Harbaugh Unrealistic?

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What makes him such a hot prospect? Success at Stanford has been OK but not spectacular. This isn't a slam but a sincere question.
 


ncgo4 said:
What makes him such a hot prospect? Success at Stanford has been OK but not spectacular. This isn't a slam but a sincere question.
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The reason he is my top pick is simple. He inherited a situation at Stanford much like Minnesota, both schools are in big cities, competing with pro sports, in BCS conferences, downtrodden, etc. He has had remarkable success given what he walked into. Here's the rundown:

Stanford this decade:

2000: 5-6 (Ty Willingham)
2001: 9-3 (Ty Willingham, Seattle Bowl)

2002: 2-9 (Buddy Teevins)
2003: 4-7 (Buddy Teevins)
2004: 4-7 (Buddy Teevins)
2005: 5-6 (Walt Harris)
2006: 1-11 (Walt Harris)

2007: 4-8 (Jim Harbaugh)
2008: 5-7 (Jim Harbaugh, big upset of #1 USC)
2009: 8-5 (Jim Harbaugh, Sun Bowl)
2010: 6-1 (Jim Harbaugh, contending for PAC 10 title)

In addition, his time at the University of San Diego was impressive, again given that school's previous history prior to and since Harbaugh:

1998: 2-8 (Kevin McGarry)
1999: 5-5 (Kevin McGarry)
2000: 4-6 (Kevin McGarry)
2001: 6-4 (Kevin McGarry)
2002: 5-5 (Kevin McGarry)
2003: 8-2 (Kevin McGarry)

2004: 7-4 (Harbaugh)
2005: 11-1 (Harbaugh, conference title, first ever in Pioneer Leauge for USD)
2006: 11-1 (Harbaugh, conference title)

2007: 9-2 (Ron Caragher)
2008: 9-2 (Ron Caragher)
2009: 4-7 (Ron Caragher)
2010: 2-5 (Ron Caragher)

In addition, while Harbaugh was an NFL player, he was an NCAA-certified unpaid assistant coach for his dad's teams at Western Kentucky for EIGHT SEASONS. He was involved in recruiting players to the program (17 total), scouting opponents, etc., all WHILE HE WAS IN THE NFL! He's literally been an NCAA coach since 1994 (16 years!).
 

In order for me to be happy with him, there would have to be some serious limitations on him jumping ship in the contract, and I don't think he would accept a contract like that.
 


There is no question in my mind that Harbaugh is my dream coach. I don't think there is another football coach in the universe I would rather have. I have been mostly advocating Leach because I think it is more likely he would want to come here. I just don't see a way that you could entice Harbaugh to the U considering the other options he either already has, or soon will have given what he is doing at Stanford. As others have said, if Stanford and the U were the only two jobs ever to be in play, we'd have a very good shot.

About the only way I could see this happening is if Harbaugh does want to match up against Michigan that badly AND the Gopher brain trust convinces him that he could be the one with that statue in front of the stadium, and convince him that he could be the coaching legend that generations will look back at and say "they only had a 50k seat stadium before he came, look at it now." He wouldn't just get a statue, he'd get one that could look the Statue of Liberty in the eye and have to bend down to smell her armpit. To me, that is a dream and I just file it away with my other dreams like having U2 open as the warm up band for ME and my kazoo.
 

While I highly doubt he would leave Stanford to come here, stranger things have happened (Tubby). The thing that will probably ensure him leaving Stanford at some point down the road, $$$. Stanford will NEVER pay a coach in the $2.5MM to $3MM range. The faculty would not let it happen, period. They run the school...

So, if money could lure him away, there's always a chance......
 

Rouser said:
While I highly doubt he would leave Stanford to come here, stranger things have happened (Tubby). The thing that will probably ensure him leaving Stanford at some point down the road, $$$. Stanford will NEVER pay a coach in the $2.5MM to $3MM range. The faculty would not let it happen, period. They run the school...

So, if money could lure him away, there's always a chance......
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The faculty doesn't control however what the many millionaire and in some case billionaire boosters choose to contribute to the football program to ensure they keep Harbaugh.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I don't think it is so much that he would leave Stanford, I think the real question is WHEN he leaves Stanford, will he come here? Stanford is a pretty good job and he will most likely have his pick of jobs at most places (college and NFL). I don't know if he would jump the gun and come here.
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Agree. I don't think Minnesota is such a step up for him to leave Stanford unless BIG cash were thrown around. I think he may jump to the NFL or an elite college program next.
 



positively4thstreet said:
Who plays in a better conference?
Who has better facilities?
Who would pay about $1 million more?
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A BCS conference is a BCS conference. Is he closer to going to a Rose Bowl at Stanford than Minnesota? Hell yes.

Facilities? How about the most over rated thing since your white helmets. He is out recruiting you right now with poorer facilities. Plus he is winning more games than you with poorer facilities. Nice to see you got your shinny new stadium half full for Penn State.

Until Minnesota opens it pocket book and really pays a football coach I won't put any stock in it.

You guys have to take your gopher glasses off and take a look at this. Go back and think about all the names that where tossed out before and you ended up with Punky.
 

Rouser said:
While I highly doubt he would leave Stanford to come here, stranger things have happened (Tubby). The thing that will probably ensure him leaving Stanford at some point down the road, $$$. Stanford will NEVER pay a coach in the $2.5MM to $3MM range. The faculty would not let it happen, period. They run the school...

