Earlier this week, a photo captured Jim Harbaugh sitting courtside at a high school basketball game in Iowa.

The Michigan football coach was there to see Thomas Fidone, a four-star tight end recruit in the 2021 class.

As Harbaugh continues to position the Wolverines for the future, his own prospects remain unclear.

At some point during Fidone’s freshman year in college, Harbaugh’s contract with the Wolverines is set to expire. By December 1, 2021, according to the terms of his current agreement with Michigan, Harbaugh and the university “will meet and indicate whether they have mutual interest in negotiating an extension.”

That deadline is still 22 months away.

But it has led others in the football world to question why Harbaugh and U-M have yet to add more years to his current deal.

[ Blame Jim Harbaugh for Michigan football's purgatory. Here's why ]

It defies the norms in a profession where head coaches have their contracts routinely lengthened to create a perception of security. The optics of multi-year extensions help programs recruit players and staffers who want to know the man in charge will be around for a while.

Just last month, three years were tacked onto Penn State coach James Franklin’s deal, which will now run through 2025.

“[Coaches] aren’t going to want to leave a situation that is a good situation unless there is some guarantee that six months from now he will still be employed,” American Football Coaches Association executive director Todd Berry said, explaining the rationale behind these extensions.

In spite of the contract uncertainty with Harbaugh, Michigan was able to move forward with two recent hires – defensive assistants Brian Jean-Mary and Bob Shoop.

[ Making sense of Michigan's staff turnover under Jim Harbaugh ]

But it should be noted that after their bosses were let go at their previous stops, they were both looking for jobs before agreeing to two-year deals with Michigan that are set to expire around the same time – January 2022 – that Harbaugh’s contract will end.

The timing seems ominous.

And so too does the lack of movement towards an extension for Harbaugh.

“But there could be a lot of different reasons behind it,” one industry insider told the Free Press on the condition of anonymity.

The insider noted Harbaugh could be hesitant to lock into a longer pact to avoid a significant buyout should he want to pursue another opportunity.

Before arriving at Michigan, the most time Harbaugh had spent at any one place during his coaching career was four seasons, and speculation about a return to the NFL surfaces annually for the 56-year-old former quarterback.

"I think there is definitely a market for Jim Harbaugh," said an agent who spoke to the Free Press on a condition of anonymity.

The industry insider isn't so sure, and wondered if the absence of an extension is the result of Michigan’s reluctance to offer a bunch of guaranteed money at a price point beyond Harbaugh's actual value. Last year, Harbaugh was the third-highest paid coach in the country, earning $7.5 million. Only Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Alabama's Nick Saban – two men who each won a pair of national championships since 2015 – earned more.

While Harbaugh has made Michigan a mainstay in the polls en route to a 47-18 record with the Wolverines, he is 1-4 in bowl games, has yet to lead Michigan to a Big Ten division title and has failed to beat rival Ohio State as coach.

Harbaugh is set for an automatic raise to $8.05 million this year, but does that figure align with his performance?

Someone advocating on Harbaugh’s behalf would make the argument that it does.

Yet, in a letter emailed to the parents of current Michigan players and recruits in October, Harbaugh wrote, “I don’t even have an ‘agent or representative.’”

That’s unusual for a high-profile coach.

“And if he had one, there would be conversations being had (about an extension),” said the agent who spoke to the Free Press on a condition of anonymity.

Then again, that might not be the desired outcome for Harbaugh.

By letting the contract play out to the very end, Michigan and Harbaugh could mutually agree to part ways, which could be a reasonable resolution for both parties. That way, Harbaugh fulfills his obligations and doesn’t have the stigma of deserting his beloved Wolverines while Michigan would have the opportunity to make a clean break.

“That’s not a crazy thought,” the agent said.

Athletic director Warde Manuel has said he wants Harbaugh to retire at Michigan, and with the deadline for a decision on the head coach’s future 22 months away, the agent added, “My gut is Warde wants to extend Jim. He’s just waiting for the right moment to do it.”

Until then, outsiders will continue to wonder about Harbaugh’s future at Michigan.

Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Big Ten newsletter.