Jim Harbaugh calls Michigan president to say he’s staying

Associated PressJan 17, 2023, 10:49 PM EST

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

“I just got off the phone with coach Harbaugh and Jim shared with me the great news that he is going to remain as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines,” University of Michigan President Santa Ono shared on social media Monday. “That is fantastic news that I have communicated with our athletic director Warde Manuel.”

One minute later, Michigan football shared a statement from Harbaugh on Twitter.

“My heart is at the University of Michigan,” Harbaugh’s statement read in the post. “I once heard a wise man say, `Don’t try to out-happy, happy.”‘

Harbaugh and the school have not reached an agreement on a contract extension, but both sides plan to work on a new deal this week, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the negotiations were not announced.

The Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers spoke with Harbaugh about their head coaching vacancies this month and he was mentioned as a potential candidate for the Indianapolis Colts, one of four teams he played quarterback for in the league from 1987 to 2000 after being a star for the Wolverines.

On Signing Day last year, Harbaugh interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings before they targeted Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell for the job opening instead.

Harbaugh has been linked to many other NFL jobs in most of the offseasons since he returned to his alma mater to lead the football team in 2015.

After failing to beat rival Ohio State for years, he has helped Michigan beat the Buckeyes and win the Big Ten title in two straight years.

The Wolverines have fallen short of winning their first national championship since 1997, though, with College Football Playoff semifinal losses to TCU and Georgia.

Harbaugh seems set up for more success, at least in the conference, with All-America running back Blake Corum returning to a backfield with running back Donovan Edwards and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Harbaugh, the AP NFL coach of the year in 2011 and AP college coach of the year a decade later, seemed to be intrigued by the lure of the league again this winter.

He coached the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014, winning two NFC West titles and reaching the NFC championship game three times in four seasons. He was 44-19-1 during that span and helped the 49ers get to the Super Bowl a decade ago, where they lost by three points to the Baltimore Ravens, led by his brother, John.

Jim Harbaugh left the 49ers after going 8-8 in 2014 – the only season the 49ers didn’t make the postseason under him – to turn around Michigan.

The 59-year-old Harbaugh has a 74-25 record in eight seasons with the Wolverines, who were 13-0 this season before getting beat in a sloppy game by the Horned Frogs. Harbaugh also spent four seasons as head coach of Stanford and three more at San Diego.

Entering his ninth year at Michigan, it appears he will have to deal with an NCAA investigation regarding potential rules infractions.

The investigation is believed to involve impermissible texts and calls – including some by Harbaugh – to high school prospects during part of a pandemic-related dead period for contact with potential recruits, a person with knowledge of the situation told the AP.

The NCAA was also looking at whether a member of Michigan’s off-field football staff violated rules by doing on-the-field coaching during practice and whether Harbaugh was forthcoming about it, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Michigan officials were not making details of the investigation public.

Georgia extends contract for AD Josh Brooks, plans two new football practice fields

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:14 PM EDT

Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

ATHENS, Ga. – On the heels of a second straight national football championship, Georgia has rewarded athletic director Josh Brooks a contract extension that ties him to the Bulldogs through at least 2029.

The athletic association board, wrapping up its annual spring meeting Friday at a resort on Lake Oconee, also announced plans for a new track and field facility that will free up space for two more football practice fields.

Brooks’ new contract will increase his salary to $1.025 million a year, with annual raises of $100,000.

The 42-year-old Brooks, who took over the athletic department in 2021 after Greg McGarity retired, called the Georgia job “a dream for me” and said he hopes to spend the rest of his career in Athens.

“I am extremely grateful,” Brooks said. “I got into this business 20-plus years ago as a student equipment manager. My first job at Louisiana-Monroe was making $20,000 a year in football operations.”

The Georgia board approved a fiscal 2024 budget of $175.2 million, a nearly 8% increase from the most recent budget of $162.2 million and the sign of a prosperous program that is flush with money after its success on the gridiron.

The school received approval to move forward with its preliminary plans for a new track and field facility, which will be built across the street from the complex hosting the soccer and and softball teams.

The current track stadium is located adjacent to the Butts-Mehre athletic facility, which hosts the practice fields and training facilities for the football program.

Georgia lost a chunk of its outdoor fields when it built a new indoor practice facility. After the new track and field stadium is completed, the current space will be converted to two full-length, grass football practice fields at the request of coach Kirby Smart.

“He wants to find efficient ways to practice, and there is a lot of truth to the issues we’ve had with our current practice fields,” Brooks said. “There is a lot of strain on our turf facilities staff to keep that field in great shape when half the day it is getting shade, so that has been a challenge as well. For our football program, it is better to practice on grass fields than (artificial) turf, so to be able to have two side-by-side grass fields is huge. It makes for a much more efficient practice.”

The new track and field complex, which will continue to be named Spec Towns Track, will also include an indoor facility, the first of its kind in the state of Georgia.

Iowa AD Gary Barta announces retirement after 17 years at Big Ten school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 9:11 PM EDT

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa athletic director Gary Barta will retire on August 1 after 17 years at the university, the school announced Friday.

Barta, 59, is one of the longest-tenured athletic directors in a Power Five conference. He was hired by Iowa in 2006 after being the AD at Wyoming.

An interim director will be announced next week, Iowa said.

In September, Iowa hired former Ball State athletic director Beth Goetz to be deputy director of athletics and chief operating officer, putting her in position to possibly succeed Barta.

“It has been an absolute privilege and honor to serve in this role the past 17 years,” Barta said in a statement. “This decision didn’t come suddenly, nor did it come without significant thought, discussion, and prayer.”

“That said, I’m confident this is the right time for me and for my family.”

Iowa won four NCAA national team titles and 27 Big Ten team titles during Barta’s tenure. The women’s basketball team is coming off an appearance in the national championship game and the wrestling team is coming off a second-place finish at the NCAA championships.

Barta served as the chairman of the College Football Playoff committee in 2020 and 2021.

He faced heavy criticism over more than $11 million in settlements for lawsuits in recent years alleging racial and sexual discrimination within the athletic department.

Lawsuits filed by former field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum and associate athletics director Jane Meyer led to a $6.5 million payout.

Iowa had to pay $400,000 as part of a Title IX lawsuit brought by athletes after it cut four sports in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the agreement, Iowa reinstated the women’s swimming and diving program and add another women’s sport.

Iowa added women’s wrestling, the first among Power Five schools to compete this year.

A lawsuit brought by former football players alleging racial discrimination within the program was settled for $4.2 million last March, which prompted state auditor Rob Sand to call for Barta’s ouster.

“Gary Barta’s departure is a long time coming given the four different lawsuits for discrimination that cost Iowa more than $11 million,” Sand posted on Twitter.

The university did not allow taxpayer money to be used for the settlement with the former players.

Barta led Iowa through $380 million of facility upgrades, including renovation of Kinnick Stadium, the construction of a new football facility, a basketball practice facility and a training center for the wrestling teams.

Under Barta, Iowa has had just one head football coach (Kirk Ferentz), women’s basketball coach (Lisa Bluder) and wrestling coach (Tom Brands). All were in place when he arrived.

Barta has also come under scrutiny for allowing Ferentz to employee his son, Brian Ferentz, as offensive coordinator. To comply with the university’s nepotism policy, Brian Ferentz reports to Barta.