Michigan may not reveal Jim Harbaugh's replacement right away. Here's why

A hiring rule at Michigan means we likely won't know who will replace Jim Harbaugh right away. But there could be an exception to that rule.

Not long after winning its first national championship in this century, Michigan suddenly had to turn around and find a replacement for its head football coach after Jim Harbaugh finally departed for the NFL.

And while it seems Michigan has Harbaugh's heir apparent already lined up — that being current offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who led the football team as interim coach late in the season during Harbaugh's suspension — in all likelihood we won't have an official word from the school for at least a week.

That's because of a rule currently in place at the University of Michigan that requires a position of this kind to be posted publicly "for a minimum of seven calendar days prior to being filled."

But with most rules, there are exceptions, and there's one here, too.

Under the section "Posting Waiver," the UM laws dictate that "a unit may request a waiver of the posting requirement" if "the legitimate business needs of the unit outweigh the University's intent to provide notice of employment opportunities to the University community and others through the posting process."

The athletic department could argue for such a waiver, given the need of the football program to quickly name a successor to Harbaugh in order to maintain the school's position on the recruiting trail and to present a unified front during a time of transition.

Related: How Harbaugh's exit affects Michigan players, transfer portal

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