Jim Harbaugh Leaves for NFL: What This Means for San Fran, Stanford and Luck

Some people get their sports news from the Internet. Others get it from TV or in Amish Pennsylvania, the newspaper.

Side note: Newspapers are still best for getting accurate sports news when it comes to trades, free agency or coaching changes. In the era of "instant gratification" news reporting, websites and TV stations scramble to put out any news they hear the fastest.

Most of the time, the first report is wrong. From 2008-2009, a certain worldwide leader in sports reported the Arizona Cardinals were close to trading Anquan Boldin to Chicago, Miami and Philadelphia all in the same week.

A trade happened, in 2010, between Arizona and Baltimore, another team in the Boldin trade rumors. I guess if you report enough stuff, some of it is guaranteed to be right.

Anyways, my Jim Harbaugh news source was my good friend Brandon, who can legitimately lay claim to the title, "Biggest Stanford fan east of the Mississippi." He was crestfallen, justifiably, but not shocked by the decision.

He knew Harbaugh wouldn't be there forever. He was more upset by the notion that Andrew Luck would probably bolt for the NFL this April as well, and Stanford would go back to bragging solely about its academics and women's basketball team.

I couldn't tell Brandon everything would be all right, but it got me thinking about what this means to all parties involved in Harbaugh's move.

1. Andrew Luck

For me, it's simple. If Andrew Luck were just interested in being an NFL star, he wouldn't have picked one of the toughest schools academically. Harbaugh is a great coach, but Luck could have gone to a lot of other places and had success.

When you couple that with Luck being red-shirted and the way he handles himself in the BCS limelight, there is no reason to think he leaves early. Andrew Luck ranks historically low on the "LeBron-ometer" (aka my way of determining how likely it is for a given player to desert his team for greener pastures).

Andrew Luck understands the importance of earning a college degree; you get the feeling this guy will succeed no matter what he decides to do.

I'd be lying if I said Luck wouldn't have benefited by Harbaugh sticking around. However, he has so many physical gifts, another year in college just makes him that much more ready to be challenged at the next level.

Assuming Cam Newton heads to the NFL for 2011 (assuming there is an NFL season at all in 2011), Luck looks like a Heisman favorite. He gives Cardinal fans hope for a Pac-12 title in 2011.

2. Stanford Cardinal

I can't sit here and say that Stanford doesn't lose a football mastermind with Harbaugh's departure. I can't see Cardinal fans being angry though; this guy put Stanford back on the map. I can't remember the last time Kirk Herbstreit and Brent Musburger announced a Stanford game twice in one year.

Harbaugh did more than just land one quality guy for Stanford over his time there. He brought in Toby Gerhart, who fits in surprisingly well in the NFL. Chase and Mike Thomas are two great defensive players who come to mind.

When a great college football coach leaves his old team, immediate struggles aren't always on the horizon for that old team. Why? Because great college coaches often continue to recruit great players up until the day they leave. Harbaugh did more than just that; he changed the attitude on campus.

3. San Fransisco 49ers

One of the knocks against former 49ers coach Mike Singletary was that he may have been a better college coach because of his emotion and inability to control an NFL locker room.

Harbaugh was a great college coach, but I don't see him having many issues transferring to the pro game. You gotta believe Jim Harbaugh will have his players in line and buying into his system.

Does he have what it takes to win in the city by the bay? That isn't as easy to predict. I think the biggest misconception about the 49ers is that they have a good set of receiving options.

People thought Michael Crabtree would immediately step in and thrive as the best 49er receiver since Jerry Rice. Crabtree played well this season, but it's become clear that San Fransisco won't win with him as their best receiving option. He can be a great No. 2 guy, but Vernon Davis needs to get even better or San Fran needs to add another consistent wide receiver.

Frank Gore and the defense fit right into Harbaugh's physical coaching style. Quarterback remains a mystery to me. Alex Smith looked good in the finale against Arizona, but the Cardinals made every QB look like Joe Montana this season.

I expect Harbaugh to do what a lot of new coaches do. I think he signs a veteran guy (McNabb?) and opens up a three-way QB competition along with Troy and Alex Smith.

The NFC West figures to be wide open once again next season. I don't see any reason why San Fransisco wouldn't be in good position to be hosting a playoff game next season. The 49ers got this hire right.

Anybody else wish Jim Harbaugh would have ended up with the Browns? We would get to see the NFL's best new sibling (John Harbaugh, Ravens) rivalry twice a year, between two teams that are already huge rivals.

Jim Harbaugh surprised me when he left for the NFL this season. I figured Luck would inspire Harbaugh to wait a year, and teams would try to draft both guys with the top draft pick.

More than anything, I think Luck may have gotten Harbaugh into the NFL early. Teams were able to watch the way Harbaugh recruited well against elite programs like Boise State and Oregon (I'll include USC in 2012).

He took those players and built a great football team, making Stanford relevant in the 21st century. His best job? Doing everything I just mentioned while developing a great talent in Andrew Luck into a great NFL prospect and almost becoming the second sophomore to win a Heisman. 

Regardless of Harbaugh leaving, both men should be just fine. I look forward to them shaking up the NFL for years to come