Source: Jim Harbaugh Could Be Named as Michigan's Head Coach This Week

 
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For all of you that have followed the rumors surrounding Michigan you know the one name that continues to be tossed around as the top candidate is current Stanford head coach, Jim Harbaugh.

There were rumors this morning that a deal fell apart between Harbaugh and university but a source I just spoke to says there was no such deal and there were no negotiations between the two sides. However, they did tell me that Michigan could have Harbaugh locked up on a contract by the middle of this week.

The source was careful to say that none of this is set in stone but from sources they have close to Michigan as well as current and former players, there is a divide between the Lloyd Carr "guys" and the Bo Schembechler "guys" that needs to be repaired.

I was told that this was not going to be about money for Jim and that he was so angry about what he saw from the Wolverines in their bowl game this past weekend that he is as motivated as ever to make some changes.

That being said, you know I've talked about San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke in the past. I brought that name up with this source and they told me he's the guy that's being pushed by former Lloyd Carr "guys." He's not the guy that is going to fix the problems at Michigan and he's not the "sexy" name that alumni, boosters as well as current and former players want.

Another rumor that had surfaced this morning was the apparent interest in Harbaugh from the San Francisco 49ers. A television rumor a few minutes ago reports that the 49ers have a $30 million deal on the table but I have not been able to confirm there's any truth to that or the amount of years that are involved.

However, I was told that the 49ers would have to double the amount of money offered to Harbaugh to make him think twice. But even if they did, he wants to be a Michigan guy and there's not much San Francisco can do to change that.

Here's the most interesting information of all and something that caught me completely off guard. If the Wolverines can not get a deal done with Harbaugh which, again, is completely unlikely, they will keep Rich Rodriguez for another year and then their top candidate will be none other than former Florida Gators' head coach Urban Meyer who apparently has or had an out clause at both Utah and Florida for ONLY Ohio State and...wait for it...Michigan.

These are all just rumors but they are coming from a very good source who has this from someone who is very much plugged in to the university and would have the inside track on the situation.

Throw Brady Hoke out the window, that's not going to happen.

Jim Harbaugh is the guy they want and the guy they will do whatever they can to get. They know bringing him to Michigan brings him closer to his parents who live in Wisconsin. The flight wouldn't be nearly as long as it is from northern California.

I'll have more on this story as it comes around to me during the "Countdown to the Cotton Bowl" all this week. I'll be on the air with Dave Michaels from 4-6pm CST Monday through Thursday.

You can hit this link http://bit.ly/dkkS5a and click on the "Listen Live" button on the upper left hand corner of the screen.

Chris Petersen, Not Jim Harbaugh Should Be Michigan's Top Candidate

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Boise State is one of the most hated programs in Division 1-A college football. No matter which state you travel to or how many fans you talk to there isn’t one person who doesn’t know, or despise, Boise State.

It’s not the winning they hate and it’s not even the blue turf, though some might have that high on their list, it’s the lack of a strong schedule year in and year out.

You can talk about their Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma and you can even talk about their win over Oregon to kick off the 2009 season. But there are as many people who credit the Broncos with those wins as discredit them as overrated.

We can sit here and debate Boise State until we’re blue in the face, no pun intended, but there is one man with ties to Boise State that gets a lot of respect outside the city of Boise and the Western Athletic Conference.

Boise State’s head coach, Chris Petersen.

That name seems to come up with just about every coaching vacancy that seems to open each and every year in college football no matter where it is.

When the Florida job came open after Urban Meyer decided to step down Petersen’s name immediately hit the rumor mill. Some, myself included, were almost sure he was the number one candidate and shoe-in for the job.

That’s why we were all shocked when the Florida athletic director introduced long time Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as their new head coach.

Now, with the Florida job filled as well as the University of Miami, there’s one job that everyone is looking at and one that most believe is already filled. The University of Michigan.

Ever since head coach Rich Rodriguez made the move from West Virginia to Ann Arbor his time was already ticking away. The Wolverine fans weren’t fond of him right from the start and it didn’t take long for them to voice their opposition. The same opposition that has been heard the loudest this season.

With another disappointing season under their belt, it would almost seem like a lock that Rodriguez is about to lose his job. He even went so far as to say he would not lobby the athletic department to be able to stay.

