Well, friends, it looks as though Jim Harbaugh is closer than ever to taking 1/3 of Hoke's place on the Big House sideline:
With one season left on his contract, he is being linked ever more strongly with an exit, with or without a trophy -- this time, to his alma mater Michigan, according to reports.
Hall of Famer Jerry Rice doesn't seem to think Harbaugh will be in the Bay Area for long, either...
"I think he's gone," Rice said.
The former 49ers wide receiver believes that questions about Harbaugh's future might be taking a toll on the team.
"With Jim Harbaugh, there's a lot of questions out there right now," Rice said. "We don't really know if he wants to come back and be the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Maybe that's starting to wear and tear on the team and it's taking its toll."
I'm pretty torn. I would prefer for TTUN to be as bad as they are until their fan base realizes they're no longer the best program of all time. On the other hand, it would be cool for The Game to be more of a contest. (So long as we win.)
