Harbaugh's Bonuses
We all know Harbaugh had his base compensation cut in half. I am happy to report that he is making up some of it with bonuses.
It appears as if Harbaugh got a $500K bonus for making the BigTen Championship game. If UofM wins that game he will get $1.5 million an additional bonuses (1 million for BigTen Champions and $500K for making the playoffs).
Harbaugh can also net $50K if he is BigTen coach of the year, $75K if national coach of the year, and $150K if we hit our Academic Progress numbers.
Also, $1 million for winning it all.
I hope Harbaugh is a baker with a lot more dough coming to him this season.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:41 AM ^
After the state game, I made a comment about I was now on board the fire Harbaugh train. Fortunately, I'm eating a big fat plate of crow right now.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:51 AM ^
Would you like a side of buckeye with that crow?
November 28th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Fair Weather Fan. I'm glad you know it.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:17 PM ^
It's interesting that if Michigan had won the State game, but ended up losing to Ohio there would be no Big Ten Championship game. Would have been nice if we won both, but we won the right one.
November 28th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
I will never get wanting to fire Harbaugh with no plan.
It's just doing something different for the sake of it being different.
If you're OSU and Urban Meyer is staring you in the face? Yeah, bye Luke.
If there was ANYONE who even felt like he was on Harbaugh's level that we'd know would come...then I get it.
But we're talking Matt Campbell, Tony Elliott. We're talking Dan Mullen, Dave Doeren and Dave Clawson.
Not one of those guys does better than Harbaugh over this tenure and not one of them is an upgrade. It's just someone different.
I just don't think people realize how BAD this program was when Hoke got it and how BAD it still was when Harbaugh took over.
It was just yesterday y'all were whining he couldn't develop a QB. Now it looks like we might have two "homegrowns."
November 28th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
I’ve always wondered, does $1m even turn you on anymore once you’ve earned as much as he has? Not like he really has time to spend it anyways, so I guess it’s mostly for the benefit of his kids
November 28th, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
Well if you make 50% more of your salary in one year for performing well, I think anyone would be very excited about that. Rich people like money too.
Edit: it's now also a goal, instead of base salary to reach, so it makes it that much more rewarding as well.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
He does have a bunch of kids.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
I don't think the dollar amount really matters that much to him. It's more about the principle of earning a raise.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
A bonus is not a raise, yo.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
Harbaugh is a different bird. I think he cares the most about winning for his Alma matter. I genuinely think he cares the most about UofM and leaving a good legacy and the salary is 2nd on the totem pole.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:58 PM ^
Well considering that 1MM turns into 700K immediately (state & federal taxes) it definitely matters. And depending on how long you want to work matters. And if you want to maintain a certain lifestyle post-retirement it matters.
To quote the great David Gilmore "Money, so they say, Is the root of all evil today. But if you ask for a raise It's no surprise that they're giving none away."
November 28th, 2021 at 1:17 PM ^
Technically, the original saying was that the love of money was the root of all evil.
November 28th, 2021 at 1:53 PM ^
Or Roger Waters, who wrote the song.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:44 AM ^
That's alot of Dough to bake with & should get him more ingredients on the 'cruitin trail should he whip up National ChampionChip-Cookie
November 28th, 2021 at 11:45 AM ^
He bet on himself.
And he won.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:51 PM ^
And you just won the thread.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:46 AM ^
Harbaugh sees his compensation as a by product of what he really wants.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:49 AM ^
This should/will wait until after the season, but we should extend him and raise his salary and buyout. He’s our coach, and no reason to have it contract structured to make it (theoretically) easy for an NFL team to poach him
November 28th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
Good for him. He has earned it so far and I feel this team is far from being done this season. Win the B10 then onward to the CFP
Go Blue!
November 28th, 2021 at 11:57 AM ^
All well deserved. Hope he hits all of his bonuses
November 28th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
Cut it to nothing and we will win it all.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^
It was a risky reconstruction for Harbaugh, but he's made up for it. I would definitely like to see more contracts in college football with lower base pay and higher bonuses.
November 28th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^
Maybe this makes me the old man of the group but I actually really like that the bonus for academic achievement is higher than some of the individual measures. And, I bet the team exceeds the measure too
November 28th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ^
Watching MSU and Penn State way over-pay for their coaches, I once again appreciate Harbaugh.
He took the reduction because he loves Michigan, loves Ann Arbor, and believes in the kids he recruits as players and men.
He could get 3X the pay if he went mercenary and chased the paycheck.
He has integrity and honor--This guy is a fantastic coach.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
Last year when he signed this contract, I strongly doubt he was in position to go mercenary and get a much higher paycheck. Now I suspect he could find some offers if he wanted. I would like to see his contract renegotiated with both higher base and higher incentives. With incentives he should be able to earn more than Franklin and Tucker.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^
There were reports last year his agent was gauging interest from NFL teams but didn't get much, if any, nibbles. If true I don't blame him at all...if I were getting a 50% haircut at work I'd definitely be looking around as well.
November 28th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Harbaugh has a few other incentives in places that are fairly sizeable.
If I were WM during his next contract discussion with JH, I would keep the base salary at par and structure it with lucrative incentives for beating our rivals, winning the B1G east, winning the B1G championship, appearing in a playoff, appearing in the NC game and winning the NC game.. If he wins the NC game his incentives should make him the highest paid person in College (maybe pro too?)
Also think he should have an incentive, for years where the playoffs are missed, for various bowl games (NY6 bowl games are worth X and others worth Y). Don't think he has that currently...incentive for appearing and an incentive for winning.
November 28th, 2021 at 1:38 PM ^
I'm not gonna lie. $1 million for winning it all seems kinda low. If Michigan wins it all give the man $5 million.
November 28th, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^
The bonus thing was a compromise, but Harbaugh did it, he proved he can beat OSU, if we manage to beat Iowa next week, I think we need to up his contract and offer him a long extension.
Hopefully people are finally over the "fire Harbaugh" thing, and we're happy with our coach.