That in itself is the biggest white flag of surrender that Rodriguez has ever sent up the flag pole. It seems like he knows his time has come to an end and he isn’t going to keep the inevitable from happening.

If the rumors are true and he is headed out the door there’s one man that most believe will be his successor, current Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh. In fact, he’s the man that seems to be the growing favorite among Wolverine fans.

But before we hand him the scepter and the keys to the Michigan kingdom, there are those of us that not only believe Harbaugh won’t be the head coach of the Wolverines but I’ll even go as far as to say he’s not the best man for the job.

Say what you want about him being an alumni of the university and a guy that has done a great job with the Stanford football program, but has he really shown the ability to handle the kind of pressure the Michigan job would come with? Stanford isn’t exactly Michigan.

Harbaugh is a coach that is capable of doing big things at the next level of college football but when we’re talking about someone that can take this team back to where it used to be, there’s only one name that needs to be mentioned.

Petersen is not your prototypical rah-rah, fire you up, kind of guy. He’s not the kind of guy that’s going to jump up and down when a big play is made.

He is an under-control, methodical, thinking two and three plays ahead kind of coach. The Wolverines don’t need to be fired up, they need to win. Now.

Before you make the argument that a coach coming from a mid-major program won’t have the same success in big-time college football, need I remind you Urban Meyer spent two seasons as the head coach of the Utah Utes before he won two national championships with the Florida Gators.

Petersen not only brings a proven track record of winning but he brings a name that most top recruits, and their families, will already be familiar with.

Where most football programs would worry about a brand new coach bringing in the right players, one would almost have to wonder if he would have to do any recruiting at all. Would the players come to him?

I have no problem with Jim Harbaugh. In fact, I’m a huge fan of his and I enjoy the kind of spirit and energy he brings to the Stanford sidelines.

But, if I’m the Michigan Wolverines and I’m looking for a guy that can take me back to the top of the Big Ten and back to a shot at the BCS National Championship, there’s only one name they need to write down.

Chris Petersen.

Chris Petersen, Bob Stoops, Will Muschamp, Florida Gators and an I'm Sorry

Ok Boise State fans, I know you want to hear it so here you go. I'm sorry. The sources I had never saw this coming and neither did anyone else. I'm not making excuses, I was wrong and that's the end of it. It happens in this business unfortunately, it comes with the territory.

That being said, a big congratulations goes out to now former Texas Longhorns' offensive coordinator, Will Muschamp who officially was named the new head coach at the University of Florida.

It is a great hire for the Gators and a guy that finally deserves his own shot. We all thought he was the heir apparent to the Texas program but it seems Muschamp was growing tired of waiting and this was the perfect opportunity for him to spread his wings and take this once in a lifetime opportunity.

As for Boise State, they are breathing easier tonight as their head coach Chris Petersen will remain in Boise as their head coach.

I know this is going to sound like a "he's backtracking" but I said this to several people earlier today.

Growing up in Fresno and watching the Fresno State and Boise State rivalry, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Chris Petersen and the job he's done at Boise State. My Bulldogs, and head coach Pat Hill, could only dream of the things he's been able to accomplish there.

A part of me was hoping that loyalty won the day and that he would remain with the Broncos. It seems that has come true.

Petersen's name will come up again and it might surface with the University of Miami. There's been at least a few tweets suggesting that the Hurricanes might be going hard after him. I'm not going to say a word about that either way because I don't know a thing about that job opening. I will give my opinion and say I hope he doesn't end up there.

Florida is one thing, Miami is quite another.

Lastly, Bob Stoops was never the guy that Florida was going to land. I believed that even though there were rumors that the Gators were in negotiations with him earlier today.

He has a cush job at the University of Oklahoma and taking the gig at Florida was nothing more than a lateral move for him. I couldn't see him leaving Oklahoma and it turns out he isn't.

All in all, it's been a weird few days but when the dust settled the right guy was hired at Florida and I wish him nothing but the best. I really do hope he succeeds there because I know how much the Texas fans loved him and wished he were the guy to take over.

Again, to the Boise State fans, I was wrong and I'm happy to admit that. I know you want to call my credibility into question and that's fine. It's understandable coming from a fan base that doesn't want to lose their coach.

I hope that you can still talk sports with me and give me your opinion. I don't mind a good ole fashion debate from time to time.

