By Jeff Moss

DetroitSportsRag@GMail.com

December 9, 2014

Over the weekend the NFL beat writer glitterati poo-poohed any suggestion that Jim Harbaugh would return to his alma mater as the University of Michigan’s head coach.

From Ian Rapoport to Jason La Confora to Adam Schefter, the national reporters all threw cold water on the idea of Harbaugh returning to the collegiate ranks.

According to sources I have spoken to this afternoon, the folks in Ann Arbor do not believe they are out on Harbaugh and are not prepared to move on to any sort of Plan B.

From what I have been told, U of M has lined up everything that Harbaugh’s people have requested to date including:

1) The money.

2) A say in the hiring of the permanent Athletic Director once Jim Hackett steps aside.

3) Administrative control.

4) Complete autonomy regarding disciplinary actions of players.

There hasn’t been a definitive response from the Harbaugh camp to U of M’s generous offer as of this writing which has led to a disagreement inside the Michigan Athletic Department. There is some internal debate regarding whether or not to give Harbaugh a deadline to make a decision.

Last night at the Michigan Football Bust in Livonia, a meeting took place among the university’s mega donors and the prevailing thought was that the odds of landing Harbaugh were still very good — mainly because of the crap load of money they have earmarked to get their prodigal son to return to A2.

Sources also indicated to me that Hackett has played this perfectly with the [Jack] Harbaugh camp and there is nothing more he could do in his efforts to land Jim.

The big question now is whether or not to issue an ultimatum and how Jim would react to that potential “calling of the clock.”

Stay tuned ……..