Michigan president Santa Ono shared on social media Thursday that he and athletic director Warde Manuel are on the same page regarding keeping Jim Harbaugh as the head football coach, and then Harbaugh also posted a message saying he fully supports Ono’s message.
But a source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter, indicated there is no contract offer yet from Michigan.
“There’s nothing at all on the table, not even a napkin,” the source told The Detroit News.
This swelling of positivity about Harbaugh remaining at his alma mater — presumably with a significant pay increase — comes just days after he had a two-hour interview with the Denver Broncos. According to multiple national reports, he has emerged as among the top two candidates for the job.
While there seems to be growing confidence in Michigan circles that a deal can be done with Harbaugh, 59, he also is dealing with an NCAA Level I allegation — its most severe — for lying to and misleading investigators as they worked to determine rules violations that allegedly occurred in 2021 during the COVID recruiting dead period. The NCAA also alleges Level II violations.
Manuel said in a statement last Friday that Michigan has received a draft of the NCAA Notice of Allegations. Clearly, in light of the positive messages shared on Twitter by Ono and also Harbaugh, the charges have not scared off Michigan.
Though there is no contract offer, that doesn’t mean there won’t be one, and Ono’s tweet Thursday signaled he and Manuel are on the same page. Ono, in the three months he’s been on the job, has made it clear he is an enthusiast of UM athletics and has been visible at countless football and basketball games.
Ono, who in mid-October became Michigan’s 15th president, offered his public support of Harbaugh on Twitter while speculation and theories have swirled about what’s being done to keep him at Michigan, which he has coached the last eight seasons. Harbaugh has gone 25-3 the last two seasons with back-to-back Big Ten championships and College Football Playoff appearances and has what appears on paper, at least, to be a loaded roster for the 2023 season.
“I have been having very positive and constructive conversations with our Athletic Director and Football Coach,” Ono shared on twitter. "Warde Manuel and I both want to see Jim Harbaugh stay as the head football coach of the University of Michigan Wolverines. #GoBlue"
Harbaugh then posted a message on Twitter on Michigan’s official football accounting saying, "I am in full support of President Ono's message to our fans and appreciate his support of me and the team."
The NCAA matter remains unresolved and will take some time to do so, but that does not appear to be holding up conversations regarding Michigan and Harbaugh, who signed a contract extension last February after he returned from an interview with the Minnesota Vikings without a job offer. He signed a five-year, $36.7 million contract that takes him though the 2026 season, and with performance bonuses fulfilled in 2022, he made more than $10 million. One other contract item to note is that on Wednesday, his buyout dropped from $3 million to $2.25 million.
A week ago, Harbaugh, his name linked to NFL openings, issued a vague statement that reiterated what he told reporters in December.
“While no one knows what the future holds, I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023,” he said. “I have spoken with President Ono and Athletic Director Warde Manuel and appreciate their support of me and our program. Our mission as Wolverines continues, and we are preparing for the 2023 season with great passion and enthusiasm. As our legendary coach Bo Schembechler said, “Those Who Stay Will be Champions.”
