Earlier today, the Kansas City Star reported that Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh has emerged as Kansas’ preferred choice as the replacement for Mark Mangino. The paper goes so far as to say that the two sides have spoken about the opening.
A source with knowledge of the search process has confirmed to CFT that Harbaugh is indeed the No. 1 choice of athletic director Lew Perkins, and that the school could be prepared to offer Harbaugh a contract in the neighborhood of $2.75 million annually.
If Harbaugh is ultimately offered the job and turns it down — it’s believed the Cardinal coach would prefer to stay in Palo Alto — CFT has learned that a candidate whose name has not been previously attached to the job would emerge as the favorite.
Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema.
According to the source, the Badgers coach is No. 2 on Perkins’ most wanted list, and would become the front runner if, again, Harbaugh declines the opportunity if its offered.
The interest “is mutual” between Bielema and Kansas, the source said, although there have been no direct conversations between the school and the coach.
One thing that would not prevent Kansas from pursuing Bielema is the buyout written into his Badgers’ contract. Bielema’s buyout “is very minimal… less than $1 million,” the source added.
An email seeking comment from Wisconsin has not yet been returned.
This move makes much more sense than Harbaugh. Bielema has recruited rather well for a school in the Big Ten that isn’t Michigan, Ohio State or Penn State.
Is Kansas really a better job than Wisconsin or Stanford?
Please take Bielema out of the Big 10. It needs Wisconsin to be good again, something that will never happen under this idiot.
Ok.. I’m sorry. I can name about 10 reasons why Kansas will not get Bret Bielema. I’ll start with a couple….
#1. Financial Resources- Wisconsin is one of the top 10 revenue athletic programs in the country. If they want to keep Bielema they can outspend Kansas
#2 Program — Wisconsin is first and formost a football school. A top 20 program. Kansas? Not either. I’m not going to say there is a huge difference, but Wisconsin is the better program so it would be a downgrade for Bielema.
not a better job than either but more money
BrwonsTown,
The answer to your question is “No”. The Kansas job is not that good. Harbaugh is not leaving Stanford for Kansas. Not unless you backed up a truck full of money and dumped it on his back porch. And Bielema is not leaving Wisconsin, either.
Lew Perkins is pretty shrewd. He figures if he leaks enough big names to the press who are “considering” the job, he’ll make it look better than it actually is and sucker some sap into taking it. Its the same way agents try to generate interest in their clients in the NFL.
I really doubt it will work but you never know. This is a guy who talked the Orange Bowl into taking Kansas over Missouri a couple years ago.