The athletic department must show support for Jim Harbaugh
John U. Bacon made an incredible and, at this stage, obvious point; Jim Harbaugh's future with the program is dependent on support from the athletic department. A plethora of NCAA investigations will not push Jim into another organization but Michigan can.
Everyone that supports Michigan football must have complete confidence that Warde Manuel and the athletic department are doing everything they can to show support for Coach Harbaugh. We should not have to guess where the administration stands regardless of the investigation. A public statement of support for Jim Harbaugh regardless of the investigation's outcome could potentially do wonders in bolstering the relationship between Harbaugh and the school. Also, a contract should be presented as quickly as possible that not only makes Coach Harbaugh the highest paid in the Big 10 but all of college football.
Jim Harbaugh is leading a successful program with young men who love playing for him. We can tell by the interviews and conduct of Michigan's captains that this team is filled with good character guys that will make Harbaugh look good for decades. Jim built this at Michigan and he should be supported publicly and privately as he continues this work at Michigan.
This school had to endure a long period of medocrity on the football field and, while it took some time, Harbaugh has turned things around emphatically. Our team is enjoying one it's best stretches of winning in our program's history. This team is going to potentially break the record for most draft picks in the NFL by one school. Finally, the athletes that Jim has recruited have done well in the academic field.
Knowing that Michigan has it within its power to back and retain Jim Harbaugh but instead effectively pushes him out the door is a mistake that could cost it for decades. The school must not let this happen. If John U Bacon is right and the relationship with Manuel and Harbaugh is icy then Manuel must change this. If he refuses to do so then he should be fired. Please if you are reading this and have influence support Coach Harbaugh and Go Blue!
October 25th, 2023 at 2:28 PM ^
Warde ain't gonna do shit to help
October 25th, 2023 at 2:31 PM ^
Yup. This is now on Santa.
Warde is a weak, weak pencil pusher.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:34 PM ^
Agree; this is not just athletics reputation, but reputation of the whole institution. Santa's been around long enough to know that Warde is weak and doesn't love JH. He needs to drive this and help us gain control of the narrative. JUB's piece helps, but is not something we can drive. Need a supportive, positive message about what JH is doing and has done.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
I still can’t fathom all this developing over a level 2 infraction that has not been proven yet.
um needs to step and the state does as well.
this is ridiculous
October 25th, 2023 at 3:52 PM ^
I agree, no one gave one shit about UoM until they began trending magnificently in football, to match the elite academics. This is one big smear campaign that if it turns out damaging the institution, student body, and especially this massively talented team? I am done with college sports. Someone needs to stand up for UoM and JH+The Team.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
Maybe on Santa but also the big money boosters who have considerable influence.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
When the shit gets real you find out who has your back and who doesn't. What say you, Santa?
October 25th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^
I have the impression that Santa is too intelligent to come in on Day 1 & make massive changes to the institutions where he's been hired as President. But we've seen his embrace of athletics @ Cincinatti, and he's been at the position here now for around a year. I'd expect he has a clear understanding of the dynamics involved in our major sporting programs, and I'd hope he gets involved as needed to maintain the legacy that Harbaugh has instilled in the program - regarding player/human development, winning culture, great coaching. Put Warde in his place & give Jim a contract now.
Then sort out the affiliations with Stapleton, and how the University is going to back our coach. And if Warde fails to comply, then we have marching orders.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:54 PM ^
This gets at the most direct response; announce the signing of his 5 year extension before we play Purdue. I get politically why that is very unlikely - but it certainly would send a message. And it would make the entire NFL thing a non-issue (assuming the buy out is enough of a barrier).
October 25th, 2023 at 4:46 PM ^
That's an insult to pencil-pushers.
He's a boot licker.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:15 PM ^
Looks that way. Todd Anson posted this last year:
Great work, @Johnubacon. Adding to the mystery is that UM AD Warde Manuel is understood to be a close friend of … Stapleton’s. What “fingerprints” get detected there might be interesting. All I can say is, “Oh my.” Soon over. “Just win, baby” & do it the “right way.” https://t.co/G3lbgucy5x
— Todd J. Anson (@TJA4Michigan) February 2, 2022
It's a real shame that if things don't go their way, certain parties feel the need to sabotage a program that's having success... only because the credit will go to individuals they don't care for.
