Harbaugh To Hire USC RB Coach Kiel McDonald For Same Position With Chargers
Not sure if Harbaugh was pursuing Mike, but it's one less option for him to leaving once he returns from his leave of absence.
Chargers are finalizing a deal to hire USC RB coach Kiel McDonald as their running back coach. McDonald had chances to become a college offensive coordinator but opted to become Jim Harbaugh’s RB coach. At Utah and USC, McDonald worked with backs such as Zack Moss and Marshawn…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 22, 2024
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:15 PM ^
I don't think Harbaugh was ever pursuing Hart. Or at least that's not a name that came up when Webb and others were naming the guys Harbaugh intended on pushing for.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:20 PM ^
I think it's unclear. Sounded like Hart was in the same boat as other assistants who had an expired contracts and was discussing a new one while also seeing what the market had to offer when his undisclosed personal matters took him away from all of that discussion, and seems to have not yet subsided to allow him to pursue that discussion with Michigan or anyone else.
OP is just pointing out at least we don't have to worry about a Harbaugh poach when those discussions resume.
February 22nd, 2024 at 5:49 PM ^
Also, Hart appears to have gone on leave before Harbaugh departed, since he was absent from the victory parade.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:25 PM ^
All we know at this time is that Mike Hart will not be with the Chargers. It appears that Mike has had an extended leave of absence so I hope that he is doing well and will return soon.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:26 PM ^
Another coach taking a "lower" position in the NFL. Gonna keep happening until NIL and transfers get figured out.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
First, he's not taking a lower job, he's taking the same job. The tweet alludes to him passing up college OC opportunities, but they could have been juco or D-III or Sparty for all we know. Second, taking a titular demotion to get to the NFL is nothing new and is unrelated to the current chaos. Many college coaches, like their players, yearn to go pro.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:49 PM ^
I see what you did there! 🤣
February 22nd, 2024 at 6:12 PM ^
I don’t think you can claim it’s “unrelated to the current chaos”. Everything we know today indicates that the NFL is a more desirable place to work than college. Who was the last coach to willingly leave the NFL to take a job with a lower title?
February 22nd, 2024 at 7:29 PM ^
You actually agree with me. I said the NFL is a more desirable place for coaches and has been for a long time. You say the NFL is currently more desirable. From your closing question, I infer that you can't recall an NFL coach who took a demotion in leaving for college (neither can I). This means it either doesn't happen or happened so long ago we have forgotten it; both cases support my theory that coaches' preference for the NFL predates, and thus unrelated to, the current chaos.
p.s. I apologize in advance for sounding like a pedantic dillhole. I think I am one at heart.
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:03 PM ^
College RB coach to NFL RB coach is not a “lower” position…
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:25 PM ^
The reference for lower position is that he turned down a college offensive coordinator position to accept a position as rb coach in the NFL. Which most would consider a lesser position.
Was the OC job at USC or a power program? Was it a co-oc? Pay and growth potential? Program and players taking over? These are all huge now in college not to mention just how fast a college roster can change everything. So it may not be a better position while it would be a higher level position.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:31 PM ^
The Michigan fan inside me says "great news, Hart wont be leaving us" but my better angel thinks "at least if he was leaving that would mean his situation has settled enough to coach again".
Heal up Mike. We're a better team with you a part of it.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:44 PM ^
Un-Mike Hart related?
February 22nd, 2024 at 3:02 PM ^
Mike Hart, but fat? (McDonald’s)
February 22nd, 2024 at 6:01 PM ^
I never truly believed we’d win a National Title in my lifetime.
I also never believed a Fred Jackson’ish hyperbolic analysis of a UM player would come true.
But both happened.
National Title, and Corum is indeed, Mike Hart but fast
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:50 PM ^
Harbaugh must need someone to recruit the left coast.
February 22nd, 2024 at 2:50 PM ^
If I was a Chargers fan I'd be a bit nervous with all the college coaches Harbaugh is bringing in.
February 22nd, 2024 at 3:29 PM ^
It's mostly just defense. They have Harbaugh, Roman, and a bunch of NFL guys on offense. They kept their ST Coordinator from the previous regime.
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:04 PM ^
Look at the season the Chargers just had with all NFL coaches.
February 22nd, 2024 at 9:47 PM ^
it's times like this i wish i had a second account to give more upvotes
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:41 PM ^
There aren't any Chargers fans. Most from San Diego abandoned them..
February 23rd, 2024 at 12:40 PM ^
This is really true. They play, like the Rams, in LA so they can fill the stadium with away fans. Its brutal. San Fran and the Raiders are the home teams in LA.
February 22nd, 2024 at 5:30 PM ^
Is coaching football somehow different when all the players are under contract vs. getting paid via NIL deals?
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:04 PM ^
Does it seem to anyone else that Harbaugh is rolling with too many college coaches ?
February 22nd, 2024 at 5:28 PM ^
A football coach is a football coach. If anything, they'll now have more time to actually coach vs. college with all the recruiting BS they have to do.
February 22nd, 2024 at 5:40 PM ^
For sure
How is that going to translate to the NFL
February 22nd, 2024 at 4:15 PM ^
Harbaugh wasn't trying to hire Hart.
February 22nd, 2024 at 7:34 PM ^
Obviously complete speculation, but reasonable to assume that Harbaugh knows the nature of Hart's absence. He may well have known that Hart was going to be unavailable or just not ready to discuss a move.
February 22nd, 2024 at 6:15 PM ^
Yeah, I never really thought Hart was in his radar, but I still wish Hart the best with whatever is going on in his life.
February 22nd, 2024 at 8:26 PM ^
Harbaugh and hart are not on good terms. Hart was never going to LA. Probably not returning to M either.
February 22nd, 2024 at 10:23 PM ^
That means Hart will be back with the team!
February 23rd, 2024 at 3:28 AM ^
I just hope Mike Hart is healthy and god willing comes back and coaches for Michigan, because I believe that's where he belongs.
i said a number of times prior that Hart would not be back. He never really buried the hatchet with Harbaugh over his comments at Stanford. He is thought to have been part of the leaks concerning burgergate. I'm glad it;s finally official. You won't find anything any posted- Harbaugh doens't throw people under the bus. Just like he covered for Warde on his way out.