Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Negotiations Nearing Final Hour
By Chase Ruttig
It seems all but certain that Jim Harbaugh will sign a contract to return to the college football ranks and the University of Michigan as soon as next week, reports on Sunday indicating that while a deal is not yet done that Harbaugh will most likely make the decision to turn from coaching teams for Super Bowls to recruiting players for National Championships.
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Jay Glazer of FOX reports that the Raiders are still in-play for Harbaugh with no deal signed just yet, but the roundup of other media reports seemingly indicates that Harbaugh will eventually make the decision to go to Michigan as soon as the San Francisco 49ers fire him following Sunday’s season finale.
Glazer: Harbaugh has not agreed to Michigan deal. In fact, Raiders strongly in play.
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) December 28, 2014
Not saying either way on Harb to Michigan bc he hasn't signed anything yet but Michigan people think it's happening. Raiders still hopeful
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) December 28, 2014
According to Bruce Feldman of FOX it appears that Harbaugh is headed to Michigan with his family flying to Ann Arbor and the plan being for Harbaugh to attend Michigan’s Big Ten basketball opener against Illinois after signing his new deal.
Jim Harbaugh's family is flying to Ann Arbor Monday, source tells @FoxSports. Harbaugh will be #Wolverines new head coach.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 28, 2014
Plan is for Jim Harbaugh to be at #Michigan home basketball game Tuesday vs Illinois.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 28, 2014
It appears 99.9% certain that Harbaugh will head to Michigan, with the only remaining glimmer of hope for NFL teams being that Harbaugh may speak to them before signing the dotted line to head to college. It will take a pretty amazing turn of events to get Harbaugh out of going to Michigan, a school that has vetted him since early December, but with league tampering rules it was never going to be easy for NFL teams to beat out the Wolverines money and their connection with their former quarterback. A final hour approach will be needed to change the expected result that Harbaugh will be the next head coach of the Michigan football program.