Per 'sources', Falcons scheduling 2nd interview with JH next week
'Sources' but sounds plausible.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:19 PM ^
Good fodder for the weekend nonetheless.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:23 PM ^
Even with a 2nd interview, the longer this drags out the better. Our athletic department and university need to get on their ass about keeping him.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:32 PM ^
Um, friend, if you haven’t figured it out by now, this is out of the school’s hands. They’ve offered him the moon. They can’t make him stay. Stop blaming the school.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:56 PM ^
We don't know what the school has offered him, or at least I don't. All I've seen are conflicting reports with various terms and numbers. None of us have seen an actual contract, or even bullet points, from an official source.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:27 PM ^
I'm starting to agree with this. It's easy to blame Warde and the University, but I think Harbaugh himself is genuinely torn on what to do. The lure of the NFL is that he wants another crack at winning a Super Bowl, which is the one thing Michigan can't offer him. But the control he would give up in subjecting himself to the big egos of NFL owners, GMs, and superstar players (not to mention the fickleness of fanbases) is probably giving him pause.
There's nothing Michigan can do to help resolve Harbaugh's dilemma. Only he can decide what it is he really wants.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:46 PM ^
He needs to do it soon so that the university can move forward on finding a new head coach if Harbaugh decides to leave.
January 20th, 2024 at 2:34 AM ^
He cant hire himself. Well not yet anyway. Once he accepts and after hiring his own handpicked GM that could change.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:35 PM ^
Harbaugh just did interview where he says there will be a "passing of the torch"
If I'm Michigan I'm coming back with a staggering offer. His bro says he'll do what's best for his fam...there's not a contract he's not worth. I just don't want to see the football program become the basketball program.
Don't let him Leave.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:49 PM ^
He doesn’t care about money so that isn’t going to matter.
The football program draws much more interest and passion than basketball. You won’t have to worry about it becoming basketball.
January 20th, 2024 at 1:48 AM ^
RichRod? Hoke? I mean, WHY are we suddenly immune to sucking when the guy that built it leaves?
Culture? Culture is what keeps you from wasting the talent, both players and coaches. With JH and Minter gone, no quarterback…Culture isn’t a magic potion.
Reality: we are very possibly staring down a multi year downturn. Expecting Sherrone Moore to be JH year one , especially building an offense from the studs and a very talented defense without the brain.
with our schedule next year, 10-2 seems best case- 8-4 is on the table.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:53 PM ^
Michigan can't offer him the opportunity to win an NFL Super Bowl. It's simply not possible. How many college coaches have "lost a Super Bowl to my brother" on their resume? This is what the third offseason he's interviewed with the NFL? Has little to do with Michigan IMHO. He can both (a) love Michigan and want to continue coaching here and (b) want another shot at building a Super Bowl contender. However, they're mutually exclusive. And he also needs to find an NFL franchise that will agree to his terms (and I'm assuming the sticking points will be around autonomy and control, not money- those factors at least weigh in Michigan's favor).
Alternatively, he may just be frustrated with college football. Could be bullshit NCAA investigations, unregulated NIL, etc.
Regardless, these professional desires and structural issues are largely outside of Michigan's control.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:48 PM ^
I think you'll see a lot of top CF coaches start going in another direction ........ the Portal and NIL has to be frustrating to many of them, not just JH. It's just a totally different CF game than decades past.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:55 PM ^
Decades? Try a year or two. Every player, new or returning, has to be recruited and paid. This unregulated college system is a hot mess and I couldn't imagine being a coach trying to work in it.
January 20th, 2024 at 12:15 AM ^
Harbaugh should be one of the last people frustrated with the portal or NIL. He's been at the forefront championing those causes, and now expanding the opportunity into profit sharing. It may not be what he exactly envisioned, but he was of rhe major voices leading the charge to where the sport sits now.
