San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke confirmed on Monday what many of us already knew — that Michigan is interested in hiring Jim Harbaugh to be its next head coach.
During his weekly appearance on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, Baalke said the Niners recently got a call from Michigan regarding their coach.
“As long as it’s handled correctly, (it’s OK), and I think the University of Michigan, in reaching out, did handle it correctly,” Baalke said, as transcribed by Mark Snyder of The Detroit Free Press. “As I look at it, it’s very simple: He’s the head football coach of the San Francisco 49ers. You read reports, not just on coach (Harbaugh) but on a lot of coaches. … We heard the same thing last year, with the University of Texas and USC and a couple others making overtures to him. He’s a good football coach, and people want good football coaches.
“Anytime there’s an opportunity for a place like a University of Michigan or the University of Texas to look into good football coaches, they do that. That’s to be expected. You’d rather have somebody that’s coveted than somebody that’s not.”
The Wolverines want Harbaugh badly. Baalke would not comment on the report that Michigan has already made a formal offer to Harbaugh, but that’s not really relevant. If Harbaugh wants to return to his alma mater, he can practically name his price.
Tuesday happened to be Harbaugh’s birthday, and the folks at Michigan didn’t forget.
Happy Birthday, Jim. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/kameWJ7F5S
— Michigan Football (@umichfootball) December 23, 2014
I’m sure there was nothing more to that than wishing a former Wolverines quarterback a happy birthday, right?
Harbaugh reportedly turned down more money from Michigan in 2011 to take the job with the Niners. Some say he wants to remain in the NFL and stay close to his roots on the west coast. As we have learned on numerous occasions in the past, what “some say” isn’t always what ends up happening.
