Former San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has signed a deal to become the new coach at Michigan, a person with knowledge of the discussions told Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no formal announcement from the school or Harbaugh, who did not return calls or text messages. But not long after Harbaugh arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Monday night, Michigan scheduled a Tuesday news conference for a "major" football announcement.

"I think we'll have some comments tomorrow," Harbaugh told The Michigan Daily, the student newspaper in Ann Arbor.

The 51 - year - old Harbaugh coached the 49ers to three straight NFC championship games and San Francisco lost the 2013 Super Bowl to a Baltimore Ravens team coached by his brother, John.

After the 49ers went 8 - 8 this season and missed the playoffs, he parted ways with the team on Sunday in what both sides called a mutual decision.

A day later, his name was the buzz of the Big Ten.

The idea of the Michigan - Ohio State rivalry spiced up with Harbaugh vs. Urban Meyer harkens to the league's glory days, when Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes ruled the conference.

"Coach Harbaugh is basically Michigan royalty right now," said former Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson, now a Jacksonville Jaguars running back.

"He's the man right now. I think he's going to do a great job and help out recruiting. He's had success at every school he went to. I think it's a great fit for Michigan."

Big Ten Network analyst and former college coach Gerry DiNardo said Michigan, the only school with more than 900 all - time wins, would be bringing in a "rock star" capable of returning the Wolverines to elite status in a short time.

"This gives Michigan a chance to catch up," DiNardo said.

Still, Michigan's new coach has his work cut out for him in a Big Ten East Division that's only getting tougher.

Meyer is preparing the Buckeyes for this week's semifinal against Alabama in the inaugural College Football Playoff. Michigan State's Mark Dantonio has built a program that has staying power. Penn State's James Franklin is a celebrated recruiter who looks to have the Nittany Lions on the rise.

Under Brady Hoke, Michigan dipped to 5 - 7 this season and was among only four Big Teams to not earn a bowl bid. The Wolverines were 31 - 20 in Hoke's four seasons and declined steadily after an 11 - 2 mark in his first year.

Harbaugh went 58 - 27 overall as a college coach at San Diego and Stanford.

He took over a 1 - 11 Stanford team when he was hired in December 2006 and quickly turned the program back into a winner and bowl contender.

Harbaugh's first Stanford team went 4 - 8 in a season highlighted by a 24 - 23 win over No 1 Southern California, a game in which the Cardinal was a 41 - point underdog.

Stanford was 5 - 7 the following season, then improved to 8 - 5 and earned a Sun Bowl berth in 2009 - the school's first bowl appearance since 2001.

They won the Orange Bowl with quarterback Andrew Luck his final season.

(China Daily 12/31/2014 page23)