January 20th, 2024 at 7:38 AM ^
He should have taken this team into the NFL playoffs. Could have replaced the Cowboys or the Eagles.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:22 PM ^
We’ve already seen what happens when the football program does what the basketball program has been doing, it was called the Brady Hoke era and it ends with a much swifter firing
January 19th, 2024 at 7:42 PM ^
If returning to the NFL and chasing a Super Bowl ring is what Harbaugh really wants to do, then there's nothing Michigan can do if he's offered a position.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:49 PM ^
Exactly.
The best step for the university right now might be making what most of us suspect is the next step official and name Moore the HC in waiting.
It gives recruits, transfer portal guys, and (selfishly) us fans at least a little bit of certainty in these uncertain times!
January 19th, 2024 at 8:21 PM ^
Maybe U of M could try firing Warde while Jimmy is interviewing. Couldn’t hurt!
January 19th, 2024 at 8:47 PM ^
It's bad for recruiting, bad for the portal and bad for having to hire staff in the event he leaves. The longer he drags this out it is most definitely worse for the university.
January 19th, 2024 at 9:49 PM ^
If this isn’t clear by now, this will all be over when Harbaugh wants it to be over. This is out of Michigan’s hands.
Harbaugh isn’t going to sign a contract that says he can’t interview with NFL teams. It sounds like he’s at a point where he’s not going to actively seek the NFL out, but if they come to him, he’s going to listen. And they’re going to come knocking every year unless, as Brian says, he starts posting 6-6 seasons.
At this point, this is likely the cost of doing business with having Harbaugh as your coach, so Michigan needs to decide that they’re either comfortable with putting up with that every offseason, or thank him for his service and “encourage him” to find employment elsewhere.
I’m personally fine with either option. Harbaugh won a national title. Even if this year is a full reset, if the expectation is that Michigan can win a national title with him once every 8-10 years or so, you take that and run. But this dalliance with the NFL is tiring and it undoubtedly hurts recruiting. I wouldn’t be upset either if he left, they promoted Sherrone, and we weren’t dealing with this uncertainty every offseason. I think recruiting would definitely see a noticeable uptick.
January 20th, 2024 at 2:44 AM ^
NFL EXECS are just super smart dudes.
Harbaugh 16 yrs coaching San Diego, Stanford, 49ers and Michigan (amazing coaching resume)
COVID HITS - "No thanks"
2021,22,23 - More of the same from his first 16 yrs
NFL Execs "Oh yes please now that he has proved himself"
2024 6-6
NFL Execs "Hard pass"
What a bunch of absolute jack asses.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:23 PM ^
Falcons are doing their due diligence, but I would be shocked if they didn't hire Bill Belichick.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:32 PM ^
I said in another thread, I think Atlanta has the best pieces (and a high draft pick) for Harbaugh's style to be implemented the easiest. Chargers would need a full overhaul to shift to playing Harball.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:46 PM ^
The commanders do. Picking 3rd, nice nucleas and a ton of cap space
He was in DC today FWIW
January 19th, 2024 at 8:14 PM ^
I agree that the Commanders are the best job & it would put him close to his brother. Jim did what he promised. If this is what he wants, he's earned it. I'd love for Jim to stay, but if he leaves I have confidence in Coach Moore. The last time Harbaugh handed a college team to an assistant, things worked pretty well for about a decade.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:18 PM ^
I disagree. Commanders had the worst defense in the league and a bottom 5 offensive line. They don't have a QB and their backs are average at best.
Atlanta has a solid offensive line and a solid defenses, two good backs, two good TEs, a young stud WR, and the #8 pick.
I don't think this Commanders team plus Harbaugh and Drake Maye does much. However, the Falcons could easily pull a trade to bring Justin Fields back to Georgia relatively cheaply, keep the #8 pick (or draft Daniels, JJ, or whoever Harbaugh thinks fits his offense), and they have a good foundation for a Harbaugh-style team.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:26 PM ^
How happy would Fields be though to be traded to the Falcons and have to head back to the racist state of Georgia? Isn’t that why he fled to Columbus?
