ijohnb

September 24th, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^

I would amend that title a little.  How about, "Very Clueless Looking "Insider" cites very suspect "source" who believed that Jim Harbaugh would not take the Michigan job."

Ron Utah

September 24th, 2014 at 7:14 PM ^

This is the reason I wasn't as excited about Harbaugh when we hired Hoke: it was obvious that he wanted to coach in the NFL.  He's a great coach, but if he was just going to show up on his way to the NFL, I wasn't interested.

Now, if he ever does come home, it will be because he wants to finish his career at U-M.  I doubt it will happen, but if it does, I'd be grateful to have him.

egrfree2rhyme

September 25th, 2014 at 4:33 AM ^

Eh, I'd be pretty okay with him coming in for 4 years, winning a bunch (a couple of B1G titles and being competitive for the national title) and then leaving for the NFL with the program in great shape.  The way our recent hires have gone, even if someone comes in thinking that this is their long term destination we've seen that it might end up being 3 or 4 and out regardless.  Might as well make those 4 years be incredibly awesome for the program.

I know getting Harbaugh is an extremely long shot but it really is in our best interest to pull out all the stops to make it happen.  With our roster and our schedule next year I think Harbaugh would make us favorites to win the division and we'd have a real chance at winning the conference and earning a playoff birth.  It sounds like there's a real chance that Harbaugh will at least be looking for a new job after this season.  But if we wait until after next year he'll probably already be a year in at whatever his next stop is and thus won't be interested in making another move.

BlueLikeJazz

September 24th, 2014 at 3:57 PM ^

I remember he was broadcasting a game in 2011 and his co-broadcaster asked him point blank if he was going to be the next coach at OSU, and Urban said something to the effect of he was happy and had no plans to leave broadcasting.  I think he even said he'd not been approached about the job.

He took the job 3 or 4 weeks later.

Philbert

September 24th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^

What an odd situation. This guys sources say he wants to coach grown men over kids. Everything we have been hearing for over a year now is that he's sick of dealing with professionals and hates the management. Seems weird that those two stories are a complete 180*. I want to believe he's not liking the coaching professionals part but that's me being optimistic.

jblaze

September 24th, 2014 at 3:28 PM ^

Because of recruiting (and all of the traveling) and being the "face" of the University. The only benefit to an egomaniac like Harbaugh is that almost every college kid would say "yes sir" to him, while NFL stars may talk back (see Desean Jackson & Chip Kelly).

Can we finally stop this Harbaugh to Michigan talk? It's actually in Harbaugh's best interest to act like he would consider a Michigan offer to have more negotiating leverage with the 49ers.

Blue Mike

September 24th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^

Except, assuming Michigan were to vacate their head coaching position at the end of the season, Michigan has a huge head start in recruiting Harbaugh over NFL teams.  Especially if SF makes the playoffs, no NFL can contact him until at least January.  Michigan can contact him any time they want to.  If Harbaugh wants to stay in the NFL, he can ignore Michigan, but they should be able to give it their best shot without competition.

Jalm

September 24th, 2014 at 7:03 PM ^

Just what makes you want to come to AA Dave Brandon calling you every waking minute asking you to be J. Ira and Susie Q head coach of his John and Jane Doe football team sponsored by Mac and Cheese. Then he asks him of his experience and if he can have an interview during a film session.
tldr: we need to get rid of DB first before he ruins our chances.

991GT3

September 24th, 2014 at 3:25 PM ^

One of the major issues when he was contemplating the 49'er job and possibly Michigan was that his family wanted to stay on the west coast. Also, recruiting was something he does not not enjoy doing.

Something major must happen for him to come back to college football. 

MGoVoldemort

September 24th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^

In the next 3 months we're going to see reports like this, and the opposite of this report go streaming through every avenue of media possible. What does it all mean? No one knows anything. Why the hell would Harbaugh confirm interest in a return to college when he likely already has locker room issues? For every "source" we're going to hear from in the next 2 months, there will be 5 other sources contradicting them.

bronxblue

September 24th, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^

Now, I'm not one of these big-city types, but it seems to me that if I was interested in negotiating a possible employment opportunity with a struggling program, I'd play hard-to-get in order to raise the price.  If Harbaugh came out and said "Yeah, I'd be fine coming back to UM", it would (a) demoralize his current employer and his team, and (b) weaken his negotiations because UM would know that he might be irrational and take a bit less money because he wants to coach here.  

Harbaugh will absolutely not contemplate returning to college until such time as he is handed a check and agrees to be a coach.

Hannibal.

September 24th, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^

That's a good question.  He hasn't turned down any serious offers that we know of since he took over at Stanford.  There isn't any action to back up all of this conjecture.

Which is why five minutes into the next coaching search, the man/woman in charge of the search should be on the phone telling him that if he wants to come to Michigan he will be the highest paid coach in football.  And the first criteria for hiring the next athletic director should be that person's ability to get on the phone telling him that if he wants to come to Michigan he will be the highest paid coach in football.  We'll see how he's thinking then.

mGrowOld

September 24th, 2014 at 3:57 PM ^

I cant speak for all ex-season ticket holders obviously but I can tell you that if the monies I previously massively overpaid via face value of tickets plus annual seat licence went to bringing Harbaugh back as a HC for the football team instead of building new non-revenue sports administration buildings I would certainly come back home and re-up.

I would actually be getting something for my investment - imagine that!