A new kind of stress is in the air at the Rose Bowl ahead of the inaugural College Football Playoff quarterfinal on Monday. It’s not about investigations into compromised data or plots involving sign theft. Interpreting Jim Harbaugh’s most recent theatrical remark isn’t really the point.
During Saturday’s media day, Michigan’s coach made a vague comment about Jesus being a five-star recruit.
Instead, the teams playing No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama are discussing this stress in an honest manner before one of the most exciting semifinals in the 10-year history of the CFP. This thrilling matchup, or the CFP National Championship the next week, at the latest, might pave the way for a thrilling dismissal by one or both coaches.
Both Jim Harbaugh and Nick Saban may have achieved their career endpoints, but for very different reasons. Talk about their potential coaching careers has moved past conjecture.
It’s clear that Harbaugh might have to choose between returning to the NFL and his cherished alma school once more. He will have to weigh competing NCAA probes that might land him and the Wolverines with serious consequences in making his decision.
his as According to reports, Harbaugh has accepted a massive extension offer from Michigan, and he is now represented by renowned football agent Don Yee, who has contacts in the NFL.
Veteran offensive lineman Trevor Keegan of Michigan told CBS Sports, “I couldn’t [blame him for leaving for the NFL].” “One thing I do know, his brother [Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh] being in the Super Bowl is eating at him.”
Not only has John played in the Super Bowl, but in 2013 he defeated Jim’s San Francisco 49ers to win his sole championship. That was prior to the coach at Michigan spending the last ten years bringing the program to what might be its pinnacle.
Meanwhile, a month or so ago, rumors of Saban’s retirement began to circulate. Will the all-time great college football coach ever really think about resigning? Within the last thirty days, an agent informed CBS Sports that his phone had been ringing nonstop, leading him to believe that Saban might be out of the picture.
That’s nothing new, in a sense. Talk of this kind has occasionally come up as Saban, 72, ages and keeps winning championship after championship.
This may mean that, should Bama win it all again, the legend will have eight national titles, or it could mean more of that.
It’s no secret that Saban prefers to go out on top whenever possible, whenever he wants. The fact that his mentor, Bill Belichick, is going through the exact opposite as his career comes to a close, has to be worrisome.
In Belichick’s 24th season, the New England Patriots have fallen to a 4-12 finish. According to a close personal friend of Nick Saban, Alabama’s coach is fully aware of the developments in New England.
Dallas Turner, a linebacker with the Crimson Tide, stated, “There have been a lot more rumors and stuff like that of him leaving.” However, from what I can tell presently, he is putting money into what he is doing. Of course, there will come a point and location where he must resign. He is not slowing down at this time.”
Saban does appear fired up by Alabama’s remarkable run. After losing to South Florida in a lackluster fashion in Week 3, it appeared that Alabama would be a postseason afterthought. The Tide have won 11 straight games, and head coach Nick Saban has won 11 SEC titles during his finest coaching tenure. He will be playing in his 14th CFP match on Monday.