Shocker: Will Muschamp Named Head Coach at Florida

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I know that I've been saying Boise State's Chris Petersen would be the next head coach at Florida, or at least that he was the guy that Florida wanted.

As much as a part of me wanted this story to really come true, as a Fresno State fan and as a fan of Petersen himself, I truly wanted loyalty to win the day and it looks like that has come to pass.

Will Muschamp, the offensive coordinator at Texas that was said to be the next in line to take over the Longhorns, is the guy that the Florida Gators have gone with which in a lot of ways is surprising. He's not a name that any of us saw coming and a name that was never reported in Florida's search.

I'm going to say good for Will because he's a guy that definitely deserves a shot to have his own team to prove that he's ready for the challenge.

I'll have a full article up shortly for my opinion as well as the other coaching jobs that are currently open.

Florida Gators In Talks With Bob Stoops?

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Update: 1:14pm CST - A source out of Boise told me that he'd be shocked to see Stoops take the Florida job and still believes Petersen to be the number one guy for the job.

Update: 12:25pm CST - I talked to Lisa Horne of Fox Sports on this news and she told me, "Stoops is always mentioned in any high-powered coaching job (ie, Notre Dame) and it never pans out. I also think Florida goes after a coach who has a winning record in bowls but isn't necessarily in a BCS conference. Like a Patterson, Petersen, Calhoun or Niumatalolo."

Update: 12:00pm CST - Talked to another source out of Houston that tells me it's Stoops' job if he wants it. But if not, Kevin Sumlin from Houston could become a factor.

Update: 11:57am CST - The source that has been on this story since Thursday night is not sold on the report from ESPN Insider and doesn't believe that Stoops would accept the job. He did admit that they could be wrong and stranger thing have happened, but they're not ready to accept that Stoops is the man.

Update: 11:50am CST - With Stoops coming in as the Florida head coach, it looks like Jacksonville University head coach Kerwin Bell will come in as the offensive coordinator.

Update: 11:46am CST - I talked to a source this morning who tole me "it will be Stoops." The terms of the deal aren't yet available but I'm told that Stoops should be the next head coach at the University of Florida.

So Boise State fans can breathe easy. For now.

According to rumors that have surfaced this morning, something I didn't expect to happen apparently could very well be happening.

The Florida Gators apparently are in talks with Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops to become their next head coach.

There's nothing official behind this yet and I'm still trying to find out from sources if they can confirm this, but it's already hit the rumor sheets that the two sides are in negotiations.

As of last night, a lot of people expected the Gators to name Boise State head coach Chris Petersen as their man by sometime next week but that was assuming Stoops turned the job down. Apparently, it seems that's not going to happen.

When it's confirmed, we'll break it down and I'll give my take on the hire.

Chris Petersen To Be Named Head Coach at Florida By Next Week?

Update: 11:03pm CST - I know I haven't posted any new updates but there really isn't anything new to report. However, knowing that Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore is going to be a Heisman finalist, Chris Petersen is going to give his quarterback center stage and not take away the spotlight from a player who deserves it at this point in his career.

There was, however, an interesting thought thrown out on Boise radio earlier this afternoon. Though Moore told Dan Patrick earlier today that he was coming back for his senior year, if Petersen were to leave Boise State, would Moore change his mind and head to the NFL? It's a thought to ponder...

More updates as I receive them tomorrow.

Update 5:14pm CST - Bianchi went on to say that he expects Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops to turn the Florida job down. He says Florida will go with a proven head coach and threw out the names Stoops and Petersen. If Stoops does turn them down, than Petersen is the guy that will more than likely land the job.

Update: 5:02pm CST - Terry Ford of KIDO Radio in Boise talked to Mike Bianchi with the Orlando Sentinel this afternoon who said Mullen would be a last option if the Gators get turned down by guys like Chris Petersen, Bob Stoops, and others.

Update: 3:08pm CST - According to ESPN Insider, the job is Chris Petersen's to have but only IF a former offer is turned down by Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.

Update: 2:50pm CDT - Hearing buzz out of Boise that Chris Petersen is expected to be named the head coach at the University of Florida by Wednesday.

Update: 2:02pm CST - Contrary to Thirdage.com, a source I spoke to said the fourth person that is either scheduled to have an interview or has already had one is UConn head coach Randy Edsall.

