Michigan Wolverines news: Latest on Jim Harbaugh negotiations, another key departure and more

Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh still hasn’t been offered a new contract, plus more Michigan Wolverines headlines in our latest news roundup. 

Thursday was another interesting day in the standoff between Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines. Maybe calling it a standoff is too strong since there is a lot of “support” going around.

There has been talk that the Michigan football head coach, Harbaugh, hasn’t been feeling fully supported by the athletic department.

Some of it has to do with the cut in pay dating back to 2020. Michigan football has also been slow to adapt to NIL and needs to bump the pay of its assistant coaches to that of other major programs, not to mention investing more in recruiting.

At any rate, Michigan President Santa Ono offered a statement on Twitter that he fully supports Jim Harbaugh as the Michigan football coach and wants him retained. Harbaugh responded with a statement of support for Ono but failed to mention Warde Manuel.

Then, Angelique Chengelis weighed in with this report about how there hasn’t been a contract offered to Jim Harbaugh, despite some reports to the contrary.

Chris Balas of The Wolverine followed that up with a report that a deal can’t be signed until the NCAA stuff is worked out. However, in that regard, Harbaugh feels supported by Manuel, Ono, and the entire university. Balas reported that sources estimated it was “70-80 percent done.”

We’ll see. Things keep trending in a more positive direction. However, if Sean Payton turns down the Broncos and they decide to offer Harbaugh, I’m still of the belief that the Michigan Wolverines could be looking for a new head coach. I’d watch the Colts too.

Michigan football isn’t out of the woods yet. But it seems as though Thursday was a step in the right direction thanks to Santa Ono.

A tough departure for Michigan football in transfer portal

Eyabi Okie, the former five-star EDGE that joined Michigan just prior to the 2022 season, has entered the transfer portal again and is expected to land with Biff Poggi in Charlotte.

Okie had 18 tackles, six tackles for loss, and four sacks for the Michigan Wolverines in 2022 and he was expected to return and be one of the top pass rushers on the roster in 2023.

Now, that will put more pressure on guys like Derrick Moore, Jaylen Harrell, Braiden McGregor, and incoming transfer Josaiah Stewart. Still, it’s a bummer and was sort of unexpected.

Trevor Keegan announces his return to Michigan Wolverines

Yet, in another announcement, offensive line starter Trevor Keegan announced he would return to Michigan football for another season.

Keegan is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and could have easily been selected in the NFL draft in 2023. He started at left guard for the Wolverines and should remain in that role going into 2023.

The offensive line is losing at least two starters but Keegan was another up in the air. Zak Zinter is another and if he returns, Michigan should have the best O-line in the Big Ten once again.

It’s already going to be stout. Three transfers were added as reinforcements and now, in terms of the O-line, the rich aren’t getting richer but staying rich, especially if Zinter follows suit.

Brutal loss for Michigan basketball

As we have said a few times this season, Michigan basketball blew a winnable game on Thursday night. The Wolverines were up by four points with less than 30 seconds to go and couldn’t close it out thanks to a four-point play and a silly foul from Kobe Bufkin.

It was a huge missed opportunity. Here are some gut reactions from last night, but it’s safe to say the Wolverines’ NCAA tournament hopes are on life support. It also wasted an incredible night from Jett Howard who set a new career-high with 34. He had 21 points in the first half.