A detail about the Harbaugh contract negotiations
January 24th, 2024 at 10:23 PM ^
Warde has risked the whole program on the hope that Moore works out. He needs to be fired because his last hire in Howard has been awful, and hockey seems to have taken a step back too.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:23 PM ^
If MSU and OSU fans could spell schadenfreude, they would really enjoy posting snippets of these threads.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:37 PM ^
Yeah, it's embarrassing. I hate giving them this.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:24 PM ^
But, doesn't that mean he would have ALSO been in the final stages of discussions with Michigan? He was going to go no matter what. If he wanted to stay, he would have. We called his bluff, and he went all in.
And that's OK. Good Luck Coach, and Thank you.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:25 PM ^
Jim was gone regardless. We’ll never know the details, good or bad, and it’s not worth caring at this point. Just accept it and move on.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:26 PM ^
I have a lot of questions. If he was offered what he wanted at the 11th hour, why wouldn’t he take it ? Why would Jimmy have taken the Michigan deal two weeks ago, but not today?
At the same time: why didn’t Michigan make him a bear hug offer two weeks ago?
January 24th, 2024 at 10:27 PM ^
Because…we’ll never know the details but only having snippets of speculation to share drives clicks even if it’s not a full story.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:27 PM ^
Because this was always a very hard ask from Harbaugh. Immunity in return for nothing, basically (relative to his existing contract) - Harbaugh wouldn’t even agree to a buyout increase until after NFL hiring season.
I can see it taking a couple weeks to find a compromise version of “immunity” that was fair to both parties.
I suspect it being a hard ask was the point. Everyone saying the leak about Michigan’s princely contact offer being ass covering… well, so were all the Harbaugh camp leaks about “just wanting to feel the love”.
Both sides wanted to blame the other, but this was always about Harbaugh wanting the NFL.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:27 PM ^
Don't buy this bullshit. Too late for what? He hadn't signed anything. He wanted to stay at Michigan, he could've stayed at Michigan. He didn't, and he left. Time to move on and stop blaming those who are still here. Good luck in the NFL, we have bigger fish to fry
January 24th, 2024 at 11:39 PM ^
Michigan/AD, whoever it was, gaslighted the fuck out of Harbaugh. Do you come back because now they're offering you what you want? Just for them to continue their behavior? Fuck that, Michigan pushed him out. You can say he wants a Superbowl all you want, all he wanted was for support/love and Michigan/AD wasn't giving it to him.
January 25th, 2024 at 12:42 AM ^
Pushed him out lmao. Get real dude.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:29 PM ^
All the people that were defending Warde in the Warde thread a few hours ago saying it wasn't AT ALL his fault... feel free to just sit this one out eh?
January 24th, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^
Why? Because people on Jim’s payroll painted him in the best possible light?
January 24th, 2024 at 10:36 PM ^
Warde, stop drinking and go to bed
January 24th, 2024 at 10:46 PM ^
If somebody being financed by Warde told me this contract was on the table 2 months ago I wouldn’t believe them either.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:40 PM ^
I'll defend Warde here 100%. This information doesn't make sense. If he really wanted to be at Michigan, he'd be at Michigan. I guarantee no contract has been signed yet. They have an agreement in principle. Lawyers still have to read everything, etc. In other words, with no contract officially signed, he can still do whatever he wants.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:30 PM ^
So Harbaugh got everything he was asking for from Michigan and still decided to go to the NFL and Bacon is framing it as a Michigan problem? If Harbaugh wanted to be at Michigan, and got everything he wanted from them, then why didn't he accept the contract? Sounds like the deal with the Chargers wasn't done so clearly the decision was on him. No one is at fault here. Harbaugh left because he wanted to go back to the NFL. End of story.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:30 PM ^
Sorry - not buying this BS whatsoever. If JH wanted some kind of tolerance for burgergate and signgate, I believe he could have gotten it. Problem was he wanted some kind of blanket immunity for FUTURE issues brought by a vindictive NCAA and B1G. That's too much power.
Will always love the guy for 40-3 and a NC but time for him to realize the politics of NFL are >>> than whatever Warde has over him
January 24th, 2024 at 10:31 PM ^
Well, that's an interesting bit of information for any future coaching candidate to know. Also? Warde & Co. might want to rethink their various negotiating points and the timing of same.
