SEARCHBITS XXIX: IT IS HAPPENING
80% might be low
IT IS HAPPENING. Okay. I don't have a picture of a signed contract, or word from Harbaugh himself that it's happening.
But it's happening. I have not put a number on Harbaugh to Michigan yet, preferring words since it's impossible to put a number on something like this. I'll do this now: 99%.
I have gotten so much independent stuff from so many different sources; 247 and Scout and Bacon are all on board, with Rivals only lagging seemingly because they buy the 2011 story that Harbaugh backed out "at the last minute," something that just can't be true given the timelines. I would be utterly shocked if Jim Harbaugh was not announced as Michigan's coach by December 30th.
It's all over but the pointless rush to be the first to report that water is wet.
HAPPENING BITS.I've heard word that there's a large event on Tuesday night that the catering staff has been asked to keep secret—something that they've never been asked about before.
A son of a current coach is telling co-workers that it's happening and his dad is being retained.
1201 South State Street is getting mail addressed like this from NFL compounds:
I checked the tracking number; it's legit.
If I had to guess I'd bet that's a young-go-getter overnighting his resume and interest. Blind hope? Maybe. Probably not.
More numbers: Webb increments to 80, pending today's 85. Lorenz says it's "when, not if" and puts it at 85%. Pequeno doesn't have a number but does say Michigan boots are on the ground in San Francisco.
THE DURKIN PROPHECY. Harbaugh to Michigan is now unofficially official enough that a coaching staff seems to be in the process of being assembled in earnest. Further confirmation of DJ Durkin's presence on the new staff comes from the message board:
So, I am from Youngstown, OH. This morning, I went to my gym for a little early morning workout, and another member of my gym is the father of Chris Durkin … they are close cousins with D.J. Durkin. … he said he would starting rooting for Michigan football next season (after giving me shit for wearing Michigan shirts in the past). I asked why, and he said he has a cousin who would be coaching there next season, and when I asked if it was D.J. Durkin, he said it was.
Conversation stopped there, but basically we can infer from this that Harbaugh is coming, and D.J. Durkin knows it and will be joining him.
That's a user with only 214 points but he is a guy who signed up over a year ago, FWIW. If it wasn't obvious already since Durkin didn't take the A&M job that could have been his a week ago, it should be now.
ANOTHER NFL PERSON SAYS MICHIGAN IS A TINY FAVORITE. SI's Don Banks runs down the NFL coaching carousel, touching on Harbaugh during the Oakland section:
Most league sources I talked to believe it’s down to either Oakland or Michigan for Harbaugh, and while his preference is to stay in the NFL, the lure of Ann Arbor and being able to resurrect the struggling program at his alma mater might be too tempting an opportunity to say no to. If there’s a possession arrow at the moment, indications are it has begun to slightly point in the direction of the Wolverines. …
Or as one source told me: “He can go there and be God, and never get fired. That’s a home he can live in and stay at. It’ll be like [Nick] Saban in Alabama. He’ll do whatever he wants there. I’d call that the logical place for him.’’
The Raiders will try, but they're still the Raiders—perpetually moribund and possibly on the move.
Banks later dismisses Harbaugh as an option in Chicago, saying if he's leaving the West Coast it's for Michigan. That seems like a flimsy assumption to me, but local reporters continually say that Harbaugh's too pricey for the penny-pinching Bears owners. There's been little indication that Chicago will step in.
WHY IS THIS XXIX? Searchbits XXVIII was this for anyone who just had to check to see if anything was happening on Christmas.
New MGoPost: SEARCHBITS XXVIII: DON'T READ THIS, IT'S CHRISTMAS http://t.co/bqRjIOs0ZA
— mgoblog (@mgoblog) December 25, 2014
I regret nothing, even the old meme. That's what you get for obsessively checking this webs…
…actually this may have been a bad idea.
I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN SPEAK FOR EVERBODY. John Harbaugh denies the Schefter report that Jim's family is encouraging him to take the Michigan job:
"The report that says that his family is encouraging him to go to Michigan by Adam Schefter is absolutely incorrect," John Harbaugh said. "There's been no family that I know of that has given him any advice at all. That's a personal decision, that's his to make. And that's just absolutely false."
I think that's not entirely true; even if it is, Schefter's report seemed to be addressing the wife-won't-leave meme, not John and Jack. And as I mentioned before I'm confident that Jack has been a major part of the Harbaugh acquisition process. It's Jim's decision of course, it's just that your mom and I have always dreamed… etc etc etc.
ETC.: Matt Pargoff has an extensive list of potential assistants. Licensed twitter troll TIm Kawakami's Harbaugh-49ers postmortem is on point.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
99%!!!
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December 26th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
HARBAUGH IS EVERYWHERE
December 26th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
Commence MGoBlog crash in... 3...2.....1....
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December 26th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
WE CAN HAVE GOOD THINGS!!!!!
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December 26th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
Me so happy!!!!!! Time to write my PSD check and date it for dec 30!
