Lookout Oakland, Indy is now in play!
September 22nd, 2015 at 5:43 PM ^
This is not about being a paid mercenary, it's about obligation. Coach Harbaugh is giving back because some things are more important than money.
You are absolutely right Chuckie Woodson, he will be here until he fulfills his obligation whatever that may be...
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^
That's the beauty of Harbaugh coming to Michigan for passion, God, and country. You can't trump that by offering $6 million instead of $5 million.
Someday Harbaugh may indeed return to the NFL, and I'm sure Indy has a warm spot in his heart, but it won't be until after his baby, Michigan, is up walking and healthy.
And kicking MSU's and OSUs' asses.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:20 AM ^
He's 51 now, I really don't think you'd leave to go back to that pressure cooker when you're in your late 50's, early 60's. He'll be treated like a god here for as long as he stays.. not seeing the possible incentive unless he thinks he'll have a shot at a SB. But even then, he's got to know the chances of that are slim.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
Well one of Harbaugh's coaching rivals did that exact thing. Pete Carroll took the USC job at like 50 years old, and then left for Seattle at 59 years old I believe? And he's doing well there. There is precedent.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:32 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:33 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:35 AM ^
Pete Carroll didn't grow up with and play for USC...big difference. Not the exact same thing by a long shot.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:55 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:42 AM ^
with the Pete C example. I guess my only counter to that is (at least in 2011) the average age of an NFL coach was about 50. Assuming it's roughly around there now. I'd hope JH would stay at U of M at a minimum of 5-7 years, thus putting him above the average.
I think my post above is probably a better argument for why he'd stay vs. the age, but you'd have to assume it's a factor leaning towards not returning to the NFL.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^
A pessimist.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^
I think Carroll provided the template that Harbaugh would ideally use if he still does want his shot at the glory of the NFL... stay here 9 years or so, fully turn things around and then decamp having already built a legacy and a program. Obviously ideally this would be under different circumstances to Carroll's USC departure, but he certainly laid out the framework for a guy in his 60's to attempt such a transition.
September 22nd, 2015 at 3:26 PM ^
Not every coach cares about the NFL. Saban has had plenty of chances to go back and he obviously would rather coach college football. Jim had a taste of success at the NFL level and yet he still chose to came back to college. I have a hard time seeing him leave if he has the same level of success at Michigan. With the CFP, he has a chance to become the first Michigan coach to win an undisputed national title. If he does that and maybe more, he could have a statue next to his mentor. That's something the NFL (you think they'll build a statue of John in Baltimore?) just can't match.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:43 AM ^
I don't understand the love for Gruden. He took one team to the Super Bowl that was coached up by someone else. Now he sits in the TV booth and sounds smart by comparison to the legions of mouthbreather fans and other broadcasters.
September 22nd, 2015 at 11:02 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:01 AM ^
Ah, chatsports, the paragon of actual unverified "veracity". Sure, I "trust" them as a source.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
Every coach in interviews indicate that they will be in [insert college town] for a long time.
Although in Harbaugh's case, you believe he actually means it.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:26 AM ^
Yeah, if Harbaugh was going to leave for the NFL, it would certainly be to work for a jackass like Irsay. Too stupid to even contemplate.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
I can imagine a whole new set of mgoblog t-shirt designs!
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:36 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 22nd, 2015 at 11:46 AM ^
pills not coke. not really a joking matter either
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:38 AM ^
It's like the scorned ex girlfriend or boyfriend who just cannot believe it is really over. Next thing you know, Harbaugh will get a text that says, "Can I just watch you sleep over Skype, just one time, just for old-time sake??? I LOVE YOU!!! ~NFL"
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:40 AM ^
He can coach Michigan and the Lions and it will be an improvement for the Lions. He doesn't have to relocate.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:29 AM ^
If Coach Harbaugh had taken over for Carr or Rodriguez and he was in year 4-8 I'd be nervous about the Indy situation with Luck and Gore and Fleener ... no, wait. If he'd been with UM for the last 8 years he would barely know who those guys are. But he did play very well in his years with Indy and probably knows the Irsay family well ... but who knows what impression he was left with. I'm sure Indy fans think highly of Harbaugh's time there.
On its face, if you looked at all the NFL franchises the Colts are the most Harbaugh-centric team. But I have to believe Pagano is safe for this season and Coach Harbaugh wouldn't bail so soon.