We'll never know if granting those provisions much earlier would have kept JH here - his heart might have been dead set on chasing The Ring to match his brother's ‐ but not playing hardball with JH might have produced a different outcome.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:36 PM ^
JUB seems like a good guy but him signal boosting Harbaugh's attorney CYA'ing his client's decision to not return to UM is so stupid. If Harbaugh wanted to be at UM he'd be at UM; last-minute negotiations or not the idea the school that sued its own league to protect you from sanctions, has paid you handsomely and offered you the biggest contract in CFB history, allowed you to hire anyone you wanted including absolute dipshits like Schemmy, and basically stayed out of your way didn't show you enough "love" because they didn't immediately agree to every demand you made is assinine.
I wish Harbaugh the best in LAC but fucking save me quoting his attorney saying some bullshit as the objective truth around this situation.
January 25th, 2024 at 2:32 AM ^
I think that is right — the outcome was not likely to change. But the attorney comment is a window into the process. Clearly there was frustration with Michigan’s reluctance to agree to terms, and probably also their responsiveness. Some terms, I am not sure Michigan *could* agree to without disregarding advice of counsel (the ones about insulation from sanction and removing the ability of the AD to terminate are deeply problematic unless there is nuance). I am not going out on a limb when I say there is bad blood with Warde from when Michigan cut Jimmy’s salary. That is a wound mayn. That carries over.
January 25th, 2024 at 8:28 AM ^
His salary deserved to be cut at the time. The audacity of him still being sore about this is kind of sickening.
January 25th, 2024 at 8:51 AM ^
Yeah, I think the pay cut hurt but at the same time UM could have fired him (there were a lot of people, including some in high places, who wanted him gone after 2020), and yet Warde seemingly fought to keep him around. And he's been rewarded numerous times since; if he wants to hold a grudge for years so be it but then just say that and don't say "I'm definitely not looking for another NFL job and I love it here" after courting the Vikings.
And yeah, I'm sure his attorneys are annoyed with UM not acquiescing to his demands immediately but that's life; they'd balk if a blanket indemnification and no-hold-harm clause was thrown into their standard agreement.
Harbaugh and UM have been on track for this type of breakup for years, even before 2020. But at least they both got what they wanted out of it before then.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:37 PM ^
Get over it .. it is over … it wasn’t our decision it was what Harbaugh wanted like it or whine about it forever… and Bacon is hardly someone who I would trust totally with insider news !!!
January 24th, 2024 at 10:40 PM ^
Just tell us the specific contract language at issue and which side took what position and when before I pass judgment on who was unreasonable.
January 24th, 2024 at 10:42 PM ^
We know this is and always was on Warde! Waiting until the 11th hour, yeah we know! He had two years to get this done!
Warde welcomed the NCAA in the ad, met with Stapleton….
Harbaugh’s friend posted the cryptic tweet of toxicity in the athletic department, later called out a poster about Warde cutting his pay in half when a post tried to insinuate tension was Harbaughs fault….
100% this is on Warde Manuel!
January 24th, 2024 at 10:47 PM ^
Well, if true this seals the "fire Ward" deal for me. This is the arrogance of UM, yes the school is bigger than one man, but only one coach can take 3-4 star talent and coach them to defeat 4-5 star talent 3 years in a row. A couple years ago the Braintrust on this site said we should settle for 9-10 win seasons. Time to prepare for it yet again. While OSU is spending $15 million plus on their players, the people in charge of negotiating JH contract thought they were negotiators and were going to do what? Save some money, prepare to look professional. Second thought, just keep Ward, the school just proved they are fine with 9 wins
January 24th, 2024 at 11:22 PM ^
Narrator: it wasn’t true (or at least, not as simple as described)
January 25th, 2024 at 2:41 AM ^
Going back into the nfl as an active coach, he will already have one of the best winning percentages *in the nfl*
He's the only guy alive right now that could realistically win a national championship and a superbowl and doesn't have infinite years to do it.
He obviously left the program in decent enough conditon, and committed himself to helping the program CONTINUE to find good coaching talent moving forward.
