SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that he is close to finalizing an agreement for a contract extension that he hopes would end speculation that he could leave for another job.
Speaking at a news conference for this week's Big Game against rival California, Harbaugh said he hoped the new deal would be completed shortly.
``We're close. We're closer,'' Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh's name has been floated for potential openings in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, where he once served as an assistant, or for a bigger college job following the rebuilding job he has done at Stanford.
``Let me be clear on this. I'm 100 percent committed to Stanford University,'' Harbaugh said. ``I love my job at Stanford. I have a great wife, a new baby, I love my job, I love the guys I coach for. I could not imagine coaching anywhere else.''
Harbaugh took over a team that went 1-11 in 2006 under coach Walt Harris and has quickly turned the Cardinal around. Stanford went 4-8 in his first season, including the memorable upset over then-No. 2 Southern California, and had the school's first victory in the Big Game since 2001.
The Cardinal have been even better this season, taking a 5-6 record into the regular-season finale against the Golden Bears. With a victory Saturday at Cal, Stanford would qualify for a bowl game for the first time since Tyrone Willingham's final season as coach in 2001.
Harbaugh is currently in the second year of his five-year contract. He previously coached three seasons at San Diego, which was a non-scholarship Division I-AA school. Harbaugh previously was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the NFL, leading the Indianapolis Colts to the 1995 AFC championship game.
