CC: Harbaugh's extension offer

By now, most have heard the news that JH has been offered a sweetened extension to his current deal by Stanford.

Link:  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5889922

Putting aside Stanford's AD's optimism, who knows whether JH will sign it.  Who knows if he is in contention for the Michigan job or if there even is a Michigan job.

But, this public offer does impact my view of Brandon's handling of our coaching situation.  My opinion is now that Brandon is mis-handling it.  Why?  There are two possible decisions that DB can reach in January, and regardless of which he reaches, he JH's public extension offer by Stanford makes DB's handling poor:

1.  DB decides to keep RR, either because he thinks that RR is the best option or because there are no better alternatives (and if JH signed an extension, there really aren't any, regardless of whether you are pro-RR or anti-RR).  If this is the outcome, than DB screwed up in his process.  Delaying has already cost us a potential super-star compliment to Denard in Dee Hart.  It has also cost us our only QB in the class.  I know that Sousa was not a 5* prospect and he is considered to be a project at QB, but so was Denard.  The fact that kids are decommitting and other feel compelled to comment on the situation on twitter has really hurt recruiting.  If the end result is to keep RR, then this should be done yesterday, so that we can have stability and end the drama surrounding our program.

2.  DB decides to fire RR.  Here is the one reason that I have not been mor down on DB - I bought into the conspiracy theory that DB has been delaying his decision because his plan was to go after JH and he did not want to create a circus surrounding JH forcing JH to sign an extension with Stanford on the even of his big game like Miles did.  If this was his plan, it jsut got blown sky high by Stanford's AD beating him to the punch.  If JH signed with Stanford and DB decides to fire RR, then our only worthwhile replacement is gone and we are left with who?

I have become increasingly frustrated by DB's delay.  Not because I want to know for my own edification.  Because, as expected, this delay is hurting recruiting, increasing negative attention on our program and causing uncertainty that cannot possibly be good for this young team as it prepares for its first bowl game in 3 years.  I personally could see dealing with this if DB was doing so to prevent putting JH in a tough spot before his bowl game, but now JH is in that same spot regardless.

2 caveats:  (1) Notice that I did not express an opinion on which decision DB should make.  That is not the purpose of this post.  Personally, both JH and RR are creat coaches, and I am happy that I don't have to make this decision. 

(2) Yes, I know that there is a post entitled "Reputable rumor: Harbaugh . . ."  That just talks about a rumor that JH has already signed an extension.  This is a discussion about actual news - that Standord has publicly offered JH an extension.