Schefter: Harbaugh to NCAA Unlikely

like a fancy way of saying that he really doesn't know.

Two things. One is to keep our hopes in check because it IS unlikely. So let's not tie all our hopes to one guy and devolve to nothingness if he doesn't make the unprecedented jump down after NFL success.

Two...nobody knows. Until Harbaugh himself says he's staying in the NFL, it at least remains a real possibility for Michigan to get him. Because people may say they know...but nobody really knows what he's thinking.

John Harbaugh is a higher probability than Jim. John has won a Super Bowl and there isn't really anything left for him to prove. I think both are improbable as there isn't a lot of historic precedent for a still Extremely successful NFL coach jumping back to college. I'm sure the rumors come up because of feigned loyalty but the metrics don't make sense. There will be an NFL team (most likely the Jets) that will give him absolute control. Ultimately he will only come to coach college if the NFL can't promise him that. The Jets will trade a top five pick, SF will try to hold out for more but cave and Jim will Gruden his way to the next gig. I think the next coach at Michigan will be either Dan Mullen or Cutliffe at Duke. I personally like the possibility of a Mullen hire. He can recruit here and he can win here. I think he can also beat Meyer to be honest. I have no idea if he can beat Dantonio but it will be competitive. A dark horse for me would be Todd Graham but I can't see him leaving ASU just yet.

Right now, at this moment, even Jim Harbaugh doesn't know exactly what he's going to do. 

That's just human nature when you're facing a big decision with so many variables.

Time will tell.

Harbaugh is probably deciding if he really like the attitudes of pro players and if he would like to head back to being a college coach. I think he will try the NFL once again then in 5 years decide to finish his career at Michigan. Hopefully, SFO will not make the playoffs, so we can get a decision by JH very quick. Otherwise we should go after Miles as the stop gap coach to fill in before JH becomes the Michigan coach 5 years from now.

Not buying it. Schefter had Harbaugh coming to Michigan last time around. I know people on this board don't trust Hendon but I do.

http://wp.me/p4SELw-2s0

SF, Miami, Cleveland or Oakland, Harbaugh will surely be bringing his work gloves, hard hat and lunch pail because GOTDAMMITALL those are some major construction jobs to go after.

So what's the difference if he came to toil for the same at Michigan? He might be paid less, his home life would suck and his wife would be pissed, but his work might actually be more fun and the favorable results probably comparatively easier and faster to achieve.

I think Schefter is like every other Michigan Football Fan who's ever walked the earth. You want to be optimistic, you know Michigan has some tremendous competitive advantages, but you always have to check yourself because of the negative kharma that always and forever continues to haunt Michigan football. 

(not sure why I wrote all this, but whatev) This is all just my highly uninformed speculation, so there's a good chance I'm wrong in every which way. However, assuming a Super Bowl win is far and away Jim's top goal at the NFL level, it seems pretty likely that he would want to go to a place where he feels he can be competitive sooner rather than later. With the Raiders and Jets both in need of at least a few rebuilding years, it's difficult to imagine Harbaugh truly finding either of those teams attractive. The Giants also have plenty of holes, especially on defense, and Eli Manning probably isn't the type of QB that would mesh well with JH. The Falcons or Bears seem a bit more plausible, but it doesn't seem to be a foregone conclusion just yet that either Smith or Trestman will be let go. That said, if the right opportunity doesn't present itself, I could envision Harbaugh coming to Michigan, but potentially making his way back to the NFL later on. Maybe he'd take over for 3-5 or however many years, during which time he waits for the best case scenario to unfold with the NFL and jump back to the pros. Obviously this sounds kinda shitty, but if JH came in, got Michigan back on track, then left the program in a position for continued success and in good hands like he did with Stanford, that might be an okay bargain. Regardless, everything would probably have to transpire just right if a situation like this were to be slightly feasible. Of course, there's always the possibility that if Harbaugh came back to the college level, he may find he enjoys it too much to want to leave. Or perhaps, against all odds, Jim has a revelation in which it becomes his intent to go nowhere but his alma mater, right the ship, stay in AA for 20+ years, essentially become Bo 2.0, and have a statue of him built right next to his former coach outside Schembechler Hall. tl;dr - me trying to conceptualize a very hypothetical scenario where Harbaugh doesn't find any pro teams appealing. Thus he takes Michigan job, maybe only until nice NFL gig opens up, or maybe for long term if decides college is most enjoyable.

 

He doesn't want to be accused of being the one who causes Jim to have to dig his heels in or backtrack for whatever reason and deny or flip-flop on a decision the way Miles allegedly did in 2007. 

Having said that, I've been trying to temper my enthusiasm. I've been holding out some hope based on Brian's "I've heard if offered, he'd come here" so I'm interested to see if Brian has a take on Schefter's news. But college to three straight NFC championship games-back to college is an unprecedented path. 

It all comes down to whether JH wants to coach in the pros or in college. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

Not sure if it's been mentioned among these 200+ posts but, Harbaugh has to agree to any trade the niners propose. For an egomaniac and control freak, I can't see him approving any trade especially if the team acquiring him is giving up several draft picks. Whether it's the RAiders or Jets or any other shitty team, whoever wants him obviously has a ton of personnel issues and would be wise to use the offered draft picks on players. Harbaugh will realize this. He will be starting at the bottom with little ammunition to build.

Like I've maintained all along. We have no shot at Harbaugh.

The job was absolutely 100% his to take in 2011 and he wound up with the 49ers.

Anyone who believes the BS talking point that he "was never offered the job" is a complete and total rube.

The only way Harbaugh wasn't offered the job last time around was on the technicality that he preemptively turned it down.

If Jim Harbaugh wanted to coach at Michigan he would already be our coach.

 

Brandon wanted a Yes Man and he was Hoke

he needs to have a sit down with this man . ..