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December 26th, 2014 at 8:17 PM ^
Im a season tix holder. I intentionally withheld my PSD payment until I saw his this search plays out. Once this is JH hire is officially announced and the presser is complete, my check goes in the mail also.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
When I read all of these Searchbits back as a mini novel one day this better not be the moment before the cruel plot twist at the end.
December 26th, 2014 at 9:27 PM ^
Around here plot twists are known as a change of heart.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!
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December 26th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
Fred Jackson is being retained?
December 26th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
Please no. Time for him to retire gracefully.
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December 26th, 2014 at 4:56 PM ^
know Harbaugh's record of turning around running back coaches?
December 26th, 2014 at 4:57 PM ^
Mattison has a son that played football so maybe he is the confirming source. Brian will make these things clear when it is time.
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^
Why the Fred Jackson hate? Michigan has had so many good RBs under him, and we've tended to have very good or better RB play every year we had a competent OL. Remember every RB between Rickey Powers (is that about when FJ got here?) and Mike Hart? All awesome. After that we had a talent drop, but Brandon Minor and Fitz Toussaint had very good upperclass years and both Drake Johnson and Derrick Green were looking good this season until injuries.
There are far bigger problems with our staff than Fred Jackson.
December 26th, 2014 at 6:04 PM ^
I don't hate him. I just think he's on the downside. At this point I want fresh blood to form a Harbaugh UM coaching tree. The last few years have seen the RB's not only underperform in running, but also blocking. I just think the upside is very low in keeping him around again. I also want the coordinators to pick their staff. He's earned a big thank you, firm handshake and a nice retirement.
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December 27th, 2014 at 5:49 AM ^
he should be given an office in Schembechler working for Greg Harden and doing community relations in urban areas as a representative for UM Football. He knows the areas, it'll help us recruit and he's can definitely speak from experience.
Would love to see him in the Detroit Public schools teaching football to the younger kids, teaching the older kids life lessons and what it takes to get to the college level. He could run camps, travel to New Orleans and Houston where he has contacts.
I think it'd be a great retiree role for Jackson.
But no more coaching....our RBs haven't really done anything since Hart. Who would be a great upgrade over Fred if he and Harbaugh didn't have that poor history. Hopefully Wheatley comes home...he'd be the home run.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^
but if you re-read... "A son of a current coach is telling co-workers that it's happening and his dad is being retained." we really only jump to that conclusion because only one coach's son is well known to us. I bet about every assistant has a son with co-workers
December 26th, 2014 at 6:50 PM ^
Are young enough that their sons are in elementary or middle school, so it does narrow it down a bit.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^
This was...disappointing...to think about.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:04 PM ^
Ha, that's the first thought I had too
December 26th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
That's exactly what I thought. Does this guy have the deepest dirt on U of M known to man or what...
December 26th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
Holy fuck...
December 26th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
*Feels excited about Michigan football for the first time since the Utah game*.
December 26th, 2014 at 7:47 PM ^
Harbaugh opens in Salt Lake.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
AHHHHHHH
December 26th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
Urban having heart problems
December 26th, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
Either that or his wife is urging him to have a desire to spend more time with family.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
I refuse to get excited until it's official, but I'm smiling on the inside
December 26th, 2014 at 4:56 PM ^
Funk doesn't have a son does he?
Even if he did I don't care.
ITS HAPPENNNNINGGGGGG!!!!!!!
December 26th, 2014 at 4:57 PM ^
ITS HAPPENING!!!
BRING ON THE NEW BANNER!
December 26th, 2014 at 4:57 PM ^
Do you think he will be introduced at the Illinois bball game on Tuesday?
December 26th, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^
I hearby declare the Michigan-Illinois BB game to be beige Dockers night
December 26th, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^
Or as they call it at my house: Tuesday night.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^
SWOONING
December 26th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
99.999999%!!!!!!!!!
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
especially because we beat the Cowboys! And may have to again in 2 weeks. GO LIONS! :)
December 26th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
the Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence.
December 26th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
Oooo mamacita!
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^
Which assistant has a son? Mattison has been rumored but I thought he only has a daughter?.. Freddie J is where my head goes next because obviously but I don't know how to feel about it.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
Mattison's son Bryan played at Iowa and in the NFL for a few years.
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^
I feel it would have to be Mattison wouldn't it? Mattison has to be close with the Harbaughs having coached with John at Baltimore. Would see Mattison wanting to coach for another Harbaugh.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:26 PM ^
I actually think that the relationship, started when Mattison was coaching with Papa Harbaugh back in the day(80's). I think they were at Western Michigan together. I could be wrong though.
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:52 PM ^
Could be. Both were there between '82 and '86.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:12 PM ^
He has another son that played at Florida, too, right?
December 26th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^
This is good. This news is good.
December 26th, 2014 at 5:02 PM ^
You win for original GIF so far.
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December 26th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
I've used it a few times here and there over the past few weeks but I've really tried to keep it limited to the most positive of posts.
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