What we know about Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh's contract discussions
Editor's note: Story has been updated to reflect comments from Tom Mars, Jim Harbaugh's attorney.
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said a recent report by the Wall Street Journal which stated a contract offer was recently extended to him by the university and then rescinded earlier this month is not correct.
"I wouldn't say that's accurate," Harbaugh said Monday afternoon at his weekly news conference in Schembechler Hall. "University has policy on contracts and publicly talking about them, I think it was worded something like they don't comment on them until after they're done."
Harbaugh’s version confirms what two sources, who are not at liberty to speak publicly, have told the Free Press.
According to both sources, an attorney for Harbaugh was in Ann Arbor on Oct. 13 and met with U-M brass at that time. During that meeting, progress was made on a potential contract extension and a ballpark figure was reached. But it is incorrect to say an offer was rescinded, since no formal document or contract was ever extended in the first place.
Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, contacted the Free Press late Monday to refute that he was in Ann Arbor on Oct. 13.
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“(Michigan athletic director) Warde (Manuel) sat down with Jim’s attorney on (that Friday),” one source told the Free Press. “It’s never been to the point of ‘here’s a PDF, review it and make comments’ sort of thing.
"Nothing has been like ‘here’s a document, here’s a formal contract.'”
The hope was the deal would be finalized during the bye week, but that was not the sole reason the discussion took place on Oct. 13, per one source. Mars happened to be in town, so the timing worked out.
“(They’re) in the midst of the season, so it’s not the usual timeframe to do these things,” one of the sources said. “You don’t want it to be a distraction for either party.”
Now the main distraction in the entire saga is a second NCAA investigation into Harbaugh’s program in the past 10 months.
Less than one week after Harbaugh’s attorney and U-M leaders met to discuss the future of the head coach who has led the No. 2 Wolverines to consecutive Big Ten titles, wins over Ohio State and College Football Playoff berths, reports surfaced that U-M was being investigated for cheating in the form of off-campus scouting and stealing signs with the use of technology.
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“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” Harbaugh said in a statement. "I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.
"I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules. No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place."
Sources told the Free Press the new Harbaugh contract was temporarily tabled in the days that followed as leaders sought answers to some of the most pressing questions, namely, did Harbaugh know anything about Connor Stallions’ sign-stealing plot.
“I feel even more confident now than I did a week ago,” one source told the Free Press of Harbaugh’s innocence.
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This person also said it’s fair to say those involved hoped and expected the discussions would be further along at this point in time, but negotiations were initially set back in January.
But that is when the NCAA served the program with a notice of allegations for several Level II recruiting violations — contacting recruits during a COVID-19 dead period, staffers overseeing workouts via zoom and analysts serving in on-field coaching capacities — and when Harbaugh was asked about it, his answers were deemed to be misleading, triggering a Level I violation.
Just before the season, U-M and the NCAA committee on infractions had come to an agreement for a four-game suspension for Harbaugh, but it fell apart weeks before the first game. As a show of good faith, U-M handed a self-imposed three-game suspension, though the NCAA is not expected to make a final ruling on possible punishment until the coming offseason.
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“It’s all under consideration, obviously it complicates things even more,” one of the sources said last week. “I don’t think there will be no communication until it’s done, but it may delay dotting some I’s and crossing some T’s.”
Since that time, there has been communication. There were internet rumors of the U-M Board of Regents secretly meeting on Sunday evening, but that's also not correct. They were scheduled to meet Monday, however, in hopes of getting closer to the ever-evasive contract, but as of mid-afternoon it wasn't clear what came of it.
So, when might this get done?
One source said the hope, and belief, is soon. The other?
“I don’t believe anybody but (Harbaugh) for his timeline on anything,” they said.
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him at @realtonygarcia.
Next up: Boilermakers
Matchup: No. 2 Michigan (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) vs. Purdue (2-6, 1-4).
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.
TV/radio: NBC; WXYT-FM (97.1), WTKA-AM (1050).
Line: Wolverines by 32½.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football's Jim Harbaugh contract negotiations: What we know
