DJ Durkin is "waiting on" Harbaugh

Submitted by FrankMurphy on

From the Austin American-Statesman:

 

One of the Aggies’ candidates, Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin, is waiting to see whether Harbaugh takes the open Michigan head coaching job, according to a source close to the situation. If Harbaugh, currently at odds with the San Francisco 49ers, were to go back to coach his alma mater, Durkin could get reunited with his former Stanford boss.
Seems like yet another good sign, since it wouldn't make sense for Durkin to pass up the TAMU job unless he was reasonably confident that he'll be joining Harbaugh in Ann Arbor.
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Jaqen H'ghar

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^

This is just speculation and really has no bearing on whether harbaugh has contacted him or not. Durkin could very well know he's our next DC and is just waiting until jim is announced

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FrankMurphy

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:21 PM ^

It seems like the TAMU job is his if he wants it. We're approaching late December, head coaches are filling the vacancies on their staffs, and the window is rapidly closing for most top assistant jobs. Putting myself in Durkin's shoes, I wouldn't pass up the TAMU job unless I was certain that something better is in the pipeline. So I think this can only be a good sign.

And if it does mean what we all hope it means, then it also lessens the chances that Harbaugh will change his mind at the last minute, since doing so would put Durkin and any other potential assistants with whom he may have made contact in a tight spot. Harbaugh may be flaky and abrasive, but I don't think he would screw a colleague out of an opportunity. 

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BlueHills

December 23rd, 2014 at 7:19 PM ^

I think you're right.

And I don't think Harbaugh is truly flaky. He's a guy who for most of his coaching career, had to fire up a bunch of 18-22 year old guys to do things his way. That's something that can be like herding cats.

You don't get a young group of guys pulling in a single direction by being entirely conventional. You do things to get their attention.

Sticking out his season with the Niners shows how un-flaky he is. Despite the media circus, the lack of support from this front office, etc., the man has remained entirely professional, entirely grown-up, etc.

Compare him to Pelini, whose outbursts showed epic bitterness and anger. Harbaugh hasn't come across that way at all. In fact, despite everything, all he has said about the situation is that he "serves at the pleasure of the 49ers organization."

So Harbaugh may use some unconventional motivational tactics, but he's 100% the real deal as a grown up man when it comes to commitment to his work. I respect that, and suspect that we all do.

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Njia

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:13 PM ^

On BTN Live right now ... Still saying it's probably going to be the Raiders because of the "power" (i.e. control) they can give him that Michigan can't or won't. Says that Harbaugh will never get the kind of control and lattitude that Saban has at Alabama.

He also discussed the "affinity" he has for the Davis family as a factor in how he will decide.

Wow. He just can't get off that dime.

On the other hand, Glen Mason wasn't having any of it. He thinks it's Harbaugh to Michigan.

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Sam1863

December 24th, 2014 at 7:31 AM ^

"Danny, you're a young man! Don't do it!" Funny as hell story, but to me, this scene showed what a remarkable filmmaker Spielberg is. He uses a funny story to emphasize the sadness Ryan feels about the loss of his brothers, followed immediately by the fear everyone feels at the rumble of the advancing panzers. Three different emotions in maybe two minutes of screen time. There are directors who can't bring that much emotion to the screen in two hours.

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The Reeve

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:21 PM ^

I saw that as well, ESPN having on their experts Tim Kawakami (sp) and Drew Sharp. By the beard of Zeus, I have never seen anything like that. The NFL guy basically almost in tears in his desire for JH to go to Oakland. Then the unmentionable one called in and bashed Michigan as a total dumpster fire, not in the way we recognize it, but as Michigan's permanent state from here on out and gave his opinion that JH wouldn't come.

My IQ dropped, and I can't spare any.

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DGDestroys

December 23rd, 2014 at 6:12 PM ^

Durkin's a hot name being floated around right now, what with UNC and TAMU pursuing him so hard, but he only has one year of experience and it was definitely Muschamp's D he was running. I don't know how much we really know about his proficiency as a coordinator.

What we DO know is he's young and was Rivals' 2012 Recruiter of the Year, so he's got that going for him. 

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