Harbaugh attractive to big-time programs

Harry · December 6, 2006

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/usd/2...s16harb-jp.html

USD's football success gives coach high profile

By Brent Schrotenboer

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

November 16, 2006

When Jim Harbaugh agreed to a new contract last year with USD, the deal contained an undisclosed new salary, four more years and a gag order.

Talking to the media about open head coaching jobs with other schools is not allowed, the contract says.

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Jim Harbaugh (in hat) and boss Ky Snyder have celebrated many wins.

It's why Harbaugh will be issuing lots of “no comments” in coming weeks as his name keeps coming up in newspaper reports and talk radio shows as a candidate for job vacancies.

“Can't talk about it. It's in my contract,” Harbaugh said when a reporter called to ask him about the latest job rumors.

Though the clause is designed to keep the public focus on his current job as head coach of the Toreros, it's not going to keep his name off the wish lists at bigger college football programs. Already this month, fans and reporters have speculated he'd be a candidate for vacancies at Michigan State and Iowa State. (No official contact for those jobs has been made with Harbaugh, as of yesterday evening, sources said, though ISU interest in him could heat up soon.)

More rumors are expected as more coaches get fired or resign, picking up the pace from last year when Harbaugh talked with Rice and San Diego State about vacancies.

“A quality coach like Jim Harbaugh is going to get informal feelers from major colleges and universities,” said Harbaugh's agent, Jack Bechta. “He got several last year, including some interviews. Don't be surprised if Jim gets several interviews this year. But a lot of people thought he was going to move on last year, and he stayed. And there's a good chance he'll be there in '07.”

There are plenty reasons he would stay put.

He likes it here. Recently divorced, he has joint custody of his three children, who live in Coronado. He's a big fish on a small campus with vistas of a big ocean and a smaller bay – something not offered in places such as Ames or East Lansing.

Despite the speculation, athletic directors in major conferences also might not be so quick to hire him because of the considerable jump it would take to move from a small nonscholarship program to a major cutthroat environment with 85 scholarship allotments.

Additionally, it's arguable that he has a year of leverage to wait for a better job to open up. Harbaugh has said next year's USD team is expected to be even better than this year's undefeated team, with standout quarterback Josh Johnson entering his senior year.

“I have a very good job,” Harbaugh said. “It would have to be something significantly better.”

There are also plenty of reasons he would leave. Harbaugh, 42, has said he wants to be an NFL head coach someday. You don't get there straight from USD, whose contract with Harbaugh is not believed to contain a prohibitive buyout clause should Harbaugh choose to leave early.

Athletic directors at bigger schools would like him for several reasons: He's got name recognition from his college days at Michigan and 15-year NFL career. He's a fiery guy with media skills. And he's got credentials and a pedigree, including an 18-game winning streak at USD, which could lead the 14th-ranked Toreros (10-0) to a berth in the Division I-AA playoffs when the 16-team tournament field is announced Sunday.

Conversely, the jump from nonscholarship I-AA to major college football could work in his favor if he became a serious candidate. To succeed at USD, he and his staff have had to do it without the ultimate recruiting tool – scholarships. Such a disadvantage requires coaches to be skilled at recognizing talent where other schools haven't and to get more out of less.

It's one reason some fans have dreamed up a scenario in which Harbaugh would one day return to Michigan to replace Lloyd Carr, whose program before this year often has been viewed as underachieving with several three-and four-loss seasons.

Until a school reaches out to him, though, it's only grist for the fantasy mill. In the meantime, Harbaugh said he was taking the advice of his former coach at Michigan, Bo Schembechler: “Worry about the job you have.”

Last year, when the SDSU job opened up, Bechta said his client would be “very flattered” if SDSU called him and said Harbaugh “thinks he really could turn it into a top-20 program.”

His bosses at USD undoubtedly weren't crazy about such comments, leading to the gag order in his contract in reference to job talk.

“Everything is speculation at this point,” USD Athletic Director Ky Snyder said. “What I try not to get involved with very much is speculation. It's stuff I can't control. It just wastes time.”

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Brent Schrotenboer: (619) 293-1368; brent.schrotenboer@uniontrib.com

NT03 · December 6, 2006

“A quality coach like Jim Harbaugh is going to get informal feelers from major colleges and universities,” said Harbaugh's agent, Jack Bechta. “He got several last year, including some interviews. Don't be surprised if Jim gets several interviews this year. But a lot of people thought he was going to move on last year, and he stayed. And there's a good chance he'll be there in '07.”

Could just be interviewing here to practice for a future , more BIG time job

There are plenty reasons he would stay put.
He likes it here. Recently divorced, he has joint custody of his three children, who live in Coronado. He's a big fish on a small campus with vistas of a big ocean and a smaller bay – something not offered in places such as Ames or East Lansing.

If I were single , SAN DIEGO is where Id want to be!

PlummMeanGreen · December 6, 2006

Harbaugh coming up to NCAA D1-A from a non-'ship program may be (to some) tantamount to Todd Dodge coming up from a very successful Texas 5A HS football program. I still know what my preference would be for a UNT HFC for our ulitmate long term success at a school like UNT that is a unique situation (and a unique situation that is now #10 among all the other 10 Texas-based D1-A schools).

We really don't need to screw up this hire. IMO, there is just no margin for error. Just my .02 from 30+ years of observation and seeing almost every kind of personality come and go thru the UNT Athletics Dept. (and after all those years with our still just averaging 15K per home game).

I think the right hire will change that 15K per home game part forever and make it a part of our history we'd just as soon forget.

Edited December 6, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen