SIAP: Today's Harbaugh press conference cancelled
No Harbaugh availability today. Just canceled by UM.
— angelique (@chengelis) December 8, 2020
“The team will continue to participate in limited workouts today” — per UM spokesman
December 8th, 2020 at 11:36 AM ^
*all of the various situations and rumors
December 8th, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^
I think the only thing we can take from this is the game Saturday is very very unlikely. Don’t think we can read anything into the Harbaugh situation from this.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
Let’s see, covid infiltrating the football program, the week of The Game, a lame duck coach on the hot seat, a week before signing day, potentially more subjects to talk about than we’ve had in years. The answer from the athletic department? More silence. It’s just very clear that Manuel doesn’t have any respect for the fan base, the media, or feel any responsibility to anyone outside of his inner circle. You think these questions would go unanswered at OSU, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, or any other football powerhouse? Not bloody likely! (I’d insert the gif but that’s not my thing)
December 8th, 2020 at 1:01 PM ^
He made great hires in Howard and Mel. He didn't hire Harbaugh and he isn't going to fire him/buy him out during a COVID year. Would you chill the fuck out about him?
December 8th, 2020 at 1:12 PM ^
I’m asking for an update(ie they do their jobs) to update us on the numerous important things going on. I didn’t say Manuel hired him, did I. You may need to take your own advice.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:39 AM ^
What is there to talk about? Jim speaks in riddles anyway.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:39 AM ^
Game is cancelled is what I get out of this.
Also, supposedly Matt Campbell doesn’t “want the UM job”.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
Several have said this is false about Campbell and Michigan. I guess I would like to find out though lol.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:45 AM ^
Yeah, I think the person is full of shit. Just sharing the link. Matt Campbell, if offered a good deal, would come here in a heartbeat. Michigan has loads of potential as a football program.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
Just sharing the link. Matt Campbell, if offered a good deal, would come here in a heartbeat
If you think it's not accurate, why share false reports?
December 8th, 2020 at 1:05 PM ^
Don't make me choose between the journalistic integrity of Dennis Dodd and SalvatoreQuattro. Choices, choices...
December 8th, 2020 at 1:51 PM ^
"Michigan has loads of potential as a football program."
What changed since yesterday? You've been calling everyone who thinks we could do better than 9-3 an idiot for months.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:01 PM ^
Who cares, at this point we all know Harbaugh is coming back, so get on that train for at least 2 more years and hope he figures that shit out. I can't treat my Wolverines like the Lions, I'm too old and too invested. I'm not apathetic, yet, so let's Go Blue!!!
December 8th, 2020 at 1:17 PM ^
I think it may depend on what else he is offered this year and what else opens up.
Yes, Michigan is a far more prestigious job with countless more in the way of resources, but he may also look at Michigan as a place that is extremely unlikely to have success at relative to other programs. He'd be fighting against a rival that has NFL-caliber players backing up NFL-caliber players at every single level on both sides of the ball, a rival that has been so thoroughly dominant for the last two decades that it could take a long time for him to catch up. Time he may not be afforded by a very impatient fanbase. If catching up is even a possibility.
Campbell has needed time to get his ISU team where it is right now, which is completely fair and reasonable at a place like Ames, Iowa, but is Michigan going to be patient enough with him to let him get there before he gets run out of town? What if he goes through a RichRod like progression, where his teams get slightly better every year but they're still getting skullfucked by OSU? Are we running him out of town after three years, too?
I guess you could say he will face high pressure at any blueblood school but with all of infighting and internal political squabbling this program goes through on a seemingly annual basis, Michigan seems to crank it up a notch or two compared to most everyone else. Rivalries are also often cyclical and there has been no indication whatsoever that OSU is even close to slowing down and allowing for someone else to catch up.
TL;DR version: there are plenty of reasons for him to come here, but there might be just as many reasons for him to look at us and say "Hell no."
December 8th, 2020 at 11:47 AM ^
Wouldn't surprise me. There might be a stench that's circulating in coaching circles but who knows. Maybe we don't have the program infrastructure setup properly since we went from phoning-it-in-at-the-end Carr to dysfunctional RichRod to Hoke to Harbaugh. Stepping into OSU or Notre Dame might be easier and have less to "fix." Also, fwiw, ISU fans don't think Campbell will leave. They say he turned down FSU and some other high profile jobs to stay there.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:10 PM ^
"Fans of mid-level football program are convinced hot up-and-coming coach will stay at school forever. More at 11!"
A good amount of Western Michigan fans are still pissed at Fleck because they naively believed he wanted to stay on Kalamazoo forever instead of moving up in the world. I highly doubt Campbell wants to stay at ISU over getting a prestigious, top tier job in his industry.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
"Fans of mid-level football program are convinced hot up-and-coming coach will stay at school forever. More at 11!"
A good amount of Western Michigan fans are still pissed at Fleck because they naively believed he wanted to stay in Kalamazoo forever instead of moving up in the world. I highly doubt Campbell wants to stay at ISU over getting a prestigious, top tier job in his industry.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:50 AM ^
Doubt a national writer has the connections to determine this. A guy that covered him from Toledo said last year that Campbell would definitely take Michigan jobs if offered. 
December 8th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.
