Michigan Football - 2025 Season.

[lineygoblue]

You need to upgrade your Netflix library.

[Mike]

If you build it...they will come.

Unless you build it in Nebraska.

[THE_WIZARD_]

shaddup

[WingsFan]

If he leaves, you'll know that Michigan has decided not to be a big player in recruiting and NIL.

Exactly

[WingsFan]

[Jeff Buchanan]

Coach tracking: Reminds me of tracking aircraft tail numbers to determine where they took off and where they're going. Now it's coaches picking up cars.

[Mike]

I don't think a free company car will tie him to Ann Arbor.

[Jeff Buchanan]

....... nor do I.

A few days ago, I posted I was 60/40 JH would stay and nothing I have been reading has moved the needle. Right now CFB has become a crap shoot where coaches who used to be able to build programs and succeed have a hard time doing that. They have little control over their player rosters with the portal and early departures for the NFL $$$ any longer and for that matter staff churn is just as bad. Stability? The potential of building a solid football program and succeeding in CFB? Hard ...... unless you're not paying attention to the CFB "free market" where a few people benefit from that and everyone else gets screwed.

Given the boobery of the NCAA, we're a long way from any kind of reasonable regulation of regulation, you know, the sensible kind that prevents cowboy capitalism from running wild with big monopolies ascending on top the bodies of failed corporations stacked up underneath them. Somebody a long time ago legislated to stop that from happening in the US. It needs to happen in CFB but, given the glacial speed CFB moves, I'm not holding my breath.

Enter Jim Harbaugh's thinking on this. He's a winner. He hates losing especially when he's fighting with both hands tied behind his back in the CFB arena. Right now, the NFL is a lot more stable that CFB is when it comes to team building. Some of the same stuff that is now going on in CFB has been largely regulated by the NFL front office and owners - the league is as fair and competitive as it ever has been. If Jim wants stability and control he's more likely to get that in an NFL organization.

I'll wish him well and a heap of success if he leaves M for the Raiders.

[WingsFan]

Reading Mike Elson form ND to coach DL. Would be definitive upgrade over Shaun Nua, also read way better at recruiting. How would hiring coach's happen if Harbaugh is leaving. CBS finally has a report he likely is going nowhere.

[lineygoblue]

I don't think Harbaugh WANTS to go anywhere. I really think the only way he leaves is if he feels hamstrung in how he recruits, and if the university doesn't want to take advantage of NIL. He's already shown its not about money for him as a coach. He gave away millions, for goodness sake.

I'm thinking he stays. I'm a tad more optimistic than Jeff. I give it about a 70% chance he stays. I think M will do enough in NIL to keep Harbaugh here.

We may live to regret that, but I think that's where things stand now.

[WingsFan]

If you're wondering if Jim Harbaugh is coming back to Michigan football next season, here may be a hint.

The Free Press has confirmed U-M is expected to hire Mike Elston as defensive line coach. Elston, who held the same position at Notre Dame, will replace Shaun Nua after he left the Wolverines to take a similar role at USC earlier this month.

It's a homecoming for Elston, who played outside linebacker at Michigan from 1993-96 and had 10 starts across in his junior and senior seasons. He then spent four years on the U-M as a student assistant, video intern and graduate assistant.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2022/01/13/michigan-football-hire-ex-lb-mike-elston-defensive-line-coach/6516146001/

[Jeff Buchanan]

Anything that pisses ND off is good by me. Elston (and Freeman) were heavily involved in some pretty good HS DL 2023 recruits. Be nice to get one of them to follow Elston although Freemen will be working them from ND's side. Talk about right away playing time not available at ND, M is it. Besides, that would just piss off the Domers more. Good.

[THE_WIZARD_]

shaddup

[WingsFan]

I don't think a free company car will tie him to Ann Arbor.

....... nor do I.

John U. Bacon


·
2h

Courtesy cars exchanged. I don't think Harbaugh would take a new one days before jumping to the NFL. And big stuff, like hiring ND DL coach Mike Elston, a former UM player and staffer. Don't think an established coach w/good options would jump without knowing his next boss.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Oh, I agree. If Elston actually signs a deal and is officially announced as the new DL coach, my probability needle will go from 60/40 he stays to 90/10. I don't buy the car stuff though as substantive evidence JH is staying. I'll go to 100% probability when Baumgartner - often used as a front man for the AD and there are others - tells us he's signed a new deal or baring an early tidbit, an announcement from the U, JH has a new contract, details to follow after those are FOIA'ed.

I still think details of his contract are being hashed out between the U and JH's "people." That's why we haven't heard anything and may not hear even passed the end of the Raider's play-off participation.

I'd put money on the likelihood that Jim has asked for specifics from Ward and whoever else has a say in what his contract looks like (e.g., regents and pres.), on how NIL and the portal will be optimized. Specifics might include: how much control (and say with the U Provost) he has over picking and choosing who gets to wear the winged helmet. That would be recruits getting scholarships, transfers getting admitted to the U/on the team and NIL opportunities (NIL is the tricky part for sure). That kind of control, basically roster management, is the kind JH wanted from the morons running the show in SF before he threw up has hands and took the M job, is the non-dollar related icing on the contractual cake and key to competing at a championship level. Pretty clear HARBAUGH!!! is not interested in more money for himself.