After some much publicized wooing and wowing, it looks like Jim Harbaugh may remain with The Cardinal and Andrew Luck

SCOTT JACOBS

On Monday, Jim Harbaugh was the hottest coaching candidate alive — the “it” guy, who was going to Michigan… or San Francisco… or Denver, Miami, somewhere. Later that night he hoisted the Orange Bowl trophy on the podium to the tune of constant questions about his future. “Respect the process,” he repeated ad nauseam.

Well, the process has been well under way ever since, and with Luck shocking the sports world and returning humbly to Stanford (in spite of the fact he was a lock to be the number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft), it now appears that the unthinkable part 2 may happen too: Harbaugh returning to the Cardinal.

Maybe the tree really isn’t greener on the other side. Maybe Harbaugh doesn’t want to coach San Fran, or take Stephen Ross’ millions of dollars and join at the hip with a franchise in clear disarray. Pat Bowlan is a great owner in Denver but maybe Harbaugh wants nothing to do with the bare bones roster Josh McDaniels has left them.

And so, after a week of courting and reality tv as good as any we’ve seen involving the coaching ranks in some time, the likelihood that Harbaugh gives it one last college try with Luck seems more likely by the second.  It’s a fascinating twist in the story that had Harbaugh returning anywhere but Stanford.

Harbaugh, the UM alum, seemed to pass on the now open Wolverines job, because of past issues he had with the school. Now the NFL openings don’t seem to be wooing him enough to leave either — even though Ross literally tried to buy him out of college football with offerings of an absurd $8 million a year.

So here we stand.

What this says about Harbaugh, I’m not quite sure. The steady long time NFL veteran, also has San Diego (the school, not the NFL team) on his coaching resume, maybe isn’t prepared to leap to the big leagues. Maybe the NFL’s collective bargaining woes concern him. Maybe the prospect of a lockout disgusts him. Maybe he really is in love with Luck, who he goes at great lengths to praise the hell out of (and with good reason).

It all just looks like a silly little game right now. The hot college head coaching prospect having his pick of the hottest girls available and then going back to the trusting, loving, not quite as attractive (but very smart) girl. Is Harbaugh just letting NFL teams spin or does he really want to go pro again and just isn’t getting the right vibe?

We’re just three days away from the BCS National Championship Game, but I can’t help but be fascinated by this ever changing tale. Just a few days ago the sky was falling in on Stanford: their dynamic Heisman runner up QB was a mere lock to bolt for the NFL’s barrels of cash and their eccentric confident coach seemed to be leaving too.

It’s Friday.

Luck’s officially coming back for another year. So too it seems is Harbaugh.

What changed in the last 72 so on hours? Who the hell knows.

But I sure as heck know that Stanford ain’t complaining.

Photo: Getty

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