It's partisan politics at its very worst and it sucks.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
Ono somehow pieced it together and retained Harbaugh for another year. He has to do something here. He cannot let Warde handle this. I have zero faith in Warde handling this well after how he botched last investigation with hockey coach.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
Warde clearly only cares about his own ass and the public image of the department he runs. If he has to (or sadly wants to), he'll throw Harbaugh under the bus in an instant
October 25th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
This is the first time I've heard that Warde and Stapleton are connected but it certainly makes sense and goes a long way in explained why the relationship between Harbaugh and Warde is frosty and why Warde has NEVER come out in public support of Jim.
Man I really dont want my mind to go where it's headed right now but if Stapleton and Warde are buddies I can envision a lot of very unpleasant future outcomes.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:48 PM ^
The call is coming from inside the house.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^
It would work out well for Ron English though.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
I'm not as down on Warde as most others here on the blog.
That being said, it is obvious that his relationship with Harbaugh is not great, Bob. (In Warde's defense, Harbaugh has never really had a great relationship with "management." He probably has always viewed himself as being superior to his direct supervisors.)
That being said (also), I can't imagine Warde would be stupid enough to try to sabotage the coach who's delivered the best football team performance any of us have seen in our lifetimes...bringing the program back to national prominence and helping to generate significant exposure and revenue for the Athletic Department.
That would be a very strong example of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
In Warde's mind, it may be a win-win-win:
- I can hire a similarly talented head coach to continue the program's success*
- I become the alpha of Michigan Athletics once again if Harbaugh leaves
- I can toss a bone to my close friend Jim Stapleton at his job, who will call off the dogs after Harbaugh exits
*this point feels extremely suspect to me, but I would not be surprised if a delusional belief like this would take root, considering Warde's power and position
October 25th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
I can see how someone could get their mind around what you're saying.
But, man, it would take a special kind of delusion to think anyone else could have the same level of success at Michigan...or that you'd be the alpha with another $10-15 million a year coach...and to fuck with a top five football program just to give your buddy a "+1."
October 25th, 2023 at 5:33 PM ^
1 is completely delusional.
In today's game Michigan is an easy place to win 9 games a year at but one of the hardest to do what Harbaugh has done.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
I can't imagine Warde would be stupid enough
Warde:
October 25th, 2023 at 5:28 PM ^
You are giving Warde way too much credit. May be he will prove everyone wrong and wrap up Jim's contract.
October 25th, 2023 at 6:24 PM ^
Let me tell you a story about Jerry Jones, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, and the Dallas Cowboys.
October 25th, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
You know how you show Jim the love? Present him with this contract and get his signature. The bye week seems like the perfect time.
October 25th, 2023 at 5:39 PM ^
Strongly agree. The University has many ways of shaping the narrative without interfering with whatever the NCAA might do. One of the best would be to offer the contract while (rightly) praising Harbaugh’s integrity.
I wouldn’t advocate for the above if I didn’t truly believe Coach Harbaugh is a highly ethical coach who runs a clean program. I don’t think anything we’ve seen over the last week suggests otherwise, notwithstanding the internet fury.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:29 PM ^
Completely agreed. Football coaches who can win at the highest level are much rarer than competent athletic directors, and athletic directors forget that at their own peril
October 25th, 2023 at 2:29 PM ^
Well, look no further than Warde. JUB described the relationship as "frosty". So, that's tells you all you need to know. As long as Warde is there, it doesn't appear there will be a positive relationship between the athletic department and Jim.
Santa himself had to intervene to retain him. Magic 8ball says as long as Warde is the AD, "Outlook not so good"
October 25th, 2023 at 3:12 PM ^
If this is even remotely true, just get rid of Warde...now. I would rather risk getting a new AD than trying to replace Harbaugh.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
Agree completely. From my understanding the main person we'd need to action on this is Santa himself. #believe.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:33 PM ^
Agree completely — Warde is much easier to replace (and given how the hockey situation was handled, in much more urgent need of replacing).
