First let me stress that this is only if Harbaugh actually wanted to return to the college ranks.
Harbaugh reportedly is at the top of a growing list of names linked to the current coaching vancancies at the University of Texas.
Their have been no formal mentions of Harbaugh by anyone affiliated with Texas, and Harbaugh himself has reportedly told 49ers officials that he has no interest in the job.
Pro Football Talk is reporting that the San Francisco 49ers as an organization wouldn’t stand in the way of Harbaugh taking the Texas job, or any other college position because of language in his contract, and California law.
The position comes from both Harbaugh’s contract, which apparently doesn’t prevent him from taking a college job, and certain nuances of California labor law, which at a minimum would entail a protracted legal fight over whether the 49ers can force Harbaugh to remain on the job.
The deeper point is that the 49ers won’t let outside interest in Harbaugh at the NCAA level result in a series of Saban-style extensions, with more and more money going to Harbaugh to keep him from leaving. The 49ers intend to give Harbaugh a healthy raise as part of an eventual extension, but the motivation won’t be fear of Harbaugh wanting to go to Texas or any other college job.