In which I discuss the sports teams at the University of Michigan

[falafel]

What is more embarrassing, turning down a job offer or saying you don't even want to be considered?

[TripletDaddy]

Yeah that didn't happen. Apparently a bunch of people who have no idea how a coaching search works nevertheless have jobs reporting on coaching searches.

Michigan has tasked a search firm with assembling a pool of candidates, all of whom are at least open to the job. The interim AD made it very clear that they wanted a very wide pool, so the search firm has been gauging the interest of a whole bunch of different coaches. Cutcliffe is a good coach so it makes sense they'd want to gauge his interest and potentially add him to the growing pool of candidates. There are conflicting reports about whether that even happened, but if it did, Cutcliffe seems to have said no thanks. He's an old guy with a nice job, so it makes sense he wouldn't be interested, but even if he'd love to be the next Michigan HC, he surely recognizes how far down the list he'd be, so why bother getting involved?

The Michigan fan base freaked out a little over it, but only because some sports reporters decided that saying "no thanks" to Michigan means he had actually been offered, and there's just no way that's true.

Michigan is still focused on Harbaugh, so unless he gets fired or gives Michigan a hard "no" before the end of the season, there will be no hire until at least Dec 28. Beyond that, it's unknown which of the many other candidates would constitute plan B. A lot of the most desirable ones have also reportedly said no, but that doesn't necessarily mean much, as demonstrated by most every coach who switches jobs a couple weeks after saying no.

you sound pretty desperate, like I felt when SC was looking. first concern should be the need to hire a firm to help you find a candidate. why does michigan need help finding someone to coach their team (assuming their program stands where they believe it to stand)?

Michigan is going to hire a crappy coach and the reason is that there are no great coaches that are in the market. it isn't a reflection on Michigan. They just picked a bad time to go shopping.

[Paperback Writer]

you sound pretty desperate, like I felt when SC was looking. first concern should be the need to hire a firm to help you find a candidate. why does michigan need help finding someone to coach their team (assuming their program stands where they believe it to stand)?

Michigan is going to hire a crappy coach and the reason is that there are no great coaches that are in the market. it isn't a reflection on Michigan. They just picked a bad time to go shopping.

Might have something to do with having a brand new AD. Is Jim Hackett still interim AD?

[woot]

you sound pretty desperate, like I felt when SC was looking. first concern should be the need to hire a firm to help you find a candidate. why does michigan need help finding someone to coach their team (assuming their program stands where they believe it to stand)?

Michigan is going to hire a crappy coach and the reason is that there are no great coaches that are in the market. it isn't a reflection on Michigan. They just picked a bad time to go shopping.

Yeah I mean if Harbaugh says no, the likelihood of which I have no idea and nobody else seems to either, then it does seem like the hire might be underwhelming. There are still a few I'd be happy with, but it's hard to tell if they are the ones M is looking at.

That's all independent of the ignorant journalism that has M making an actual offer to Cutcliffe, as if they just got sick of waiting for the NFL season to end and figured a drastically inferior coach is worth not having to wait another couple weeks.

[wapiti]

Yeah I mean if Harbaugh says no, the likelihood of which I have no idea and nobody else seems to either, then it does seem like the hire might be underwhelming. There are still a few I'd be happy with, but it's hard to tell if they are the ones M is looking at.

That's all independent of the ignorant journalism that has M making an actual offer to Cutcliffe, as if they just got sick of waiting for the NFL season to end and figured a drastically inferior coach is worth not having to wait another couple weeks.

I think it would be unprecedented for a proven NFL coach to move to college. Lots of failed NFL coaches have made the move. It sure seems like Harbaugh is a long shot.

[TripletDaddy]

Might have something to do with having a brand new AD. Is Jim Hackett still interim AD?

No clue.

Does Nebraska have a new AD? that might explain its underwhelming coaching hire last week.

bad time to shop.

[Paperback Writer]

I think it would be unprecedented for a proven NFL coach to move to college. Lots of failed NFL coaches have made the move. It sure seems like Harbaugh is a long shot.