This seems like it was just where his heart ended up imo.. It's jim.. He's "quirky" .. He probably did have a lot of heart going into this decision. That's why he's fucking awesome.
The people who are still left on staff are well prepared to keep moving this team forward and as far as the future of this team *AND* jim's chances at getting a natty AND a ring?!?
BET.
:)
January 25th, 2024 at 1:27 PM ^
but only one coach can take 3-4 star talent and coach them to defeat 4-5 star talent 3 years in a row.
I wouldn't agree with that. There have been numerous coaches just in the past 20 years or so that have proven the ability to both develop "lower rated" talent as well as lead them to victory over "more talented" teams - consistently (Kyle Wittingham, Chris Peterson, etc.)
It is very difficult to replace such coaches, but not impossible.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:05 PM ^
Now how can we blame Lloyd for this?
January 24th, 2024 at 11:11 PM ^
Jim Stapleton is good friends with Ron English whom Lloyd wanted as his replacement?
January 24th, 2024 at 11:07 PM ^
I don't have enough truthful information to have an informed opinion. I suspect that most of what we've heard is lawyer/agent posturing, but bottom line is that Harbaugh wanted to try the NFL again. We're all entitled to our opinions on what went down or didn't, but I suspect most of those will be litmus tests that reveal what we already felt.
Regardless, if Marty McFly came up to you in the summer 2015 with an ipad full of MGo game columns for all our games from @Utah to vs Washington would you have signed up for that, after recovering from the shock of Keith Jackon's passing? I would've, and so would all of you. Again, don't weep that it's over, rejoice that it happened.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:12 PM ^
Wow both Keith Jackson and Keith Jackon gone ??? I can’t believe it !!
January 24th, 2024 at 11:12 PM ^
Malpractice
January 24th, 2024 at 11:14 PM ^
If true, wow, potentially an epic miscalculation imho. Then again, agree with the points made here previously that we do not really know the contract language that created the suggested "impasse".
January 24th, 2024 at 11:20 PM ^
Honestly, all this does is confirm JUB is in the “carrying water for the Harbaugh camp” crowd.
These were always tough asks. Combined with the “no buyout until NFL hiring season is over” clause, it’s clear Michigan was always the backup plan.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:23 PM ^
If he wanted to be at Michigan we wouldn’t be commenting on this post.
Wish him nothing but the best. I’ll be rooting for him
January 24th, 2024 at 11:40 PM ^
Coach Harbaugh wanted to go back to the NFL. If it was the first year he flirted with the idea I would blame Warde.
If Harbaugh wanted to stay he would have stayed and negotiated the contract he wanted. He didn't need to use the NFL as leverage. He just went 15-0 and won a national championship. I think that's the best leverage you can take into negotiations.
It's sad to see him go but this is not on Warde. Jim was leaving if he got an offer from an NFL team. I don't blame him for jumping into the NFL. College football is rapidly changing and not for the better. When you see someone like Nick Saban retiring that tells you a lot.
January 24th, 2024 at 11:58 PM ^
1. Santa was in the negotiations. Will you fire him as well?
2. Warde represents the university and rightly held the line on immunity.
January 25th, 2024 at 1:06 AM ^
Honestly, I'm kind of mad Warde gave in and offered full immunity (if that's what Bacon is saying), much than I am that he held out on it. We could have had a coach we were paying the most in the country - over 12 million - who couldn't coach because of a crazy NCAA show cause. As much as I wanted Harbaugh that wouldn't have been good for anyone.
If he's talking about the delayed buyout, than we could have had Harbaugh sign a new contract and then leave a few weeks later - also terrible and we'd be much more bitter than we are now.
January 25th, 2024 at 8:34 AM ^
Why do so many of us fail to understand that Manuel can't unilaterally offer immunity? It's dumb asf to think he can at a university like ours.
January 25th, 2024 at 3:30 AM ^
Look at the all evidence folks, it’s pretty obvious someone(s) in a postion of power didn’t want Jim around any longer. I’m such a diehard fan, but this university can be so pompous and arrogant sometimes. They don’t deserve Jim.
1) This has really been a 3 year contract negotiation with some extensions. They could have sealed this thing up before the 23’ season and didn’t because of burgers or something.