So, if money could lure him away, there's always a chance......
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Tubby didn't have a job and Harbaugh is 6-1 with a really good recruiting class coming in and I think Luck has to come back for his JR year.
 

PushingBackAgain said:
Tubby didn't have a job.
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He didn't?? I could have sworn he was a full-time employee at the University of Kentucky when he chose to leave there for here. Obviously, there were circumstances there that laid the groundwork for what was becoming an uncomfortable situation between KY and Tubby. But, he was gainfully employed and actually took a small pay cut to come here. He could have stayed at Kentucky and been miserable, or could have gambled that they would have fired him (and made more $$$). But, he chose to come to MN instead.
 




ok he was still working for Kentucky but everyone in college basketball knew he was going to be fired. I think Stanford is happy with JH and Kentucky was not with Tubby.
 

PushingBackAgain said:
ok he was still working for Kentucky but everyone in college basketball knew he was going to be fired. I think Stanford is happy with JH and Kentucky was not with Tubby.
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The thing was, he probably WASN'T going to get fired. He was going to be miserable, though.
 

You guys love dodging the real point..................Jim Harbaugh is not leaving Stanford for Minnesota
 

PushingBackAgain said:
A BCS conference is a BCS conference. Is he closer to going to a Rose Bowl at Stanford than Minnesota? Hell yes.

Facilities? How about the most over rated thing since your white helmets. He is out recruiting you right now with poorer facilities. Plus he is winning more games than you with poorer facilities. Nice to see you got your shinny new stadium half full for Penn State.

Until Minnesota opens it pocket book and really pays a football coach I won't put any stock in it.

You guys have to take your gopher glasses off and take a look at this. Go back and think about all the names that where tossed out before and you ended up with Punky.
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What about all this stuff?
 



Either way, you're worried enough that we're going to get a coach that you fear. You're pretty much hanging yourself here.
 

PushingBackAgain said:
What about all this stuff?
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Hey, we realize it is a longshot. That it is unlikely. But, who knows? A five-year, $15 million dollar deal can make people do things you probably didn't think they'd do.

Does anyone know what Harbaugh's relationship is like with Bob Bowlsby, his athletic director? Does anyone know if his wife likes living there? Does anyone know if he longs to get back to his midwest roots and the Big Ten? I sure don't, but certainly they could all be factors, if he would ever have to make some sort of a decision.

There have been strange placements before.
 

positively4thstreet said:
Either way, you're worried enough that we're going to get a coach that you fear. You're pretty much hanging yourself here.
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Well to tell the trust I am a Miami fan and not really worried about you guys at all. I just thought having a debate would be nice but you guys can not seem to handle that.
 


We haven't missed the point. You don't have one, troll. Maybe he wouldn't come here, but it's not unthinkable. The job is nowhere near as unappealing as you would like to think, good facilities are a factor. Teams typically don't fire coaches when the team is doing well, so new coaches are going to go wind up being hired by losing teams. And every time a coach is fired there will be those who moan "no one will ever want to come here!" Yet somehow they find a coach. Harbaugh isn't the only name under consideration, there are a number of good choices out there.
 

I am relaxed. If you where JH would you leave what you have going on at Stanford for Minnesota?
 

PushingBackAgain said:
Well to tell the trust I am a Miami fan and not really worried about you guys at all. I just thought having a debate would be nice but you guys can not seem to handle that.
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We can handle it just fine. It is you who can't handle mincemeat being made of your arguments. In any case, you're not having a debate, just talking smack.
 

tjgopher said:
Hey, we realize it is a longshot. That it is unlikely. But, who knows? A five-year, $15 million dollar deal can make people do things you probably didn't think they'd do.

Does anyone know what Harbaugh's relationship is like with Bob Bowlsby, his athletic director? Does anyone know if his wife likes living there? Does anyone know if he longs to get back to his midwest roots and the Big Ten? I sure don't, but certainly they could all be factors, if he would ever have to make some sort of a decision.

There have been strange placements before.
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All good questions, I think Bowlsby is going to do everything in his power to prevent Harbaugh from going to Minnesota on behalf of Iowa.
 

RodentRampage said:
We haven't missed the point. You don't have one, troll. Maybe he wouldn't come here, but it's not unthinkable. The job is nowhere near as unappealing as you would like to think, good facilities are a factor. Teams typically don't fire coaches when the team is doing well, so new coaches are going to go wind up being hired by losing teams. And every time a coach is fired there will be those who moan "no one will ever want to come here!" Yet somehow they find a coach. Harbaugh isn't the only name under consideration, there are a number of good choices out there.
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My point is JH is not leaving all the good that is Stanford to take over and rebuild a last place Minnesota team. How did all those good facilities work out for Punky? He really brought in top of line recruits. And teams who fire their coaches don't land top list coaches unless they are Alabama and you guys are no Alabama. I never said no one will ever come there but I just don't think its going to be an A list guy.
 

goldengophers said:
All good questions, I think Bowlsby is going to do everything in his power to prevent Harbaugh from going to Minnesota on behalf of Iowa.
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Well, he certainly owes those fans something, having left them with the mess known as Iowa basketball under Steve Alford :)
 


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