Warde Manuel breaks down the current Jim Harbaugh contract situation

All Michigan football fans are quite familiar with the interesting relationship between athletic director Warde Manuel and head coach Jim Harbaugh. After winning back-to-back Big Ten titles, making the College Football Playoff twice, developing draft picks annually, and more, you would think that a major program like the Maize and Blue would immediately extend Harbaugh; however, that is yet to happen.

According to a new update via The Detroit News, the talks of a new Jim Harbaugh contract are still in the works. Though according to Manuel, nothing appears to be urgent at the moment.

Michigan football is still in the process of producing a new Jim Harbaugh contract, Warde Manuel says

According to new reports, Warde Manuel states that he and Jim Harbaugh have been talking about a new contract but are waiting to announce it. Manuel clarifies that Coach Harbaugh is currently in the second year of a five-year agreement, so there is no urgency at the moment.

“Jim and I keep talking and will continue to talk — he’s in the second year of a five-year agreement, but we’ve had conversations about that,” Warde Manuel said. “At the appropriate time, we’ll make an announcement, but he’s in a good place, he and I have had great conversations and so I feel good about where we are … It’s a ‘We’re working on it, talking about it and when it’s there to announce, we’ll announce it.'”

Following the 2022 offseason, there has been a lot of drama surrounding the Michigan football program and its nine-year head coach, Jim Harbaugh. Despite the Wolverines’ recent significant success, which includes two conference titles, two playoff appearances, two victories over Ohio State, and more, the program is holding off on extending Harbaugh’s current contract.

Additionally, according to reports, an NCAA investigation into Jim Harbaugh for alleged Level 1 violations during the postseason is still ongoing. This investigation could be a significant factor in the program’s hesitation to make changes to Harbaugh’s contract.

So, as of now, Warde Manuel states that “there is no update” regarding Harbaugh’s contract, except for the fact that discussions have taken place between Harbaugh and himself, but no new agreement has been reached.

This fall, Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football program are aiming to achieve new goals, regardless of whether a new contract has been secured. Their aspirations include winning the national title for the first time since the 1997 season and sending a plethora of Wolverines to the 2024 NFL Draft next spring.

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