October 25th, 2023 at 2:31 PM ^
Is it true that Warde and Stapleton were eating dinner together last week? Or a joke? If true, that is a serious problem that you have someone who is trying to undermine JH and his boss is having dinner with him..and leaking info to the media as a NCAA Infractions person. How can Warde continue to be AD? And would explain Warde's lack of action on alot of things
If a joke, forget everything I just said
October 25th, 2023 at 2:35 PM ^
It's been a batshit crazy several days, so I'm going to present a crazy idea: There are people in the Michigan football community, some of them very esteemed, who dislike Harbaugh and aren't thrilled about the possibility of UM getting a "natty" with him driving. I won't speculate about Warde in particular, but some others may be aligned with Stapleton.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
If I find out any UM fans care who leads us to a natty after the 20 yrs we have endured, I will put them in a fucking figure 4 leglock and I'm holding the ropes until their shit snaps.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:45 PM ^
BY GAWD HE JUST SNAPPED HIS LEGS CLEAN OFF ON NATIONAL TELEVISION LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
October 25th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
This team is the only shot Michigan will have to a national championship for a long long time. There are too many forces working against us (limited local recruiting talent pool, competition level increasing in the big ten, NIL not being competitive, etc). Either get on board now with Harbaugh or accept mediocrity with another coach.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:50 PM ^
Agree..while we are developing great players that is not always guaranteed along with coaches will start leaving for head coaching gigs..coordinator positions., etc. Plus, if Harbaugh is run off because he is not being supported, what great coach will want to be here?
October 25th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
There are people in the Michigan football community, some of them very esteemed, who dislike Harbaugh
It sure sucks to have a championship-winning team with lots of high-character guys who stay in school and graduate at a high level, and a coach who does things like take them on offseason trips to broaden their experiences. Clearly that's not what Michigan is about.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:23 PM ^
I can assure you that 100,000 people who show up to those games and the millions who watch on TV care more about Harbaugh than any AD you can bring. If this AD is being influenced by external forces, Ono must replace him.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
So I’m not a big fan of Manuel at all but….if the rumors that Stapleton are behind this and that he’s got an ego, then it would actually be smart of Manuel to try to talk with the guy to try to get him to back off. Taking Stapleton out to dinner seems like a good way to soften him up and appeal to his over inflated sense of self.
October 25th, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
Yep. That could work. We will see what happens with NCAA visit and these stupid leaks. If they don't go well in the next few days, it will tell us everything about that dinner.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
Completely agreed. The most important thing we can do right now is stand behind him.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
Honestly, no.
If Harbaugh is in on this shit he needs to be held accountable. The standard needs to be higher.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
But only at Michigan. Regardless of the fact that an NCAA committee said to lose this rule.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
If Coach Harbaugh was doing something illegal or immoral then I would be inclined to agree with you but potentially violating a rule that most of us a week ago didn't know existed doesn't move the needle for me.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Yep, give us probation and whatever else and let's move on. I'd bet this rule will be off the books within 5 years now that this has happened
October 25th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
For trying to decipher some signals to find tendencies? You stop at every yellow light, don't you?
October 25th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
With the litany of things the NCAA had absolute proof of and did nothing about, especially throughout college basketball, nah. Fuck that. This is nothing compared to any of that. And from what we've seen, even if everything alleged is true, it may not actually be against any real rules. So, again, I say fuck that.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
And if Warde Manuel murdered babies he needs to be held accountable. The standard needs to be higher.
No one is arguing for a lack of accountability. What people are arguing is (1) it isn't clear that any rules infraction even occurred, (2) there's no evidence that any rules infraction benefited Michigan, and (3) there's no evidence that Harbaugh was involved in any rules infraction here (if one occurred), and plenty of character evidence that he would not get involved in any such rules infraction.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
So we should ignore that Deion Sanders, Brady Quinn, JJ Watt, RG3 and bunch of others are all saying this goes on everywhere and that the rule is pointless?
Do you advocate firing jaywalkers too?
October 25th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Are you the one driving at 55 on the left lane in front of me? You must be so above everything in life. You should run for President. JFC