Update: 1:58pm CST - Brady Ackerman of WGGG in Ocala, FL was on Barnhart & Durham of 790 The Zone in Atlanta this morning and confirmed there are four candidates who have either interviewed or had interviews scheduled with Florida.

Update: 1:40pm CST - I had talked earlier about a fourth name that could possibly be interviewed by the University of Florida. According to a site called ThirdAge.com, Arkansas Razorbacks' head coach Bobby Petrino is the favorite to land the job.

Update: 10:53am CST - Just heard that Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore was on the Dan Patrick Show this morning and announced he would be back for his senior season. That definitely has to make Chris Petersen think twice about leaving. Or does it?

Update: 10:47am CST - Interesting article from Mike Bianchi from the Orlando Sentinel. The headling? "Dan Mullen is not the man for Florida Gators coaching job"


I know a lot of college football fans, especially those of you in Gator country, are wanting updates on Chris Petersen and the hiring process at the University of Florida.

So, I'll keep this thread open and update it throughout the day as I receive information. I'm not going to say that Petersen is the shoe-in for the job because I don't know that yet. However, I'll give you what I do know and you can draw your own conclusions or speculate however much you feel necessary.

I talked to a source out of Atlanta this morning and received some good details on what we knew last night.

From what he tells me, he has a reliable source that confirmed Petersen did in fact interview for the job but there were interviews that either are or will take place. Houston head coach Kevin Sumlin and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen were mentioned there was a fourth interview that could take place but he didn't have the name readily available.

Also, something being reported by a radio show out of Atlanta (Wes Durham and Tony Barnhart), if Florida was to hire Kevin Sumlin, he would apparently bring with him Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

While Petersen's name has been linked to Florida, this source gave me even juicier information. Chris Petersen is apparently Penn State's number one guy and they're hoping he stays at Boise State for one more year so they can go after him after the 2011 season.

Again, I'll keep updating this thread with any new information I receive.

Chris Petersen: Florida Gator Fans See Him As Number One Choice

Chris Petersen seems to be the guy that Florida Gator fans want.

How do I know that? Well, to answer that question I'll have to give a shoutout to one of the better college football fan forums in the country,  Gator Country. There's a few threads up at this moment talking about the Boise State head coach as the number on guy on Florida's radar.

The reason I like this forum as much as I do is because there aren't fans throwing wild rumors and speculation out about who the next coach is going to be. However, they do make it clear how much they would love to have Petersen as their next head coach.

I don't blame them one bit.

Since I posted the rumor of Petersen headed to Florida late last night, there's been nothing new on that front. Gator Country was also all over the fact that you could attempt to track the tail number of each of the three University of Florida planes to see where they had been. Apparently that trick is used by more than just sportswriters and bloggers like myself.

Let's think this out for a moment.

There's been a lot of talk about Dan Mullen from Mississippi State, but as fast as his name comes up it seems to either be shot down or discredited. There are some that make a great point to say that Florida can have anyone they want.  This job vacancy is perhaps the biggest job in the country and one that just about any coach in Division 1 football would kill to have.

I talked a source in Boise last night and as we exchanged thoughts about why this makes too much sense for Petersen, the more we came to the same conclusion. Petersen would be silly not to take this opportunity if in fact the Gators want him as their number one choice.

Instead of writing out each thought that was put out there by both myself and this source, I'll just number them and you can put think through them as we did when we were talking about it.

1) Boise State is headed to the Mountain West who, after losing TCU, Utah, and BYU, is nothing more than the old WAC. Not really a step up and has to be frustrating to not only the school but Petersen himself.

2) All coaches want a shot at the biggest prize in college football. For Petersen, staying at Boise State only makes him a complete long shot.

3) The Florida gig would pay him more than he's making at Boise State.

4) It's the biggest job offer he's ever going to get

5) Even though he's at a mid-major school, he's built himself a solid name around the country

6) He's already proven to be a solid recruiter and his name alone, along with being at Florida, would bring some solid recruits coming to him. He wouldn't have to sell them on much.

7) This is just me assuming, but I have to believe Florida went to Boise to meet with Petersen to talk to him about the job before he came to interview. If he really is the number one candidate, this isn't a meeting they would have over the phone.

