Univ. of Michigan President Mark Schlissel yesterday said that while the football season has not yet started, first-year coach Jim Harbaugh "is already paying off," according to Kim Kozlowski of the DETROIT NEWS. Schlissel: "He’s mitigated some of our financial risk from the diminishing attendance and season tickets. Now everything is sold out. Lots of national attention. Hopefully it reflects well on the university in the years ahead" (DETROIT NEWS, 9/1). In Detroit, Angelique Chengelis notes an estimated 175 fans were in attendance yesterday for Harbaugh's first radio show, "easily the biggest crowd" in the program's existence, dating back to the Rich Rodriguez coaching days (DETROIT NEWS, 9/1). Meanwhile, Schlissel said that there is "no search to hire a permanent AD." Schlissel: "Jim Hackett, as we've discussed, he's doing a great job. We're focused on the football season right now, and that's, basically, all I have to say about it." In Detroit, Mark Snyder notes Hackett "has received credit for hiring Harbaugh and helping seal the new Nike apparel contract, which could reach" up to $169M when it begins next summer." Hackett has said that he "has a few other projects he wants to address," but he "did not want to get specific about those issues" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 9/1).
