Jim Harbaugh has become the most popular coach in the Bay Area after an 11-1 season for the Stanford Cardinal. A lot of San Francisco 49ers fans have been turning their eyes to Palo Alto as their season went south. Now, with Mike Singletary gone, it might be time to start calling him up.
And perhaps that was exactly what Jed York had in mind when he fired Singletary a week before the season ends. As we discussed earlier on this stream (and David touched on at Niners Nation), Harbaugh could be a strong candidate for the Michigan Wolverines job if Athletic Director Dave Brandon decides to fire current coach Rich Rodriguez. That decision could come as early as this weekend. By firing Singletary, the 49ers can start making their pitch to Harbaugh if they’re interested in him. That would give them a leg up on the Michigan pitch that could be waiting once the New Year’s rolls around and Rodriguez’s buyout price decreases.
For more on the 49ers coaching search, check out the SB Nation storystream dedicated to this topic.