SI.com article about upcoming NFL Black Monday - they finally think JH to UM is possible

Submitted by Couzen Rick's on

This article discusses the upcoming "Black Monday" where the fate of many NFL head coaches on the hot seat will be known.  I find this article interesting in that it's one of the few NFL based articles to acknowledge UM as the likely destination for Harbaugh.  His candidacy at UM is discussed in the section discussing candidates and Oakland, and is predominately written as if Harbaugh will say no to OAK.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/12/24/2015-nfl-black-monday-coaches-fired-jim-harbaugh-rex-ryan

ShruteBeetFarms

December 26th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^

Dec 30th - Harbaugh is announced as the UM football coach

January 3rd - late breaking news from Ian Rapoport and Gil Brandt that Harbaugh has accepted the Michigan coaching job. 

Greeks for Harbaugh

December 26th, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^

Schefter has known all along that Harbaugh has been coming here. This "Harbaugh to Michigan" thing has been in the works for a while, and I even think it may have involved certain factions within the fanbase intentionally sabotoging both Brady Hoke and Dave Brandon. 

Schefter had to represent his employer in a positive light for this particular situation.

Tater

December 26th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^

No coach who has other options would willingly OK a trade to a team that is giving away high draft choices to get him.  The only exception would be if he feels he could take that team to the Super Bowl the first year, like Chucky did in Tampa Bay.  That obviously isn't the case in Oakland.

FreddieMercuryHayes

December 26th, 2014 at 2:09 PM ^

Couple reasons: one is probably that many people don't realize that coaches are not part of the NFL's CBA, thus their trades are different.  They have a much bigger say in where they go, and what terms of the trade are.  Second is that most people still operate that all every coach wants is more money and control.  While one of those may be true for Harbaugh, I don't think those are the only things he's looking for in life.  With those assumptions, it's easy to make the leap to "Oakland will just throw a bunch of money at Harbaugh, and the 49ers really want to get rid of him so the trade will be easy, so of course it will happen."

Haywood Jablomy

December 26th, 2014 at 3:07 PM ^

A trade to Oakland makes zero sense if you are SF. The risk of watching turn around the dumpster fire from across the bay is just not worth it. They know is a great coach but can't get along with him. One simply doesn't trade a great coach to a team in a shared market especially when the fan base is already predisposed to the notion that SF should(ve) kept Coach Harbaugh.

skegemogpoint

December 26th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^

memo to all NFL beat writers: if Jim's preference was "to stay in in the NFL, then Jim would stay inthe NFL."  Amazing how many of these clowns pretend to know Jim's "preference" without knowing anything about Jim's preferences.

TheVictors

December 26th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^

Most don't know Jim. Or have ever met Jim. They derive 'preference' from innuendo and anecdotal reference ..."well I played at Stanford for Harbaugh and know he's a huge competitor!"

That's taken to be ..."Harbaugh would rather compete with his brother for the Lombardi Trophy"

With Shefty & @RapSheet back pedaling so hard, I think the dying whimpers from NFL media are just attempts to get attention from The Event that is Hiring Harbaugh.

The Raiders are where careers go to die.

maizenbluenc

December 26th, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^

what Michigan means to people who went to Michigan, and especially to guys who played for Michigan. His heart is in the NFL .... bull shit!

Yeah, he wants a Superbowl ring, but how much does he want to run through the tunnel, touch the banner, and beat Ohio State again?

Also, they seem to equate any NFL job with a higher stature than even the top college jobs. Nick Saban begs to differ.

The Reeve

December 26th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^

From the perspective of NFL slappys, the Oakland thing just sounds so reasonable (the Jets are more reasonable, and no mention of JH in there). From the perspective of anyone else, Oakland is a joke of a franchise. I am convinced that Harbaugh will return to the NFL on his terms in 6-8 years, still in the prime of his career, leaving behind an extensive coaching tree, and choose his opportunity at unforeseen prices. To cling to the flotsam and jetsam of the NFL dregs over sitting in Bo's chair? No way.

Muttley

December 26th, 2014 at 3:53 PM ^

outside of the Top 25 most years--sometimes well out of the Top 25--to one that competes for National Championships, I'll be estatic with his contribution.

