Countdown till Harbaugh goes to the NFL

[belcherboy]

Now that he’s won a national championship, and achieved the biggest award in college football, does Harbaugh finally go back to the NFL?

 

[flyerhawk]

Honestly I think he could easily do any of the above. It really depends on what he sees as his ultimate goal. He's pretty much assured of being the UM coach until he retires. NFL coaches are far less certain futures. OTOH, he may want to chase the dream of an NT and Super Bowl ring.

 

[belcherboy]

Honestly I think he could easily do any of the above. It really depends on what he sees as his ultimate goal. He's pretty much assured of being the UM coach until he retires. NFL coaches are far less certain futures. OTOH, he may want to chase the dream of an NT and Super Bowl ring.

Fortunately, at his age, I think this should be his last voluntary coaching move in his career. In my opinion, he'll either move to the NFL and retire from there or stay at Michigan and retire from there.

I feel it is probably a 30% chance that he stays at Michigan. Although I thought he was leaving a few times over the past 2-3 seasons, so what do I know?

 

[socaljim242]

The moneys going to be better staying at Michigan. He's still got the NCAA after him and possible put him on time out the whole next season.That would be the main reason for him to go. He's built the house. Does he stay or go to the NFL where he has to deal with an owner. I hope he stays .

 

[redskinsfan1963]

i think if an nfl owner offers him 100 mill,he takes it

 

[belcherboy]

i think if an nfl owner offers him 100 mill,he takes it

Harbaugh doesn't seem to be a money guy (I think he often gives all, if not most, his bonus money away). He looks like a control guy. What will sell him on an NFL team is if he is given the opportunity to have control. I think that is why he left the 49ers. He wanted more control, he felt he earned it with a SB appearance, and they would not give it to him.

The NFL team that comes to him willing to give him A LOT of control could sway him away from Michigan. I just don't believe it will be a money thing, although he is going to likely get top money wherever he goes.

 

[belcherboy]

The moneys going to be better staying at Michigan. He's still got the NCAA after him and possible put him on time out the whole next season.That would be the main reason for him to go. He's built the house. Does he stay or go to the NFL where he has to deal with an owner. I hope he stays .

I guarantee he has a black check and a lifetime contract on his desk right now. Money won't be an issue at Michigan. His presence in the program has already gotten Michigan $100's of million of dollars. They won't be cheap with an extension.

 

[Janus]

Hope and think he stays at UM. He's already seen the NFL and it's tantrums and how players are. Dealing with high-priced players doesn't leave you with a clear cut of the most important, he is at UM. Not many owners are stupid enough to give the coach full control ( like Chip Kelly got or Parcells ). Right now he's a thorn in Ohio States foot and I'm sure the people at Michigan love it

 

[belcherboy]

Hope and think he stays at UM. He's already seen the NFL and it's tantrums and how players are. Dealing with high-priced players doesn't leave you with a clear cut of the most important, he is at UM. Not many owners are stupid enough to give the coach full control ( like Chip Kelly got or Parcells ). Right now he's a thorn in Ohio States foot and I'm sure the people at Michigan love it

It's interesting to see his journey as I watch every game, but it seems that Harbaugh kept changing. He gave up control of some in game things, and really started empowering his assistant coaches. They don't often land a top 25 recruit any longer, but do a great job building and developing with 3* and 4* players.

Michigan prospect rankings according to Rivals:

Top 50 prospects:
2023 - 0
2022 - 1
2021 - 1
2020 - 0
2019 - 2

They rarely land a 5*, but have done well the past 5 years building off of kids that are mostly ranked between 150-250 in the rankings.

 

[Janus]

It's interesting to see his journey as I watch every game, but it seems that Harbaugh kept changing. He gave up control of some in game things, and really started empowering his assistant coaches. They don't often land a top 25 recruit any longer, but do a great job building and developing with 3* and 4* players.

Michigan prospect rankings according to Rivals:

Top 50 prospects:
2023 - 0
2022 - 1
2021 - 1
2020 - 0
2019 - 2

They rarely land a 5*, but have done well the past 5 years building off of kids that are mostly ranked between 150-250 in the rankings.

