Report: Jim Harbaugh 'would have taken' Kansas job in 2009

After Mark Mangino left Kansas in 2009, the Jayhawks made a run at then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, according to The Athletic. It turns out there was plenty of smoke there — but Kansas went another direction, leading to a downfall for the ages.

Mangino resigned in December 2009 after allegations of player mistreatment surfaced. At the time, Harbaugh was getting ready to wrap up his third season at Stanford and led the Cardinal to a bowl game for the first time in his tenure. Harbaugh’s interviews with Kansas went well, and former KU assistant Clint Bown told The Athletic the former Chicago Bears quarterback was ready to accept the position.

“Harbaugh would have taken it,” Bowen said, via Jayson Jenks and Rustin Dodd. “I was talking to him at the time. He would have taken the job.”

Instead, Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins went in another direction. He opted to hire Turner Gill, who left after two seasons. Then, he hired former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who departed mid-way through the 2014 season. David Beaty went 5-32 over four years, then Les Miles spent two rough years with the Jayhawks. Now, Lance Leipold is at the helm.

That’s five coaches since Mangino’s resignation more than 12 years ago, and Harbaugh — despite entertaining NFL opportunities this offseason — has coached in the Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers and in the College Football Playoff with Michigan since that fateful decision. Perkins decided not to hire Harbaugh for two reasons, The Athletic reported. He wanted to coach Stanford’s bowl game and he wanted a coach who would be in Lawrence for a long time.

Perkins wound up retiring from Kansas in 2010 and Sheahon Zenger came in. He left in 2018, which led to Jeff Long’s entrance, which ended after allegations against Miles. Travis Goff is now in charge, and Kansas picked up a huge upset win over Texas in 2021.

But the question remains: What could’ve been if Perkins offered Harbaugh the job back in 2009?