2015 recruits were twinkles or babies when Michigan won the NC in 97, toddlers in 99 when Tom Brady beat Alabama in the Orange Bowl, Kindergartneners when we lost to USC/Texas in the 03/04 Rose Bowls, and just starting pee-wee football in 06.  The 11-2 2011 team won a Sugar Bowl featuring two teams outside of the Top 10.

A quality Mark Dantonio-like hire--if Hackett & Co could identify one correctly--would take years to bootstrap Michigan back to an elite program.  Harbaugh would immediately make Michigan a destination for recruits and the talent in the fold would be developed to their potential.

I have no doubt that a Harbaugh hire would restore the Michigan program in a time frame that only a handful of coaches alive today could achieve.

FauxMo

December 26th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^

I think saying "they think it's happening" based on the comments in this article is terribly misleading. This statement is about as uncertain and equivocal as any statement in the history of statements: "If there's a possession arrow at the moment, indications are that it has begun to slightly point in the direction of the Wolverines."

Not only do they not say they think "it's happening," they won't even say for certain that a possession arrow pointing in that direction definitely exists! HAHAHA...

The Pope

December 26th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^

I love it when Chris Carter talks about his playing days. He adds a lot to any NFL discussion from a players perspective. However, if he is talking about anything else, he is basically talking out of his ass. NBA, MLB, or coaching rumors, he is lost. He and Ditka are still my favorite parts or Mike and Mike. Otherwise I can barely stand those two Subway whores.

FormerlyBigBlue71

December 26th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^

All known evidence points to JH coming to Michigan...

1.  Michigan not having a coach for almost a month with no mention on any other candidates than JH.

2.  Michigan having an offer out in the publick with Baalke confirming Michigan reached out.

3.  Multiple insiders, former players, and others confirming JH's interest in Michigan.

4.  JH's refusal to talk about the job opening when asked about it multiple times.

Oakland is one of the 5 worst jobs in the NFL.  Oakland was paying Dennis Allen less money than MIchigan was paying Brady Hoke.  All of the sudden they are supposed to offer 10 million a year. I will believe it when I see it.  Anyways, 6-8 million a year at Mich>10 million a year at Oakland.  People that aren't fans or didnt attend Michigan just have no clue.  Michigan has much more prestige than Oakland ever will.

Couzen Rick's

December 26th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^

And to an extent with point 4, though, I'd like to add one caveat. FWIW, in the past, JH has also used the "I only talk about the job I have line" when his name was linked in the past with Texas and USC jobs that were vacant at the time. I think, however, that his "what will happen, will happen; what won't, won't" is far more promising for UM Fans

Michology 101

December 26th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^

Yeah, I believe Durkin knows the odds are leaning toward Harbaugh coming to Michigan and not Jim using Michigan. Durkin may even know it’s secretly official.

I just don’t think he would risk his own financial future, waiting on a slim possibility, unless TAMU said they'll give him a certain amount of time.

I find it hard to believe Jim would risk jeopardizing Durkin's future, just for his own contract leverage to the NFL.

DJ Durkin is a guy some within the OSU fan base wanted Urban Myer to call and replace Luke Fickell.

So he’s received his share of praise, even amongst our rivals. Our staff could really look good by the start of the new year.

FormerlyBigBlue71

December 26th, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^

Whether Fair or not, if JH turns down Michigan at this point it will look as if he used Michigan to better his personal situation.  This would most likely lead to permanently damaging his relationship with Michigan and all his former teamates.  I don't believe JH would want this.  Lets hope not.

bacon1431

December 26th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^

Yeah, I don't think he would use us as leverage. He could easily use all the NFL openings (because he's near the top of the list for every one, no doubt) against each other for leverage. He would let us know if he wasn't interested so we could move on. 

At the VERY LEAST, the timeline suggests that he's going to give us serious consideration after his season is over. And that's even if all the optimism from Michigan sources right now are bullshit. 

Greeks for Harbaugh

December 27th, 2014 at 12:09 PM ^

I'm glad they are already starting to say what everyone has. We have somehow survived this coaching opening.