/s
January 20th, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
Washington Commanders has a rockstar GM in Adams who they hired away from SF. They can turn around the franchise quickly. See Houston Texans. They were the worst team in the league last season and now they're playing in the wild card thanks to Demeco Ryans and CJ Stroud.
January 20th, 2024 at 11:24 AM ^
No doubt Stroud and Ryan's have helped but another big reason is the Watson trade to the Browns. The Texans got a lot of draft picks in that trade and they've done a great job with who they've drafted with those picks.
January 19th, 2024 at 9:20 PM ^
Atlanta also offers the worst division in football. They were one competent QB away from winning their division. Bijan, London, and Pitts gives Harbaugh offensive pieces to work with.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:41 PM ^
Give me the Falcons roster all day every day over the Chargers. Atlanta has a solid young core and just needs that QB.
January 19th, 2024 at 9:15 PM ^
Harbaughs resume is more impressive than Bills imo. Belichick has been greatly aided by having the greatest QB of all time for decade
January 19th, 2024 at 9:39 PM ^
You could argue Harbaugh is a better coach or something, but resume-wise nobody it touching Belichick.
January 19th, 2024 at 10:06 PM ^
I think Harbaugh winning at multiple stops and at multiple levels is more impressive. Im sure Belichick is a good coach, but his record when not having the greatest QB in NFL history is middling. If Taylor Heinicke is my QB, Id rather have Jim
January 20th, 2024 at 9:57 AM ^
I think how we evaluate coaches is all screwy. You have to judge them relative to the talent level.
Take Ryan Day. I don’t think he’s a very good coach, and even if he wins a championship as OSU I wouldn’t attribute much to his coaching. Everywhere Harbaugh has gone involved elevating a previously putrid team to contenders and not once did he do it with a talent advantage.
Belichick had some good coaching years, but every one of them came with the best football player of all time on his roster.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:25 PM ^
I thought Blanks was locked in with Belichick? I just can’t picture Harbaugh coaching Atlanta. The Chargers, sure, but I would be surprised if he goes to Atlanta and I don’t know why.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:51 PM ^
Belichick also had second interview with the team, and it sounds like Vrabel is getting second interview too. Harbaugh getting a second interview does not seem to be an 'only invite the guy we want back and kick the tires one more time before offering him' kind of interview.
This could drag on for a while. Is Philly confirmed to retain their coach? Any other playoff coaches that could be on hot seat? Or is that another possible opening that has not even started interview?
January 19th, 2024 at 9:12 PM ^
Sirianni was retained, yes.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:27 PM ^
Yet other sources are saying Belichick is basically a done deal for Atlanta
January 19th, 2024 at 7:30 PM ^
Feels like the NFL is jerking Harbaugh around for some reason. Man they really hate him. Jim, come back where people actually love you!
January 19th, 2024 at 7:37 PM ^
I think he wants control the franchise’s are hesitant to give him much like the assurances that Michigan seems unwilling to give him.
January 20th, 2024 at 10:24 AM ^
Yet BB wants control. I don't believe the reports bc the Falcons are willing to give HC roster control. BB and Harbaugh would like that.
January 20th, 2024 at 12:38 AM ^
Comeback to where they love you, but is overseen by an organization that punishes you for stepping foot outside of your house / office during the quiet period of recruiting and for selecting strange young, self motivated staff members that remind you of a younger version of yourself?
January 19th, 2024 at 7:42 PM ^
Patriots Country are reporting that (based on report from "a CBS insider" whatever that is
January 19th, 2024 at 7:46 PM ^
Yeah, very responsible sourcing. Thanks.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:42 PM ^
If I was Belichick is just wolf have worn all seven of my superbowl rings to the interview, held them up and sat quietly.
January 19th, 2024 at 7:51 PM ^
Did he buy his seventh ring on ebay?
January 19th, 2024 at 8:01 PM ^
He actually has eight Super Bowl rings. He won two as DC of the New York Giants.
January 19th, 2024 at 8:20 PM ^
That ruins my joke.