Sorta OT Kinda CC: Who the heck would REPLACE Harbaugh in SF?
We've been so fixated on Harbaugh exiting SF, which appears to be a foregone conclusion, but something just struck me the past couple days:
Once the 49ers part ways with JH, who the heck do they have in mind who would be an upgrade?? I've been on the board, um ... a lot ... and I have never seen mention of who the 49ers might target to replace him. I don't even have a clue, but surely York and Baalke have someone in mind?
I realize they wouldn't make that conversation public or anything, so any guess would be just that — pure speculation. I'm just wondering if there's been any buzz or any favorites among 49er nation. I suspect more than a few of them would rather Jim stay.
Greg Roman? David Shaw? Brian Billick? Jon Gruden?
December 15th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
Hopefully
December 15th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 4:48 PM ^
Brian Kelly seems like a purple face Vikings kinda guy to me.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
Even further, becasue Kelly is occasionally trending purple-to-red and back again, it creates a situation where, if he were to ever take that job, he would be virtually invisible on the field at different points in any Vikings-49ers game. If somehow he could get the team to develop this natural camouflage, schematic advantage and you avoid the terrible spectre of actually hiring Charlie Weis.
December 15th, 2014 at 7:24 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
They could go with Kelly, Saban, Don Shula, Tom Landry, Vince Lombardi or Jesus Christ...
December 15th, 2014 at 6:05 PM ^
If we did care, it should be SCHIANO for a couple of reasons, a) he would be off our Board, and b) he looks good in the color red!
December 15th, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^
Are we, as a people, becoming too fixated on the color of ones face? Maybe we should focus more on their virtues as a coach and their content of their playbook. (Did I go too MLK?)
December 15th, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^
Why hopefully? Not like we are going to play ND any time soon. Likely not before Kelly retires if he makes it that long.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:15 PM ^
Yup definitely don't recruit any of the same players...
December 15th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
49ers hire Shaw. Harbaugh prefers college but also bay area. Returns to Stanford.
put it out of your mind
December 15th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
Based on how weird the 49ers front office has been, I'm guessing they'll get a sycophant or a retread who'll be happy to have the job. I doubt anyone with a big-time future is going to want to go to a place that ran off a guy who went to three straight NFC championship games and a superbowl.
December 15th, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
York is a ND grad looking to get a schematic advantage in the NFL.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:01 PM ^
Upvote for you, great answer!
December 15th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
Jerry Kill
December 15th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
I would say "Hey, Dantonio should!", but I'd like him to stick around so Harbaugh can demonstrate how much 6 of 7 had to do with back-to-back coaching disasters at Michigan.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
I could see it.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:58 PM ^
As much as I would like Dantonio to leave for the NFL, I feel like he's going to be a lifer there. Kind of like Izzo, his name will probably pop up whenever there's a NFL coaching change, but it isn't going to mean much.
December 15th, 2014 at 8:50 PM ^
Nah, I definitely don't think he's NFL material, I was joking.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
Brady Hoke is available.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^
December 15th, 2014 at 5:00 PM ^
What is keeping Urban from NFL? Is it his scheme that he thinks won't work? Does he just likethe college game more because he knows he can win? As a great a coach as he is (jealousy is rampant) I can't believe I've never heard his name mentioned for a head coaching vacancy in the NFL.
I'm rooting for more and more spread guys going to the NFL and winning. So the better guys like Chip Kelly look, the more likely Urban and others may be willing to try their hand.
But seriously...why NOT Urban?
December 15th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
Tressel was never really seriously considered for the NFL either and his playing style should have been a fit.
But OSU is a destination job...and probably higher profile than the Browns and Bengals combined.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:16 PM ^
something about Urban saying "it's just never worked out (going to NFL)" and that he likes being around college players.
OSU DEFINITELY higher prestige than Bengals+Browns especially in Ohio...but...if Dallas/SF/Bears/Jets (more of a popular/national franchise) opens up you'd be a fool as a GM not to at least sniff one of the most successful College Coaches ever.
He's young enough, flexible enough with personel and has done it at every stop. Now that we're seing Spread-ish elements working and becoming more universally accepted in the NFL...what the hell?
December 15th, 2014 at 5:26 PM ^
"...and probably higher profile than the Browns and Bengals combined."
That's just ridiculous. There are 32 jobs in the NFL working at the highest level. Ohio State is big but, believe me, as a Browns fan who has quite regrettably spent a lot of time in Ohio it's not even close. Tons of NFL fans with zero interest in the college game.
Urbs is a big fish at tOSU; much like Chip Kelly has found the NFL game would figure out his scheme, run superior athletes at it and slowly grind him down.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
Chip Kelly is 19-11 with a division championship. Last season, the Eagles finished second in total offense and this year they are ranked fifth in toal offense. They did this with Nick Foles at quarterback last year, and Mark Sanchez (YES THAT MARK SANCHEZ) at qb for much of this year.
The Eagles did not look great look yesterday in defeat against Dallas (a team which has also beaten Seattle on the road, btw) but the team was 4-12 before Chip took over amidst the Dream Team debacle. They still don't have a secondary, a franchise qb, or a #2 receiver (and even Maclin is not a true superstar). And Chip still has them in the thick of the playoff race.
To say that the NFL has "figured out" Kelly's scheme is ridiculous. He looks like one of the best coaches in the NFL.
December 15th, 2014 at 7:00 PM ^
Imagine if Mariota was running Kelly's offense in Philly. They would be a nightmare for opposing teams.
December 15th, 2014 at 8:34 PM ^
Agreed. Throw the Bucs in there too. They're the types of teams that OCs would take a shot at, then just return to their coordinator capacity after they realize what tire fires really look like.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:27 PM ^
Something tells me Urban is greasy.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:32 PM ^
He would have to get used to a salary cap.
December 15th, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^
that an NFL coach is just some rich guy's toy. At the end of the day, the players get paid by said rich guy, so they effectively report to the rich guy, so does the GM, which means the coach has very little leverage.
A lot of dysfunction in the NFL comes from this, SF, Dallas, Washington, Miami, ... all great examples of coach wanna be rich guys meddling too much with the team and running coaches through revolving doors.
Do we really think a Saban or a Meyer would want to subject themselves to that? I am hoping Jim Harbaugh has decided he's done with it too.
December 15th, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^
Agree. While the X's and O's are similiar, if not the same, a lot of the off field stuff is very completely different with college and the nfl.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:47 PM ^
Mark Dantonio please.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
Isn't Norv Turner due to yet again steal head coaching money from another NFL franchise?
December 15th, 2014 at 4:48 PM ^
was, "Who cares?"
December 15th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
The OP Obviously.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
I thought the same thing.
December 15th, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
I was coming to check and see if I was the only one who doesn't care. I am glad others don't care.
December 15th, 2014 at 5:05 PM ^
But only in the sense of a question asking who was going to replace Hoke after the Minnesota game. Premature, because he's technically still the coach, but we all knew he was fired at that point (those that hadn't believed it before).
Harbaugh is gone.
The cart/horse would be for anyone to assume that he's coming to Michigan. That's not what this thread is about. It's about who replaces him in SF - and by all accounts, he's gone. Just like Hoke was as soon as he put Shane back in versus Minny.
Technically, he still coached the rest of the season --- and Harbaugh may do the same. But Hoke was never returning and neither is Harbaugh.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
Does "Don't know, don't care" qualify?
December 15th, 2014 at 4:52 PM ^
the question should be "who will succeed Jim Harbaugh?" No man can replace him.
December 15th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^