Jim Harbaugh: The Craziness Surrounding This Year's Hottest Coach

It's becoming incredibly hard to point where Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh will be come next season.

Will he finally answer the NFL beckoning his name and willing to give the young coach whatever he may need? Will he stay in the college ranks and take over at his alma mater Michigan? Or will he remain ever so happy as a Stanford Cardinal?

Remember when Jason Garrett was this sought after? Garrett, if he wasn't coaching Dallas next season, would be a lot less sought after then he was when he was given that enormous salary to be an assistant coach.

Harbaugh has to make a decision this year. The opportunities that await the coach are extraordinary. If he wants to cash in on his success and being a hot commodity, now is the time.

He will make bank next season if he cashes in. Not only that, but there are some really great coaching opportunities that could be had if he goes pro or stays in the collegiate ranks.

He's been linked to the Michigan job, but it's looking less and less like even a consideration. He's been linked to the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers.

Those aren't bad destinations to have as choices.

But, why would he leave the program he built from a 1-11 team to a 12-1, Orange Bowl-winning team. Harbaugh is 29-21 with Stanford, 21-15 against the Pac-10 and is 1-1 in bowl games. He also has four years left on his contract and, if he wants to, he can pick up an extension that will raise his salary to $3 million a year in Palo Alto. 

Jim is part of a head coaching family. It runs through every vein in his body. He flat out knows how to coach a team and run his pro-style offense. He could do this blindfolded with both hands behind his back, he has that much skill as a head coach and as just a football person in general.

He has the tools to build a team. Harbaugh knows how to have his team rally around him and believe in his message. His years in college football he knows how to build players into outstanding, full-potential players who give more then 110 percent every weekend.

Harbaugh has only been in the NFL once since his last days in 2001 when he coached the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks. He coached Rich Gannon, who helped lead the Raiders to their 2002 Super Bowl, the year Jim Harbaugh was on that staff.

Harbaugh has been a head coach since 2004 when he started coaching the San Diego Toreros. Overall, he is 58-27 in his two stops as head coach.

All in all Jim Harbaugh should stay at Stanford. He has built a program from the ground up and could still contend next year with or without Andrew Luck. He might never get another Andrew Luck into Palo Alto, but after this season, he looks like he can build a dynasty program.

To put it bluntly, he will make an outstanding coach to whomever inks him and whoever is willing to throw everything but the kitchen sink at him.

Harbaugh will be looked at like his brother, John, and will resurrect whatever team he chooses whether it be pro or college.