players or at least maintaining, but it's going to fall off and look like the 2023 class if this continues.
January 9th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
Living near Tampa and a Bucs fan, I remember John Gruden's agent being the king at throwing Gruden's name in any and every hat available every off-season. Leverage!
January 9th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
IMO, Ward should of had a new contract sitting on Harbaugh's desk when the team arrived back from Columbus.
I can't blame Harbaugh for looking when he is way underpaid.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:50 PM ^
"underpaid" is subjective - he made ~$8M last year. I do agree, though, that he should be paid more for the last two years performance. And his assistants should be increased, as well.
Also - "should of" should be 'should have', or should've. Because Harbaugh is sniffing Denver doesn't mean you can blow off the rules of the English language!
January 9th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
Jim is not "way" underpaid. He makes 92% of Ryan Day's salary and around 95% of Frames' salary. He's achieved more than Frames and should probably be on par with Ryan Day in terms of salary - an extra 500k/year.
This notion that Jim is out here making half of what of the rest of the top coaches in CFB make is crazy. He should make less than Nick Saban, Kirby, and Dabo. I would argue the maximum amount he deserves is what Brian Kelly makes at LSU - $9.5 million.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
Okay, am I the only person who got the freep notification about Corum declaring for the draft? Where are all sixteen threads about it?
January 9th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
I actually think you are. I see nothing on Freep about Corum. You might have been punked.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
Teed up for you, Vladdy.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
If you saw it on the Freep, well.. you know how reliable that is…
January 9th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
Would anyone have a problem if Warde made Harbaugh the highest paid college coach?
If so, what would you suggest?
January 9th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
Absolutely no problem. Whatever premium UM has to give up to avoid this clown show every year, they should. And Harbaugh should agree to the high buy out, showing the same commitment in return.
January 9th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
The last 2 years have shown he's clearly in the top 4 coaches and should be paid as such. Maybe you put incentives for Playoff wins and NC that bump him to highest paid.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:26 PM ^
My take aligns most closely with something I read in a topic a couple days ago. I can't recall who posted it, but full credit to that poster.....
**Jim really wants to coach at Michigan, unless the right NFL offer comes, and then he'll take that.
This is the simplest, most straightforward explanation. I'm going with that until there is more clarity.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
That's like telling your girlfriend, "Baby I promise you that I really, really want to be with you unless any one of these five swimsuit models texts me back and she's as hot as she looks in her pictures."
January 9th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
Feels more like
**Jim really wants to coach at Michigan, unless any NFL offer comes, and then he'll take that.
January 9th, 2023 at 6:26 PM ^
You'll be right if he takes that dead-end Denver job.....he's not winning his Super Bowl there.....
January 9th, 2023 at 2:31 PM ^
Given how open Harbaugh was with recruits last year, I hope if this truly is just about contract negotiations that he's being just as open with recruits
January 9th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
So, the Panthers already passed on JH...the word from their camp is JH actually initiated calls to the Panthers and not the other way around. This stinks for real....
January 9th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
Umm... He included Harbaugh on a list of "frmr" Michigan coaches. That can't be good. Please tell me I'm reading too much into it.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Give him the 1010 deal complete control and money cannon for NIL
January 9th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Is it possible the holdup is contract language around what constitutes firing "for cause"? With burgergate, it's really clear that boilerplate about NCAA violations has to be removed and replaced, and the attorneys for the Regents, Athletic Department, and Harbaugh will legitimately review every syllable of the updated language.
January 9th, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
Blake Corum coming back is another tea leave in favor of Jim staying.