We heard earlier today that current Ravens head coach John Harbaugh will be a sought-after candidate for other head coaching jobs around the league regardless of whether Baltimore fires him. His brother, Jim Harbaugh, is certainly no stranger to those rumors, as the 44-19-1 record that he compiled during his four-year run with the 49ers make him at least worthy of consideration for other NFL clubs.
Jim, who has served as the head coach at the University of Michigan for the last four seasons, has been speculatively linked to a number of prospective NFL openings once again. But as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com writes, Harbaugh has unequivocally shot down such speculation. Harbaugh said, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying at Michigan. We have big plans here, and there’s a lot we want to accomplish.”
Harbaugh added that he has not spoken with any NFL teams, and he believes the reports connecting him to professional jobs are spread by those who wish to undermine his recruiting efforts with the Wolverines. He said, “[t]his is a choreographed message that comes up at this time every year before signing day. It’s people spreading messages to further their own personal agenda.” Harbaugh appears to be specifically referring to Cris Carter, an Ohio State alumnus who, despite his work as a national sports commentator, remains tied to the Buckeyes program. Carter recently suggested that Harbaugh could be trying to get back into the NFL, and he named the Packers and Browns as potential fits.
Harbaugh has put together a 38-13 record with the Wolverines, who finished the 2018 season as the No. 7 team in the country and who will take on No. 10 Florida in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the end of December. Assuming he does stay at Michigan in 2019, it would mark the first time he has held a head coaching position at any level for more than four seasons.
He does have a reputation for being difficult to work with, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has suggested that John is seen as a much more desirable candidate in NFL coaching circles.
The problem w/ big NCCA schools is that losing just once could be season ending, and never twice. Whereas in the pro’s a 10-6 record can merit playoff chances.
Hell, UCF has back to back undefeated seasons but not in the playoffs because “they’re not facing competitive teams”. Doesn’t stop the patriots in the NFL when they win a beat down AFC East Division.
if you think Uconn, South Carolina State, Florida Atlantic, SMU, Memphis, East Carolina, Temple and Navy are all competitive teams, then you don’t follow college football.
I don’t think NFL teams looking at college coaches concern themselves too much with the W-L record. They’re more concerned about a coaches ability to teach and instill good habits in players that will help them develop. A college coach that only loses a game a year looks fantastic but the down side is that he has never had to overcome adversity and he is sure to find plenty of that once he reaches the NFL.
Did you really just push UCF in the same sentence with the new England patriots? LOL!
Asante Samuel did provide the Patriots with 10 interceptions in 2006 so UCF can’t be totally disregarded.
Hey they are the self proclaimed champs despite the cupcake schedule!
Well the floor is yours to start accomplishing something Jim….
Someone is going to give Harbaugh a ridiculous Gruden like contract. He is not a good coach at the NFL level. Bring up the 49ers all you want. They fell off a cliff in 2014 because of his ego. He definitely should have been fired, their issue was replacing him with 2 awful coaches in Tomsula and Kelly