Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers: It Makes Too Much Sense Not To Happen

Jim Harbaugh should be choice 1-A and 1-B on the San Francisco 49ers' list of candidates to replace Mike Singletary.

It's that simple, and it doesn't take Lt. Columbo to figure this one out.

After two failed defensive-minded guys, this one would have to be a slam dunk for the Yorks, wouldn't it?

They should already be making covert moves toward Palo Alto.

If you were to load up the old time machine and go back 30 or so years, you'd recall that Denise York's brother, Eddie (DeBartolo), went and found himself this offensive-minded guy at Stanford. That guy's name was Bill Walsh and that hire worked out pretty well for Eddie, didn't it?

Walsh was 17-7 his first two seasons at Stanford. Harbaugh is 19-6 the past two seasons with a bowl game against Virginia Tech to come.

If it made sense to hire Pete Carroll in Seattle, then common sense screams for Harbaugh in 'Frisco. Ask around and insiders will tell you if you had to choose between Carroll and Harbaugh, Harbaugh would be your guy.

Anyone who thinks he's staying long-term at Stanford is a dreamer. It's no stretch to imagine Jim joining his brother John as an NFL head coach.

What San Francisco needs most is someone who can develop a young quarterback, and that's where a guy like Harbaugh would have it all over a guy like Jon Gruden. Gruden hates young quarterbacks and has shown his ability to run at least two NFL franchises into the ground.

If the 49ers go after Harbaugh, they'd also be taking a guy that Al Davis has his eye on. And those who are old enough to remember might recall that Davis had Walsh on his staff before Walsh went to Stanford, then to the 49ers.

Harbaugh's mastery of a pro-style offense at Stanford relates well to the NFL, and if San Francisco is going to draft a young quarterback, then Harbaugh is the guy you want teaching him and polishing his skill set. Harbaugh has an eye for quarterbacking talent. He hand-picked Andrew Luck, and you saw how that worked out for him.

Harbaugh recently said he thinks Luck will come back for his senior year. But the question is, will Harbaugh?

It's as close to a slam-dunk as the Yorks can get.

If they were smart, they'd already be on the phone to Harbaugh's agent, testing the waters, finding out what it would take to get the former Michigan guy as the next Niners head coach.

The irony in all of this is that Harbaugh was Singletary's teammate with the Bears for six years.

Unfortunately, Singletary's talents did not match up with the 49ers needs.

Harbaugh's skill set is the cure for what ails the 49ers.

Now, it's just a matter of the Yorks recognizing that and doing what it takes to get their man.