It depends on how one defines success and failure in the NFL. Bill Callahan was a success with the Raiders before he was a failure and then fired and landed at Nebraska. Bill Walsh also comes to mind but he had a break in coaching before he joined Stanford. But you're correct that it's rare that a coach who is experiencing NFL success like Harbaugh to leave the NFL for college.

No clue.

Does Nebraska have a new AD? that might explain its underwhelming coaching hire last week.

bad time to shop.

Nope. Shawn Eichorst has been Nebraska's AD for two years after leaving Miami. But then he didn't use a committee to hire Mike Riley. Maybe he should have used one.

[woot]

I think it would be unprecedented for a proven NFL coach to move to college. Lots of failed NFL coaches have made the move. It sure seems like Harbaugh is a long shot.

This is why all the NFL "insiders" are discounting the possibility. Harbaugh is a huge Michigan fan though, and word has it M's lack of success the last few years has been painful. It's also suspected that because he's so driven he wouldn't mind the extra work that goes into recruiting, especially because in trade he would have a lot more control over things than he can in the NFL. his motivation shtick is said to wear thin with NFL guys but works really well in college. The latest is that a generous offer is on the table but he doesn't know what he's going to do and doesn't want to think about it too much until after the season is over.

Hackett is still interim, but they're not planning to find the new one until next summer at least. He's become pretty popular in his short time, mostly by just being a thoughtful and competent person after the last guy wasn't.

[woot]

I don't know what has happened overnight, but the Harbaugh hype took a big turn and now even some skeptical media are starting to talk about Harbaugh to Michigan being a done deal -- 8 years, $49m, Andy Moeller OC, DJ Durkin DC, with one mention of Tyrone Wheatley as RBs coach [edit: or co-OC, apparently].

It's still cryptic and I don't know if it's all coming from the same (possibly bogus) source, but I want to believe.

[wally]

I don't know what has happened overnight, but the Harbaugh hype took a big turn and now even some skeptical media are starting to talk about Harbaugh to Michigan being a done deal -- 8 years, $49m, Andy Moeller OC, DJ Durkin DC, with one mention of Tyrone Wheatley as RBs coach [edit: or co-OC, apparently].

It's still cryptic and I don't know if it's all coming from the same (possibly bogus) source, but I want to believe.

I would love to see a big 10 with Harbaugh going toe-to-toe with Urban Meyer each year. That would be pretty cool. I will cross my fingers for you.

[smokymountainrain]

I would love to see a big 10 with Harbaugh going toe-to-toe with Urban Meyer each year. That would be pretty cool. I will cross my fingers for you.

At least until Urban can see he's going to have some down years and quits so he can spend more time with his family.

[Moliere]

I don't know what has happened overnight, .

Probably has a lot to do with the 9ers stinkin it up lately...oh and then being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Harbaugh put a lot of eggs in the Kaep basket and things aren't turning out so great.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

At least until Urban can see he's going to have some down years and quits so he can spend more time with his family.

That won't happen, he's already spending that time with them because of his contract. Didn't you see the pictures from his wife's BDay party dabrock posted? I'm sure he was there in spirit.

[MarkGrace]

This is why all the NFL "insiders" are discounting the possibility. Harbaugh is a huge Michigan fan though, and word has it M's lack of success the last few years has been painful. It's also suspected that because he's so driven he wouldn't mind the extra work that goes into recruiting, especially because in trade he would have a lot more control over things than he can in the NFL. his motivation shtick is said to wear thin with NFL guys but works really well in college. The latest is that a generous offer is on the table but he doesn't know what he's going to do and doesn't want to think about it too much until after the season is over.

Hackett is still interim, but they're not planning to find the new one until next summer at least. He's become pretty popular in his short time, mostly by just being a thoughtful and competent person after the last guy wasn't.

The narrative seems to be that his act wears thin everywhere, not just college. There was an article earlier in the year that at his last three stops he's been great at rebuilding but eventually hits a wall because people tire of him.

[MarkGrace]

So Harbaugh has been offered 6 years $49M.