2011 Orange Bowl: Stanford 40, Virginia Tech 12

Harbaugh heading to . . . take your pick

Last Modified: Jan 4, 2011 12:04AM
MIAMI — As coach Jim Harbaugh was guiding his No. 5 Stanford team to a 40-12 pummeling of No. 12 Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl on Monday night, much of the rest of the football world was plotting for the former Bears quarterback’s next move.
Depending on which report was to be believed, Harbaugh was headed to either the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, the University of Michigan or, quite possibly, the hottest coaching candidate in college or pro football was staying put at Stanford.
The Cardinal was 1-11 before Harbaugh arrived; four years later, Stanford is the Orange Bowl champion.
“I just talk about the job that I have and none others, and that’s the way I’ve always handled it in the past, and it’s worked well,” Harbaugh said Sunday in his final media availability before the game. “Just focus and concentrate on the task at hand.”
Afterward, Harbaugh still would not comment on his future, saying the moment belonged to his players.
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King reported that Harbaugh will choose between the 49ers and Michigan for his next job. ESPN reported that new Broncos executive John Elway, the former Stanford star who served as an honorary Cardinal team captain at the Orange Bowl, was going to make a sales pitch directly to Harbaugh.
And Harbaugh is still wanted at Stanford, where he reportedly earns $1.25 million a year. Athletic director Bob Bowlsby last month offered to get extension talks started and said Harbaugh was expected to sign on the dotted line. He didn’t.
His brother, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, said he would not be surprised if Jim stays put. ‘‘I don’t want to speak for him, but I think there’s a chance he’ll stay at Stanford,’’ John Harbaugh said.
‘‘ I know this: He loves those players . . . and he loves the university. So I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he stayed at Stanford.”
But the question at Stanford centers on whether Harbaugh thinks he can continually win without quarterback Andrew Luck, who threw for 287 yards and four touchdowns against Virginia Tech. Luck is considered a lock to be the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft if he decides to leave school early. He led a Stanford attack that scored at least 31 points in all but one game this season.
As for the 49ers’ interest, team president Jed York already has said that “money is no object” to change around the fortunes of the team, which fired coach Mike Singletary, who is owed about $5 million. Money doesn’t appear to be an object for Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, either.
The next question: How much will Harbaugh earn at his next job? Some project a $3.3 million salary.
On Monday, Coby Fleener caught scoring passes of 41, 58 and 38 yards from Luck — all in the final 21 minutes — to spark the Cardinal (12-1), which got its first bowl win in 14 years and likely will end the season ranked in the top five for the first time since the unbeaten 1940 team finished No. 2.
The Hokies (11-3), playing in a bowl game for the 18th consecutive year, fell to 1-27 against top-five teams.
Sun-Times wires

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