Harbaugh - potential Carolina Panthers coach? (this time ESPN rumor)

One of the good things about having RichRod as our coach is that we don't need to fear a jump to the NFL leaving the program in shambles.  I'm not sure if Jimbo has an NFL itch that he will eventually need to scratch.  Better that he goes to the NFL now while we win a few titles with RichRod and then he can take over after RichRod retires after a decade or more of success.

Long time lurker, but infrequent poster, from the Left Coast.

Earlier this year, I was on a flight with the Michigan Club Rowing team from Houston to SF.  According to Coach Hartsuff, they were en route to the Stanford Invitational, which typically only features West Coast schools like Stanford, Cal, and Oregon.  Apparently, Stanford contacted the coach about the opportunity, and an anonymous donor funded the trip.  Being an alum and a fan of all things Michigan, I invited myself to the rowing meeting that weekend, where things got interesting.

Chatting with a few alums who were there, apparently Harbaugh stopped by the hotel, hosted a dinner with the Michigan team the evening before.  Unlike other Stanford events, where Harbaugh typically sits in the front row looking like a Stanford billboard, he was not at the rowing meet.  The alums suggested that Harbaugh may have coordinated Michigan's participation in the event and set up the funding for trip himself.  However, since Stanford hosts the event, it may be awkward for him to show up wearing Michigan gear or be overtly provincial with who he roots for.

This story, if true, shows that while Harbaugh may have mouthed-off some non-sense about Michigan's academics, his heart is in Ann Arbor.  Harbaugh has never stopped being one of us.  He will never take another job without considering us first.

In fact, I suspect that all the NFL, Notre Dame, Tennessee rumors were a ploy by Harbaugh and his agent to signal to Michigan that Stanford isn't his dream job by any means, and he will listen.  However, it also signals that Harbaugh wasn't going to take a below market offer just because we are Michigan; there is demand for his services and he will only accept a deal befitting that demand.

Realistically, I don't think Harbaugh will take an NFL job without Andrew Luck.  SF49ers and Carolina make sense if Luck decides to leave this year.  However, Luck may elect to stay for another year with the lockout looming, which may change the plans quite a bit.  If Michigan is serious about pursuing Harbaugh, they need to catch him this off season.

I'm hearing Dantonio might get the offer

strong rumor that Jerry Jones was courting Les Miles to take over the Cowboys if they decided to get rid of Wade Phillips.  It is an almost absolute certainty that the Jones will fire Wade Phillips after this season if not sooner.

So does "almost absolute certainty" = " most likely".  I'd bet $100 that Phillips is canned before the Wild card games start.

I have no idea if Harbaugh would go to the NFL, but if he does, I see him staying in Cali->S.F.

JH's ego might not mesh so well with multi-million $$ egos, my hope is he stays at Stanford and teaches Kiffin a few lessons.

There isn't any reason to believe that Stanford is Harbaugh's dream job as some have said. Harbaugh's, who is obviously very talented got the Stanford job when it was not very attractive to anyone. On the flip side, Harbaugh had a very limited record as a coach and was fortunate to make the big jump to a Pac-10 school. No doubt he has done a great job. It is a great school for sure but for a relatively young football coach whose career is on the upswing it is not the last stop. He will move onward and upward, probably to the pros. I think the time is right for him to go if offered by the pros, which is possible given his record and the value in the Harbaugh brand recently enhanced by the success of his brother at Baltimore.

Not only did JH have a long career in the NFL as a player his brother. John is the Ravens coach. According to the Sports Illustrated article he and his brother are very competitive with one another. I agree with others that he might easily jump to the NFL. Besides, after we whip PSU the M job will not be open.