The Jim Harbaugh hoopla has went on long enough. Like everyone else, I am ready for this commotion to conclude.
Captain comeback is clearly the hottest name in coaching both at the college and professional level. He is very charismatic and carries himself like a ‘real’ football coach; demanding, hard-nosed, and intense.
Thursday, junior quarterback Andrew Luck announced that he will return to Stanford for his senior season.
I’m sure Luck and Harbaugh have been communicating everyday. With Luck’s announcement, I have to believe Harbaugh will follow suit once he gets an even bigger contract of course.
There is something special about this guy. He comes from a great coaching family. His dad Jack, was the head coach at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky. He was also an assistant for Iowa, Michigan, Stanford, and Pittsburgh to name a few.
His brother John has been the Baltimore Ravens head coach since 2008. And his sister is married to Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean.
Jim grew up following his dad on the sidelines. The role just seems natural. But is he ready and wanting to make the jump to the National Football League after turning around a Stanford program that went 1-11 in his first year?
The former Colts quarterback received a larger offer from Stanford on December 6th because athletic director Bob Bowlsby believes Harbaugh is the right guy for the Cardinals. “I expect that he will be our coach in the foreseeable future.”
Jim Harbaugh has reportedly met with representatives from the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. Thursday night, the Dolphins, who still have Tony Sparano under contract, backed out of the sweepstakes.
Off topic here but what kind of message is Miami sending to their players and staff? Our coach isn’t that good but we can’t get anyone better so we’ll keep him? Really…
I did have one friend ask if Jim Harbaugh was the new Brett Favre in regards to his delay in making a decision and going back and forth.
Funny, but I don’t think so.
Who wouldn’t like to play under Jim, the former Michigan and NFL quarterback. He has been there and done that. He can relate with his players and he knows what goes through their minds.
I love his demeanor. His proudly carries himself but doesn’t shy away from the college atmosphere. He knows these kids want to win but also have fun doing it.
However he still is unproven on the NFL level. It’s outrageous that Miami & San Francisco offered him upwards of seven million dollars a year for his services…he hasn’t won a game in the NFL. Compare that with the Colts’ Jim Caldwell who makes $3.5 million a season.
Ultimately, I think Jim Harbaugh will remain the head coach at Stanford. With Andrew Luck returning, this team has a chance to make it back to another BCS bowl. The possibilities are intriguing.
With Luck, the automatic number-one pick in the NFL draft, and Harbaugh, the hottest head coach, Stanford will be another dangerous team…doing things the right way.