The longer-term still makes me nevous.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:14 PM ^
If Harbaugh rights the ship here, brings a B1G championship (dare I dream a NC?) here, and leaves after firmly re-establishing Michigan as a national powerhouse, I would be OK with him going to the Lions. That would mean the Lions might actually win a superbowl in my lifetime, which would probably cause my head to explode.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
i think he has found a place to settle down. is at the age where time to stop moving. he has enough money. he also like small towns. so i say he is here to stay.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^
How much Dantonio's name never comes up in these coaching conversations?
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
serious answer: his heart condition, no NFL would take the risk. Otherwise he probably would have gotten a look at the bare minimum.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:54 AM ^
there are certainly NFL coaches with personal baggage that still have jobs. I just don't think Dantonio is interested or ever has been. He approaches Michigan State football as though his legacy and the health of the program is on the line every Saturday. I don't like Dantonio, but college football and that program is clearly personal to him. I don't think NFL teams reach out to him because it is written all over his face that he is not interested.
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:58 AM ^
Tressel was the same way and got offers, too, hell Spurrier actually took the NFL up on one for some reason and you don't get more college than TOBC. I think the reason we don't hear anybody saying "Lions reach out to Dantonio" or "Browns courting Dantonio" though is because nobody wants to invest $5 million into a guy for one of the most high stress jobs on the planet in order to have him keel over.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:09 AM ^
I think there are some styles that don't work well in the NFL for more than a year or two - Dantonio may be a bit too abrasive. Our ball coach has been placed in this camp at times.
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:48 PM ^
and I think NFL players wouldn't mind playing for him.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^
*come, darned auto-correct on my flip phone.
September 22nd, 2015 at 11:01 AM ^
Probably the same reason Lloyd's name never came up for NFL jobs
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:04 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^
that "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." The big egos who need the most money, the most toys, the most media coverage simply can't understand that there can be more satisfaction elsewhere.
Even if you watch Harbaugh at the press conferences and compare with him sitting down with Brandstatter on Inside Michigan, you can see how much more humor he shows, relaxed and with friends, and how much more joy when he's simply on the field with his guys coaching (and tacking a snap or two).
September 22nd, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
be "linked" to every job opening for the next 5 years, in every sport. It is Harbaugh or Izzo for the Cleveland Cavaliers job after this season for sure.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
I can't think of a better time for someone as competitive as Harbaugh to come to Michigan. Not only is our program at its lowest point in years, perhaps decades, but our two biggest rivals are at their highest points in decades. To me, this is a much more rewarding challenge than taking over an NFL team. The upside is bigger because the obstacles - two very good, dynasty-caliber teams, one the reigning national champs, the other with their sights on that goal - are bigger.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:16 AM ^
For whatever reason Mike Florio just cannot let this Harbaugh thing go. He was spectacuarly wrong about JH the entire coaching search saga and is looking like a bigger ass by even suggesting this is a possibility.
September 22nd, 2015 at 4:58 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
pro football talk is dang near bleacher report in my mind. Additionally -- Ryan Grigson and Jim Irsay would never bring in a personality like Harbaugh. This is stupid
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
Coaching the the NFL no longer holds a massive prestige bump over coaching a major NCAA program. Coaches at major college programs get paid, are treated like rock stars, and have WAY more job security. Yeah, you can't win the Super Bowl, but now you've got the playoff National Title to shoot for, which is a very cool goal. About the only drawback is that you have to recruit, so if you hate that I can see it being a bummer. But for someone as competitive as Harbaugh, I can see recruiting being kind of fun--getting kids to come play for him is just another chance for him to "win".
If I were a top-notch successful coach and I were choosing, I would be a major college coach over an NFL coach for sure. I honestly think it is a better gig.
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
Uhhhhh ....case in point.
The San Francisco 49'ers under Jim Harbaugh. Is there a better example of how idiotic the NFL and its owners operate? The guy took SF back to its glory days of NFC Champ games and a SuperBowl and that wasn't "good enough."
If anyone knows how backasswards and stupid the NFL can be, it's Jim Harbaugh.
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
"Stampede Blue" muses a little on the prospect of Jim Isray going "big game hunting" after the season is done. LINK
They only talk about one name here - Nick Saban - and they freely admit that it is conjecture based on rumors that he might walk away from Alabama at some point (also from PFT, so take that for what you will). They also mention that there could be multiple people that qualify as "big game", but the main point is that Isray seems open to significant organizational change, not necessarily just the head coach.
All that aside, Jim Harbaugh could have had his choice of NFL jobs and came back to Michigan and has done and said much to indicate that he'll be around for quite some time. I very much doubt Isray could lure him to Indianapolis, thus the speculation in the linked tweet is rather pointless.