Michigan coaching search ends with Jim Harbaugh

Michigan hired Jim Harbaugh, in case you hadn’t heard. I wish I was in the room when this guy heard:

That, as you can see, is @MarktheNomad, and he’s following up on his promise. He’s set up a GoFundMe page for that Jim Harbaugh Saved By the Bell tattoo and, as of right now, he needs some help:

Michigan athletic director Jim Hackett discussed the process behind hiring Jim Harbaugh as football coach today on the radio. He discussed a lot of interesting things about how it all came about, but there’s one we latched onto: the name for the coaching search, “Project Unicorn.”

1. Wait, coaching searches have code names? This ain’t the military.

The other big shocker of the interview is that Harbaugh said that he didn’t consider coaching for any other NFL teams, despite reports of multiple organizations being after his services following his ousting. “That was it, I was going to Michigan,” he said.

The interview is a fascinating listen for anybody, and probably a frustrating one for 49ers fans. 49ers owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke have insisted that this was a mutual parting, almost hammering home the idea that nothing could pry Harbaugh away from returning to Michigan to coach there.

You can’t understand Michigan culture until you take in a game in the Big House. Not so that you can observe the football team, which has faltered for nearly a decade, but so that you can observe the context in which that struggle has occurred.

Every other TV time out, the university sends athletes from various eras onto the field for curtain calls while the PA lists their achievements. “2014 Big Ten Champions, 1978 national champions, Olympic Gold medalist,” it goes on and on. Meanwhile, you find yourself next to decorated service members, business owners, doctors, and engineers.

Michigan already went through the boring part of announcing their new head coach -- holding a press conference on national television. Here’s how you really know Jim Harbaugh is back at the college level: he has returned to Twitter!

Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin played under Jim Harbaugh at Stanford. Word is they didn’t get along.

There’s definitely history here, but there’s always room for good-natured(?) ribbing in sports!

“The coaches keep the pressure on me, to be better than the last time, to get the best out of me. But see, I realize that. There is nothing older than yesterday’s success.”

-- Jim Harbaugh on October 9, 1986 as Michigan’s senior quarterback

Ink was put to paper, and Jim Harbaugh was announced as the next head coach at Michigan on Tuesday. After his press conference, Harbaugh made an appearance at the Wolverines’ basketball game against Illinois, where he addressed the crowd.

Good vibes abound in Ann Arbor! In fact, the students at the basketball game were holding a, well, “Khaki Out.“

Michigan basketball announced that Tuesday’s game would feature a “Khaki Out” in celebration of new head football coach Jim Harbaugh. They made good on that promise.

BAUGHLL DON’T LIE

New Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will make around $5 million per year, with the same basic contract he had with the San Francisco 49ers, per prominent Michigan author John U. Bacon. That number is still among the highest in the nation, but lower than the previously reported $8 million figure.

Update, 1 p.m. ET: Michigan confirms it’s $5 million a year for seven years, similar to his 49ers contract.

Jim Harbaugh was introduced as Michigan’s 20th head football coach Tuesday at a press conference in Ann Arbor. The former Michigan quarterback tripped on his way into the room and had lost his voice the previous weekend, but by and large seemed to impress the gathered contingent.

“There are very special words that are in the English language that we all embrace,” Harbaugh opened with. “There’s family, there’s friends, there’s teammates, there’s victory. I was reminded of another very special word when I was driving into Ann Arbor this morning, and that word is homecoming.”

Well, this is one way to start a new job. At least Jim Harbaugh didn’t shy away from his stumble.

“Did anybody see that? A lesser athlete would’ve gone down,” he said.

Jim Harbaugh has landed in Michigan, and people are at the airport to feverishly take pictures of a plane.

Here are those pictures, ranked best to worst.

“Obviously the program at Michigan, as a former player, has not been in the best of places for one reason or another,” Tom Brady told WEEI on Monday morning. “If he does go there he brings a lot of credibility and winning. He’s been a great coach in college and the pros. To have a great coach like that lead a program is awesome.

“You see in college football with the teams that are still playing right now, those ones that are in the playoffs, they got some great coaches. If Michigan could get that type of coach it would be incredible, especially with him knowing the history of the school and the tradition, playing there. Just to have him back as part of the school would be phenomenal.”

Michigan is expected to announce Jim Harbaugh as its new football head coach during the school’s basketball game against Illinois on Tuesday, leaving the former San Francisco 49ers coach to take over at his alma mater. It’s a major hire for the program, and the fans are ready.

Whoops!

WHOOPS. That’s your new hometown newspaper, Jim! Welcome!

Jim Harbaugh’s postgame press conference after the San Francisco 49ers beat the Arizona Cardinals ended up being a goodbye speech, as Harbaugh reflected on his time with San Francisco. He even got a Gatorade bath and the game ball from his players. The two parties have “mutually parted ways” after his four years at the helm of the 49ers, according to a statement released by the organization.

Regarding the reports of him leaving the organization and where he will be headed, he said that “There will be announcements concerning those things.”

Michigan has reportedly found its man to replace Brady Hoke. Former Wolverines quarterback Jim Harbaugh will be hired to lead his alma mater, according to Michigan author John U. Bacon, as the Wolverines were able to lure him away from the NFL and his contentious yet successful run with the San Francisco 49ers. This follows a report by Brian Cook of MGoBlog that set the likelihood of Harbaugh’s return to Ann Arbor at 99 percent.

“Jim Harbaugh is coming to Michigan,” Bacon tweeted Sunday night, “and his friends are flying in Monday.”

Jim Harbaugh’s long-rumored departure from San Francisco has become a reality. Harbaugh and the 49ers mutually parted ways, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Harbaugh is expected to be introduced on Tuesday as the new head coach at the University of Michigan per multiple reports.

He will reportedly take a six-year, $48 million contract to coach the Wolverines. Harbaugh had one year remaining on his five-year, $25 million contract signed with the 49ers in 2011.

Update: Harbaugh and the 49ers announced they agreed to mutually part ways after the game

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UPDATE: The Harbaugh era in San Francisco is officially over after the team announced it and Harbaugh had agreed to mutually part ways.

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It’s been well-documented how much success Jim Harbaugh could potentially bring Michigan football, but he also might help the Wolverines’ basketball program for a day. Harbaugh is expected to be announced as the new UM coach at the Tuesday basketball game against Illinois.

That rumor has caused demand for the basketball game to go through the roof, and the price has quadrupled (or more, depending on who you ask) over the past few days.

For years, Alabama fans were mocked throughout the SEC for living in the past. The criticism went something like this:

You guys think that it’s your birthright to dominate college football, but in reality, you just happened to have Bear Bryant, one of the best coaches of all time, for a two-decade stretch. Otherwise, you’re just another program, one that is located in a state with average talent relative to the rest of the SEC and has to share at least some of that in-state talent with a bitter rival. Just accept reality. You’re no better than at least five programs in the conference.

Those wouldn’t be abnormal tweets had they come on Sunday after the game. The night before a game in which Harbaugh will coach is a little unusual. That said, not much about the end of the Harbaugh era in San Francisco has been traditional.

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But even five straight losses can’t screw up Harbaugh’s record too badly. Win or lose this week, Harbaugh will be let go with the best winning percentage of any coach who spent only four years in the NFL. That record may stand if rumors (LOTS of rumors) that he is headed to the University of Michigan prove true. If the 49ers lose to the Cardinals and Harbaugh never spends another day as an NFL head coach, his .680 winning percentage would rank 10th all time in NFL history. If the 49ers win, Harbaugh’s percentage would jump to fifth, behind only Guy Chamberlin, John Madden, Vince Lombardi and George Allen.