While Nebraska and Florida have quickly wrapped up their head coaching searches, one of the most attractive positions in the country remains open at Michigan after Brady Hoke was let go last month.
From the sounds of interim athletic director Jim Hackett, it doesn't appear as if the Wolverines will be moving quickly in their quest for a new head coach. If you ask respected "Michigan Man" and national title-winning former coach Lloyd Carr though, the slow process is just fine by him because there's only one ideal candidate to go after.
"Everyone has an opinion, and I am no different," Carr told the Detroit News. "If I had a choice, I would choose Jim Harbaugh. But it will be Jim Hackett's decision, and that is as it should be."
Harbaugh's future in San Francisco has been a topic of much debate the past few months, and the opening at his alma mater has only fueled rumors that he might wind up going back to coaching in college after successful stints as the head coach at the University of San Diego and Stanford. While he still has the 49ers in the hunt for a playoff spot and high hopes at making another run at a Super Bowl, many observers believe he'll be coaching elsewhere in 2015.
Will that be in Ann Arbor, where Harbaugh led the Wolverines to the 1987 Rose Bowl? The slow-moving process might coincide with him getting an interview after the 49ers season is over, but reports have already surfaced ruling out the 50 year old for the job.
"I'm a little bit close to this process, so I'm not just going to throw out names with respect to Jim Hackett and his process -- I'm trying to help in that endeavor," former Michigan quarterback and current ESPN analyst Brian Griese said of the school's timeline. "But I know this: I know that the priorities and the requirements for this position are going to be correct. And it's going to be a combination when you look at that axis of performance and values ... the candidate that can bring those pieces together will get the job."
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport recently reported that Harbaugh is on his way out as 49ers head coach after the season, but that family ties might end up keeping him in the Bay Area -- noting the possibility of him winding up with the Oakland Raiders.
No matter what Harbaugh decides, he can at least rest easy knowing he'll be welcomed with open arms by the maize and blue after a ringing endorsement from a respected former coach.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