2) They didn’t give Jim his day in court. I don’t care what the PR statement says, Jim knows he is innocent and I guarantee he wanted to take the stand and defend his team.
3) They didn’t make it happen. If they really wanted Jim, they would have Jim. Jim may be odd, but the man is not a liar. They didn’t botch this negotiation, it was intentional.
I Love Moore, but we don’t win this many games without Minter and that defense, I might be one of the few, but I just don’t see it. Coaching a few games is a lot different than actually being the head coach. But I’ll be rooting for him.
January 25th, 2024 at 4:34 AM ^
I had convinced myself Harbaugh leaving was because he simply had a NFL itch he had to scratch so there was no point playing the blame game. If we find out we could have kept him and decided to dick around until the 11th hour it is going to sting.
January 25th, 2024 at 6:34 AM ^
Honestly after his dalliance with the league the last three offseasons, I'm not convinced he wouldn't have left anyway. Its not like him going back to the NFL all of a sudden just occurred to him in the last couple months.
Did Warde and Co. make it any easier to try and get him back? No. But if Harbaugh wants a Super Bowl ring, and he does, there's literally nothing Michigan can do to effectively counter-offer that.
January 25th, 2024 at 7:05 AM ^
this is reprehensible. It was in front of them for months and they wouldn’t move on it. Can’t wait to see how they spin it to the fans.
January 25th, 2024 at 7:17 AM ^
At the end of the day the Chargers offered an opportunity that Michigan could never match.
With that said, Michigan should’ve put their absolute best foot forward to begin with instead of this 11th hour nonsense.
January 25th, 2024 at 7:40 AM ^
The entire administrative end of UM messed this up from the beginning. Jim Harbaugh doesn't need Michigan to be great. Michigan does need Jim Harbaugh for it's football program to be great. There are a few coaches, both pro and college, that deserve what they ask for in regards to contract stipulations. Protection from the NCAA, which we all know is a outdated and criminal organization, is one of many protections that should have been granted. He asked for a 3 person panel. Give it to him. Warde doesn't have the clout or experience to be the only one responsible for firing a legend. Harbaugh is different and should have been treated differently.
I'd expect a large drop off from the last three years and back to 9-4 with the occasional 10-3 seasons. It could get worse. Warde has proven he's an average and lazy AD. He wasn't the best candidate available when he was hired. Politics and DEI were heavily involved. He didn't hire Harbaugh so he's been riding Harbaugh's coat tails with football. This will be his second big time hire. He didn't get the basketball hire right. That program is a tire fire. Softball was a disaster. No disrespect to Bonnie Tholl, but she wasn't even close to being the best hire. Warde didn't interview anybody. He took the easy political route.
Football will be his biggest hire and he's going to take the easy political route. I really love Moore as OC and eventual head coach (someplace like EMU, FAU, Ball St), but it doesn't mean that he's the best candidate for the Michigan job. There are a lot of good young head coaches out there that should be interviewed. Michigan isn't a place where you should start learning to be a head coach. Michigan is a place that should reward a deserving young or middle age head coach who's put in years of work, has extensive head coaching experience, and has a proven track record of winning. Warde is taking the easy route. I would argue the political and DEI route. I can see the interim tag on him for this year, but not handed the job. Again, I love Moore as OC but doesn't meet the criteria that we all know should be met to be the head football coach at Michigan.
I know a lot of you will argue with me and even call me names. This is the reality of our culture and world we live in today. Take an honest look and ask yourself, why did Harbaugh leave? I'm certain he has NFL aspirations, but he loves Michigan. If he would have been offered the protections he stays and finishes his career at Michigan and we are all happy. But the administration is playing politics. A few idiots will make the rest of us suffer. They basically ran him out of town. For as much as he's done for Michigan, they didn't give him in return what he deserved, which is protection and guarantees.
January 25th, 2024 at 8:37 AM ^
The political and DEI route? And there it is. One of you mfs finally manned up and said why so many of you are irrationally blaming Manuel for Jim doing what Jim wants. Pathetic
January 25th, 2024 at 7:41 AM ^
Everyone that is choosing to believe Warde and Ono could have gotten Jim to stay conveniently ignores that one of Jim's contract demands was that the buyout doesn't increase until after this year's NFL coaching search cycle is over