8) If Petersen wasn't the least bit interested and was more than ok staying at Boise State, he wouldn't have interviewed for the job. If in fact that part of this story is true and Petersen did in fact interview for the job.

So with all those thoughts being out there, is this already a foregone conclusion? Maybe. Maybe not. We don't know any facts at this point other than an Orlando Sentinel writer telling a Jacksonville radio host that Petersen was interviewing for the job.

I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions because until we know any facts about this story, all we really have is assumptions and speculation.

Although, I will say that I can't imagine the Gators picking a better guy than Chris Petersen and I can't imagine him turning the job down if in fact they offer it to him.

Chris Petersen: Could the Boise State Head Coach Be Headed to Florida?

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There's no question that Boise State head coach Chris Petersen is a guy who's name will come up in just about every coaching vacancy in the country.

Florida is no exception.

When Urban Meyer resigned a few days ago, the rumor mill began to churn with just about every big name from TCU's Gary Patterson to South Carolina's Steve Spurrier taking over his old job. But what about Petersen?

This is a head coach who has done amazing things at Boise State and has carried their football team to BCS bowls and unbeaten, dominant seasons. He's done enough to make his team one of the most hated, or loved, football teams in the country.

Earlier this evening, I received a call from a source in Boise who told me Petersen had interviewed for the head coaching position with the Gators. Petersen is in Lake Buena Vista, Florida about 40 minutes outside Orlando, for the Home Depot College Football Awards dinner with his quarterback Kellen Moore.

I haven't been able to confirm anything but I did come across a podcast on KIDO 630 AM in Boise. Radio host Terry Ford did an interview with David Lamm of 1010XL in Jacksonville, FL earlier today. Before Ford could say anything about Petersen or the open job at Florida Lamm said, "Mike Bianchi, who's a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, comes up to me and says did you hear that the Gators are interviewing Chris Petersen today in Orlando?"

I know the leading name that a lot of people have talked about is Dan Mullen from Mississippi State and there's even an article on Bleacher Report talking about a rumor that Mullen has accepted the job at Florida. But, as the article makes very clear, it's nothing but a rumor.

While we all have our opinions on Mullen and every other candidate that is going to be named to this gig, let's focus on Petersen and see if we can connect the dots.

The source I talked to a few hours ago had attempted to contact the Boise State Sports Information Director earlier this afternoon for a comment but had yet to get a response. Normally, if a school wants to deny a report and do so emphatically, like Nebraska athletic director Tom Osbourne did when rumors surfaced Miami was looking at Bo Pelini, they would do so quickly.

That denial hasn't come.

There's also a little trick that sports writers have used in the past to track the whereabouts of a certain school's athletic director or athletic department.

If you've neve visited a site called FlightAware.com, you can put in a tail number of an aircraft and track where it's been and where it's scheduled to go next.

As for the University of Florida has three different aircrafts, two of the flight aware's are turned off and the third shows no status after 12/3/2010.

While that might not mean much to the normal every day reader, it's fishy to the writers who have been doing this for a long time. It was actually a tip given to me by a nationally known writer when I spoke to them earlier tonight.

I know there are a lot of college football fans, especially in the south, who question Petersen's ability to coach in the Southeastern Conference. But let's not forget, that same thing was said about Urban Meyer when he was hired by Florida from the University of Utah after just two seasons with the Utes.

While I'm in no way saying Petersen is Florida's lead guy, I think it's the right time and the absolute right job for him to take if he were in any way interested.

This story will play out over the coming days but I wonder just how long Florida is going to wait before they announce their next head coach.

Will it be Dan Mullen from Mississippi State or will it be Chris Petersen from Boise State?

Let the speculation begin.

Urban Meyer: The Head Coach Of The Florida Gators Expect To Announce Resignation

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Urban Meyer, according to several reports, is stepping down as the head coach of the University of Florida which will be made effective in a few hours when a press conference is scheduled to take place.

Meyer's health has been a concern and news slowly began to leak out earlier today and it was made official by GatorUpdates,  via twitter, as well as  Brett Murphy from AOL Fanhouse.

Since taking over as head coach of the Gators in 2005, Meyer is 64-15, including 36-13 in the SEC, 4-1 in five bowl appearances, and two national championships under his belt.

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