Jim Harbaugh's return to the NFL could spell disaster for LSU football

LSU football fans don't want to hear it. Still, Brian Kelly will be mentioned by every major sports media outlet and personality as a candidate to replace Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.

The Michigan Wolverines will begin their search for its 21st head coach because Harbaugh is reportedly jumping back to the NFL. This evening, news broke that the Los Angeles Chargers are finalizing a deal to make Harbaugh its new head coach.

Harbaugh migration back to the NFL is not a shock considering he has flirted with the idea over multiple offseasons. He has also accomplished what he set out to do at Michigan by leading the Wolverines to a national championship. As such, Ann Arbor is eager to remain at the top of college football and should seek a big-time successor to Harbaugh.

Kelly makes a ton of sense for Michigan. The current LSU football coach wasted no time finding success on the field and recruiting for the Tigers. Kelly is also a northerner familiar with the Wolverines from his tenure leading Notre Dame. Moreover, Kelly has ties to the state of Michigan, having coached Grand Valley State from 1987 to 2003 and Central Michigan from 2004 to 2006.

The LSU football head coach has recently commented that he is happy in Baton Rouge and intends to finish his career with the Tigers. But only a fool would consume such comments as gospel.

We must not forget that Kelly once stated he would not leave Notre Dame unless a "fairy godmother" offered up a $250 million check.

I believe Brian Kelly is satisfied with his current position, but he's also not a stupid man. He's not foolish enough to admit to the media that he would entertain the Michigan job if offered. He's also not foolish enough to turn down big money for a job that is arguably among college football's elite programs.

LSU fans should not be surprised if Kelly's representatives let it leak that he's interested in replacing Harbaugh. Consider the job that super-agent Jimmy Sexton did in procuring healthy raises for all of his clients tied to the recent vacancy at Alabama.

There are a lot of questions we'll encounter over the next few days. Will Kelly show interest in interviewing with Michigan? Will LSU pony up another raise to keep Kelly in Baton Rouge? Lastly, how much will articles like this drive Tiger fans insane?

Many of you will dismiss the Kelly to Michigan talk, but at this point, anything is possible.