Sometimes those 5 star players don't mix well with their new team. Sometimes the program is much bigger than they are and sometimes the program eats them up. Recruiting 5 stars out of HS may not mean they're 5 star graduates either, coaches need to work with kids to develop them, not babysit them right?
Harbaugh ( Captain Comeback ) has done a fine job with what he had, his team is prepared every game this year, can't ask more from a coach or a player

 

[belcherboy]

Sometimes those 5 star players don't mix well with their new team. Sometimes the program is much bigger than they are and sometimes the program eats them up. Recruiting 5 stars out of HS may not mean they're 5 star graduates either, coaches need to work with kids to develop them, not babysit them right?
Harbaugh ( Captain Comeback ) has done a fine job with what he had, his team is prepared every game this year, can't ask more from a coach or a player

I think the portal will replace much of the value gained by highly ranked high school recruiting classes. The amount of time, attention, money that goes into getting an unknown product is likely going to be prohibitive compared to recruiting a kid that already has a year or two in college.

Getting highly ranked high school kids will still be beneficial to a program, but I think getting kids with a proven track record in college will do more to help programs immediately and into the future.

Of course you still have to develop these players and create a system that maximizes their skill set. That's where I think Harbaugh is likely the best right now. Saban and Smart have boatloads of high end talent, but Harbaugh has been slowly closing that gap with lesser ranked recruits. Yesterday he was able to win it all with many of those lower ranked recruits.

 

[foster4prez]

It's interesting to see his journey as I watch every game, but it seems that Harbaugh kept changing. He gave up control of some in game things, and really started empowering his assistant coaches. They don't often land a top 25 recruit any longer, but do a great job building and developing with 3* and 4* players.

Michigan prospect rankings according to Rivals:

Top 50 prospects:
2023 - 0
2022 - 1
2021 - 1
2020 - 0
2019 - 2

They rarely land a 5*, but have done well the past 5 years building off of kids that are mostly ranked between 150-250 in the rankings.

Bless your heart.

Michigan met the blue chip ratio.

 

[belcherboy]

Bless your heart.

Michigan met the blue chip ratio.

I never said they had bad recruiting classes.

You do know that blue chip includes 4* kids...many of which are ranked in the 200's of prospects.

It is pretty cool that Michigan beat both Bama and Ohio State (3 years running) with almost half the blue chip ratio they have.

Thanks for the chart. I had not seen that before.

 

[socaljim242]

I never said they had bad recruiting classes.

You do know that blue chip includes 4* kids...many of which are ranked in the 200's of prospects.

It is pretty cool that Michigan beat both Bama and Ohio State (3 years running) with almost half the blue chip ratio they have.

Thanks for the chart. I had not seen that before.

It's where you have them. USC had/has 5 star QB and Wrs and that doesn't mean shit when your O line is community college level. Same with having 4 and ,5 star DBs and you don't develop them and they are playing behind LB that aren't good and a D line that can't get pressure.

 

[belcherboy]

It's where you have them. USC had/has 5 star QB and Wrs and that doesn't mean shit when your O line is community college level. Same with having 4 and ,5 star DBs and you don't develop them and they are playing behind LB that aren't good and a D line that can't get pressure.

I don't know the numbers in regards to 5* recruits becoming 1st round NFL picks, but in regards to Michigan the past few seasons, they have not wowed with their draft classes. Three straight playoff appearances:

According to Rivals rankings:

2023 - #18
2022 - #9
2021 - #10
2020 - #11
2019 - #10

Those aren't bad rankings, but it seems that Michigan is good with not landing 5* guys or even top 50 players. They recruit them, but if they come doesn't make or break the team in terms of success. It's almost as though they prefer the guys ranked further down the line. They have done a good job at taking guys ranked outside the top 100 recruits and turning them into 1st or 2nd round draft picks.

Maybe it is Harbaugh's NFL experience that has helped him, but he builds well from the inside out (offensive and defensive lines). When those two things are solid, the rest just seems to fall on line.

