Which camp are you in if Harbaugh leaves?
With day that passes w/o the announcement of an extension, I grow more convinced that Coach Harbaugh is heading back to the NFL. I’m guessing that the fanbase will separate along these fault lines:
1) Those who say Harbaugh was compelled to scratch the NFL itch, and he simply couldn’t resist that any longer. Vs…
2) Those who turn their ire toward Warde, believing he failed to protect and elevate Michigan football and should be pushed out.
My question: Which of these camps would you see yourself falling into?
January 14th, 2024 at 2:59 PM ^
And why?
January 14th, 2024 at 3:20 PM ^
Why not both?
January 14th, 2024 at 3:31 PM ^
You people need to stop with Warde. He is NEVER going anywhere. He will be the AD until he is 90. He will get zero blowback if Harbaugh leaves. As of Monday he looks like a frickin genius to everyone not on this blog. I get it, but no one who has any level of influence cares even a little and will name buildings after Warde because of the 2021 contract. Winners get to write history.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:19 PM ^
No way a guy that size makes 90.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:22 PM ^
With his weight he isn't making it to 75, let alone 90. He looks heavier every time I see him. Those who love him need to do an intervention.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:27 PM ^
Warde could lose Beilein, Bakich, Harbaugh, and have the Mel Pearson situation all on his watch and it still isn't his fault. I wish that I could have that job security.
January 15th, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
I don't think losing Beilein or Bakich were really his fault, Beilein wanted to go after all the early departures and the situation with Poole. UM didn't want to match Bakich's offer. And we know Harbaugh has flirted with the NFL the last few years, so he wouldn't be blamed for JH leaving.
There is no world where an AD will be on the hot seat after the team won the football championship.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:41 PM ^
Perhaps I should’ve just framed it as yea or nay on firing Warde if Harbaugh leaves. Over thought it I guess.
Thinking about this too - the AD is just a few weeks away from having to take a clear public position on Juwan. Turbulent times ahead for Warde either way.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:14 PM ^
Yes both!
And while we're talking about camps, I was in the don't rush to promote Sherrone without a true search camp, but everyone else is moving much more quickly than Michigan (we'll, Harbaugh) and now both DeBoer & Jedd are off the board.
So now I'm in the "we promoted Sherrone because of course, and it will work out great!" camp!
January 14th, 2024 at 3:00 PM ^
Nope.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:22 PM ^
January 14th, 2024 at 3:01 PM ^
I’d imagine a lot of people would fall into both
January 14th, 2024 at 3:14 PM ^
If Harbaugh wants to go he goes.
if Harbaugh wants to stay he stays.
And there is nothing Warde can do about it.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:32 PM ^
If Harbaugh stays, we give Warde no credit. If Harbaugh goes, Warde takes all the blame.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:43 PM ^
Yep. Overthought the op post. This is basically what I was trying to gauge @StevieBrown..
January 14th, 2024 at 6:40 PM ^
It's not what he "can do" people have issues with - it's what he has (or hasn't) done.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:01 PM ^
If I have to choose it would be #1, but I would rather pick #3 who cares since we are National Champions. Now more than ever this time just proves how we need to cherish the good times and we get a full year of talking about the good times leading all the way up to a National Championship.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:03 PM ^
I am camp "form an opinion as we learn more".
January 14th, 2024 at 4:47 PM ^
Obviously JJ declared for the deadline and will withdraw his name from the draft once Harbaugh confirms he's returning. Back to Back national championships confirmed
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
Or option 3 - where you don't blame Warde at all. I don't think this is on him if JH leaves. The contract offer is and has been out there. Jim hasn't signed it. Sorry, that's not a Warde thing. Jim says he wants to feel the love. Spare Warde and him not being best friends, I feel Santa, the regents, alumni, students, etc. have shown that love in spades as of late.
If Jim wants to go to the NFL - he should. If he wants to stay, we'd all love to see it.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:46 PM ^
Isn't that option 1?
January 14th, 2024 at 4:37 PM ^
The contract may not be sufficent for Jim. It may not have the assurances he needs reference the two investigations ongoing. They did the self-imposed, beginning of the season, 3 game ban reference cheeseburger gate which could imply they didn't believe what Jim said. Then they took the end of season 3 game ban without a fight.
