CC: Bizarre Finish Leaves 49ers 4-4

Submitted by Geaux_Blue on
After allowing the Rams to hang around all game, the 49ers actually fell behind at home 13-10 with approximately 2-3 minutes remaining. In a bizarre series of plays involving pass interference, holding and a near-score, SF had the ball on the Rams 1 with 19 seconds and a TO remaining. Kaepernick fumbled the snap into the end zone for a touchback and Rams win. SF now sits far back in their division at 4-4 with two games remaining against a desperate Seattle team, a game at New Orleans and two final home games against Arizona and San Diego. Given that multiple talking heads have said Harbaugh wouldn't return even with a Super Bowl win, the timing is becoming a little convenient for those who believe UM has a shot with a coach who may be hungry to get people remembering how great of a coach he's been in the past...

ThadMattasagoblin

November 2nd, 2014 at 7:59 PM ^

Maybe Harbaugh doesn't come here but it seems like everything is aligning for him to come to Michigan. Reports saying he won't be back next year with the 49ers, Dave Brandon being fired, Mark Schlissel wanting a more academic approach to sports and JH critized Michigan for not being tough enough academically, possibly of not making the playoffs growing bigger each day which means we could go after him as early as New Years Day.

Smidgens

November 2nd, 2014 at 7:59 PM ^

to get people remembering how great of a coach he's been in the past"

Yeah, I mean it's been almost a whole year since he took the 49ers to an NFC championship game. That bum hasn't made it to a Superbowl in 2 years. Why would Michigan even want a coach like that.

Victor Valiant

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:01 PM ^

If Hoke were fired immediately after the OSU game AND the 49ers were struggling miserably it would still be a long shot to get Harbaugh before the NFL season was over. 

Additionally, I'm not sure I'd want to acquire Harbaugh that way. Him leaving the 49ers before the regular season even ended would create a whirlwind of bad publicity for him and it would carry into the early months of his tenure at Michigan. He'd have former 49ers players and management bad mouthing him and he'd have the press in the Bay area writing every negative story they could think of.

Best case scenario for Michigan is Harbaugh coaches out the regular season, Hoke is fired after the OSU game or whatever bowl they play, and Harbaugh resigns/is fired from the 49ers and immediately accepts the Michigan job. Nobody would blame him at that point and there would be minimal controversy. 

 

EDIT: FatGuyTouchdown beat me to the punch.

bighouse22

November 2nd, 2014 at 9:49 PM ^

I have to believe the principles in any agreement between Harbaugh and Michigan will have this thing settled well before it is announced.  If he is willing to come, they will start the process of finalizing terms so it will be quick and painless at the end of their respective seasons.

The feelers already have to be out to determine interest, don't they?

UofMDieHardsBlog

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:11 PM ^

Just another reason for Harbaugh to leave 49ers... They won't make the playoffs with a division including Arizona, St. Louis and Seattle. They won't make the playoffs so Jim should and will take the money and go back to Michigan!

alum96

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^

How the hell does Jim Harbaugh still have a job after this disappointing start?  49ers management, I plead with you to get rid of this guy - he clearly has disappointed and it's time to clear the wood and move in another direction.

Do it.

Please.

Now.

 

ThadMattasagoblin

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^

Lets say the new AD thinks that there is a good chance of getting one of the Harbaughs. Do you let BH coach the bowl game if we make one and fire him on Janury 1st so we don't have as big of a buyout and apply that money to JH. You could do most of the coaching search in December and then have backups in place to hire quickly. 

JohnnyBlue

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^

Here is what I would prefer. Get a behind closed doors commitment from Jim. Go to Hoke let him know we are letting him go after the bowl, but also let him know that in exchange for finishing out the year his buyout would be the same as if we fired him in December. Seems like the right thing to do Even better would be if we could do what Ohio did with urban and hire Harbaugh to recruit in December

ThadMattasagoblin

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:27 PM ^

Yes his timing matters the most but I feel that that is the timing that works the best for both. He isn't coming here to lose pay most likely and it's going to put a lot of strain on the athletic department to pay him 6 million a year on top of buyouts from DB ad BH. He won't even be available until December 29th anyways.

Victor Valiant

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^

I'm not even kidding when I say this. Whoever the AD is when the 49ers miss the playoffs, just hand Jim Harbaugh a blank check and tell him to write whatever he thinks is fair. Tell him whatever he writes will be his salary until such a time comes when he earns even more money, and then we will just hand him another blank check. Boom. He's our next coach.

alum96

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:33 PM ^

I mean this blank check stuff is silly.  The market is set.  Harbaugh makes $5M, less than $1M more than Hoke (head splode!).  The top 2 coaches in the NFL - Reid and Belichik - make $7.5M.  Saban just parlayed the Texas interest for an upgrade from $5.4M to $6.9M.  So you know your range.  Doesn't take a math major to figure it out.  He might give you a hometown discount if it is clear from back channel discussions he truly wants to fix this thing from the heart but $6M is your floor for Jim H.  The ceiling is obvious too.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/12/14/5209876/nick-saban-…

 

alum96

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:38 PM ^

I doubt it ever happens but one wonders the lost revenue opportunity of alcohol sales at home games.  If Brandon wouldn't do it, no one will do it.  So back to Ross' couch cushions we go.

Saban is such an outlier in the sport the only question is what range will this salary come in, a year ago at this time $5.4M was the ceiling and only I believe 3 guys were north of $5M.  Now there is a massive gap between Saban and the rest.

ifis

November 2nd, 2014 at 8:59 PM ^

Strongly hinted that will not happen. He talked about balancing priorities, including finances Edit: just to be clear- I interpreted him as saying um is willing to pay a great deal , but there is a limit. His remarks were also referring to the ad search, but I think it's likely the same attitude would apply to a hypothetical coaching search