 

[Wamu]

Now that he’s won a national championship, and achieved the biggest award in college football, does Harbaugh finally go back to the NFL?

Congrats on the W last night. And yes that hurt to say.

I've been saying for a couple of years because of how competitive he is that S.B. loss to his brother has to burn him up inside. It's not if but when does he return to the NFL.

I can understand if he sticks around ann arbor a little while longer but I can also understand why he'd return to the NFL since he's accomplished the ultimate goal in CFB.

 

[cincygrad]

I like Harbaugh and think he's a great coach. I have a hard time understanding why he would want to stay in the college game now that he has a Natty for his alma matter. The NIL and transfer portal, a ridiculous Big 10 conference that will now include several west coast trips per year. The arbitrary rules of the NCAA. I realize there are headaches in the NFL - But the biggest issue for coaches in the NFL is a lack of patience from the owners. I don't suspect this will be too big an issue for Jim as he's bought himself some time. At this point, i think the lifestyle of an NFL coach is now better than the lifestyle of a college coach.

 

[belcherboy]

Congrats on the W last night. And yes that hurt to say.

I've been saying for a couple of years because of how competitive he is that S.B. loss to his brother has to burn him up inside. It's not if but when does he return to the NFL.

I can understand if he sticks around ann arbor a little while longer but I can also understand why he'd return to the NFL since he's accomplished the ultimate goal in CFB.

I appreciate that...I would totally do the same thing in Ohio won it all .

I wonder his thoughts about that SB against his brother. If I recall correctly, that was the SB where the lights went out in the stadium. It felt like the momentum was shifting towards SF and then it was lost and swung back to Baltimore because of that long delay. It may feel like he was robbed, and he wants another chance to get it back.

I think with Harbaugh, it is all about control. He knows (or at least thinks he knows) what the secret sauce of championships are in football, so he doesn't want anyone poking around his kitchen. So if he can't find an NFL team that is willing to relinquish control to him, he'll go back to Michigan. I do think more teams would now be willing to sell their soul to him in hopes he can replicate what he did with SF about 12 years ago.

 

[belcherboy]

I like Harbaugh and think he's a great coach. I have a hard time understanding why he would want to stay in the college game now that he has a Natty for his alma matter. The NIL and transfer portal, a ridiculous Big 10 conference that will now include several west coast trips per year. The arbitrary rules of the NCAA. I realize there are headaches in the NFL - But the biggest issue for coaches in the NFL is a lack of patience from the owners. I don't suspect this will be too big an issue for Jim as he's bought himself some time. At this point, i think the lifestyle of an NFL coach is now better than the lifestyle of a college coach.

The problem with the NFL is that it is a "what have you done for me lately" league. You can be fired quickly and much of it can be out of your control (injuries, bad QB, etc.). In college, once you win a few conference champions, and certainly after you win a national championship, you are almost untouchable. On top of that, if you are in a top 15 program, you have a major advantage (money, facilities, recruiting, etc.) over 80% of the other schools you compete against. In the NFL, all things are usually created equal.

College definitely has its drawbacks, but it pays better and it has less pressure for a guy like Harbaugh.

 

[Wamu]

I appreciate that...I would totally do the same thing in Ohio won it all .

I wonder his thoughts about that SB against his brother. If I recall correctly, that was the SB where the lights went out in the stadium. It felt like the momentum was shifting towards SF and then it was lost and swung back to Baltimore because of that long delay. It may feel like he was robbed, and he wants another chance to get it back.

I think with Harbaugh, it is all about control. He knows (or at least thinks he knows) what the secret sauce of championships are in football, so he doesn't want anyone poking around his kitchen. So if he can't find an NFL team that is willing to relinquish control to him, he'll go back to Michigan. I do think more teams would now be willing to sell their soul to him in hopes he can replicate what he did with SF about 12 years ago.

I completely agree about JH wanting control. He obviously has that in ann arbor. If he can get what he's looking for he's gone. It'll be interesting to see if daBears try to lure him back to the NFL.