I don't think Jim trusts any of them.
January 14th, 2024 at 6:42 PM ^
I'm with RGard...
January 14th, 2024 at 4:46 PM ^
Yup. Warde is the easy target for a lot of people. But this is about Jim and what Jim wants to do. The reported terms are more than fair, and based on Jim’s personality and actions it isn’t about the money anyway. Much of the Championship Celebration was a love fest for Harbaugh, multiple thank yous from regents and administration, multiple standing ovations, a “10 more years” chant. So it’s not about “feeling wanted” or “feeling the love.”
It is 100% about whether Jim wants to be in the NFL or if he wants to finish his career out in Ann Arbor. And there’s nothing Warde or anyone else can do about that.
January 14th, 2024 at 5:04 PM ^
The reported terms are more than fair,
Are the terms fair? If I am Harbaugh I want it in writing I won't get fired for a show cause.
Cheering doesn't mean anything. That isn't showing the love. It takes no courage to cheer a coach that won a national championship. Feeling the love is not wanting a guy fired or grumbling after a 4 loss season which are inevitable. Fans and the administration already failed that test miserably. If I him and committing to Michigan, I am not going to put myself in a position where the university has an escape hatch if things get bumpy.
January 14th, 2024 at 7:16 PM ^
No university or NFL team is going to offer a contract that doesn’t include protections from the coach breaking rules, breaking the law, or otherwise breaking the terms of the contract. So yes, the terms are more than fair. Expecting the university to give up all leverage in the event of major penalties is a pipe dream.
January 15th, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
> multiple thank yous from regents and administration
People can lie in public and do things differently behind closed door
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
I'm in the 'Mission accomplished, feel free to do what you want' camp.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:21 PM ^
This is the way.
January 14th, 2024 at 5:54 PM ^
I too am a member of JRell's line of thinking club.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
I'm not in camp but this has nothing to do with Warde
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
He's got nothing left to prove at the college level. I'm at peace with him going pro when it happens. So, I guess #1
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
Personally, if I were 60 and at the top of my game, why would I leave? disclaimer: I am older than 60...
January 14th, 2024 at 3:19 PM ^
This is why I don't think he's leaving.
Why would he leave a place where they will name buildings after him for a slim chance at winning a SB?
If he wants a legacy, it's at Michigan, not some random professional franchise that might fire him and move to a different city in a few years.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:35 PM ^
He’s already cemented his Michigan legacy and three years ago plenty were ready to fire him. If he stayed and stopped winning, the firing talk would begin again. That’s how it works. Winning the Super Bowl is his ultimate goal. Taking his last shot at trying to achieve it makes perfect sense.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:52 PM ^
There’s a legacy and there’s a Legacy
Right now he’s one of the greatest coaches we’ve had. Give it another 5-10 years and we name everything related to the program that is possibly namable after him
Maybe he doesn’t care but there is a difference
January 14th, 2024 at 4:05 PM ^
I'd argue he's already the greatest coach we've ever had after this year.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:11 PM ^
Yeah but it’s still an argument
He can remove all arguments if he so chooses
but he might just want a SB ring, who knows
January 14th, 2024 at 6:46 PM ^
Greatest in your lifetime, berto.
That's a distinction a lot of young people struggle with...🤷♂️
January 14th, 2024 at 4:53 PM ^
Legacy would be being one of the handful of coaches to win both a Super Bowl and National Title.
January 14th, 2024 at 4:10 PM ^
When has he ever said that winning a SB is his ultimate goal?
January 14th, 2024 at 4:06 PM ^
You answered your own question - for the (you say slim) shot to win a Super Bowl. I happen to think his shot to win a Super Bowl is not nearly as slim as you seem to think, given that he already made it to one Super Bowl and 2 other NFC Championships in only 4 years of coaching in the NFL.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:04 PM ^
Both.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:05 PM ^
He's not leaving. He thought he wanted to leave last year, and he may still think it, but he self-sabotaged the Vikings interview last year because it's not in his heart to do it.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:05 PM ^
I'm in the Margot Robbie camp.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:18 PM ^
I didn’t realize that was an option. Count me in - I’ll support that choice.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:49 PM ^
Is Margot Robbie on the table?
January 14th, 2024 at 4:35 PM ^
On the floor, but no, that's not an option.