In this case, everybody has a plan until they get offered something like $7 million and then all bets are off the table.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:53 AM ^
That tweet references Dennis Dodd, one of the more idiotic 'writers' out there.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
Guys with double letters at the end of their names are automatically untrustworthy
December 8th, 2020 at 11:57 AM ^
Is that like "Harbaugh won't go to Michigan he hates recruiting (which may be true honestly) and his wife won't leave the bay area"?
December 8th, 2020 at 12:06 PM ^
You think he hates recruiting? I think Head coaches are closers, and the assistants need to do a better job. I haven't heard of a young recruit that hasn't liked him after meeting him. The main issue is, and I don't know if this will change, is Michigan will only recruit a certain type of kid. I really believe that's a cultural thing that won't change. ND figured it out, and they are on the right track, so maybe Michigan will eventually.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
He may have become disillusioned with the recruiting process. Having to pander to these young 16 and 17 year olds like they're celebrities, think they're the shit. And many of them have been run off by his meritocracy culture (whatever that even means). I'm not saying I agree with it, but I'm sure he thought he could run this place with the same mentality that Bo did back when he had 150 scholarship players and 95% of them were just as interested in getting a world class degree as they were in their football careers.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:36 PM ^
FYI...Dennis Dodd was on ESPNU radio with the First Team and said that Campbell does not want to coach at Michigan. Said he will either be a lifer at ISU or hold out for the OSU or ND job.
This is most likely where the tweet came from.
Dodd also mentions that Fickell is not in play at UM for obvious reasons (being a Buckeye) and Cristobal is a guy that would listen to both Texas and Michigan.
Grain of salt obviously, but Dodd seems to be confident that Campbell is not interested in the UM job.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:29 PM ^
Fickell to UM was always a stupid idea. He'd rather be unemployed than coach Michigan.
Cristobal is interesting, but can he recruit at the same level without Oregon's recruiting "resources?"
December 8th, 2020 at 1:14 PM ^
And David Cutcliffe turned us down in 2014, haha.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:44 AM ^
Let's focus on what matters today:
Pick drops at 8pm ET for our home game against Minn. Need a win against them if we want to stay in the conference race.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:48 AM ^
Fuck, that is going to be a mess. We've used tennis balls for drills before, but never picks. Good luck, boys!
December 8th, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
Pick drops? Is this one of those “battle of the bands” things?
December 8th, 2020 at 11:59 AM ^
James Hetfield is probably involved since nobody down picks like he does.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
If we have to keep one, who would you choose? Harbaugh or Schlissel
I feel like one is negatively affecting the other. And the "other" DGAF.
December 8th, 2020 at 11:59 AM ^
I don't see what Schlissel has to do with anything. Harbaugh has been a huge distraction the whole time he's been here and publicly called out Schlissel for not wanting the team to play. Wouldn't Schlissel more likely than not be glad to see him go?
December 8th, 2020 at 12:06 PM ^
Seeing as how Schlissel is at least two layers removed from the football program and how athletics is only one part of the massive institution that he oversees, I think the answer is clear.
Unlike certain other schools in the B1G, we are not a football program that just happens to have a university attached to it.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:11 PM ^
Agreed. But if people think they can catch OSU without a football-friendly Prez, keep waiting.
I have a feeling the question of us playing this weekend is out of the AD's hands. Prez didn't even want a season.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:00 PM ^
Schlissel is plenty football-friendly, even though it's not a personal interest of his. He signed off on Harbaugh's hire (at a much higher salary than Michigan previously had paid), brought in Warde Manuel (who was viewed as a "get" for the AD position), approved substantial facility upgrades, etc. And until COVID, which unquestionably is within the President's wheelhouse, stayed out of Harbaugh's way.
Schlissel and other B1G presidents collectively botched the B1G season and that's no small thing, and he has arguably botched Michigan's COVID plan generally, but he's sufficiently football-friendly IMO.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
I have no clue which is which in this scenario
December 8th, 2020 at 12:14 PM ^
If you're basing your decision on job performance, there's really only one answer. And its not Harbaugh.
The impact Schlissel has on Michigan goes so far beyond athletics. Much less the football program.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
Both have had rough covid years. Both disappointing. My answer: both can leave.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^
I hear G. Gordon Gee is available.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
A wise decision. Public statements aren't helping much these days, regardless of topic.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
Here’s what’s going to happen:
Tomorrow, AD will release a statement that The Game is cancelled.
Friday or Monday, the AD & Harbaugh will hold a joint press conference announcing an extension of 2-3 years.
That’s it. Don’t need Bacon or any sources. The events of the last few days and the deadlines that loom plus common sense are all you need to predict this obvious outcome. You’re welcome
December 8th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
Totally agree with you. The only thing I hope for is a very very small buyout in the extension, and the announcement that Don Brown is moving on. Will be very disappointing if those 2 things don't happen
December 8th, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
That's not a good sign for The Game.
On the upside, that's not a good sign for The Game.
December 8th, 2020 at 12:57 PM ^
Hoping it means the end of the Harbaugh Era and "Michigan Man" Frat, which only scares away and undermines great coaching prospects, and would not ironically accept a guy like Bo.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:22 PM ^
Someone—Chengelis in the Detroit News?—pointed out that last week's press conference was canceled before news of the game's cancellation.
December 8th, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^
Pussy ass bitch but keep his job cuz that's what we deserve