Michigan is playing its Kalen DeBoer pursuit to perfection amid Alabama's CFP run

From the moment Sherrone Moore was dismissed by the Michigan Wolverines, it's been apparent that current Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer has been the top target in Ann Arbor. The question has been if Warde Manuel and the Michigan administration (and boosters) would be able to lure him from his post in Tuscaloosa — especially with Alabama in the College Football Playoff. Based on the latest rumors, though, the Wolverines are playing their hand to perfection.

Ahead of the Crimson Tide's first round CFP matchup against Oklahoma on Friday, ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported (h/t Mike Rodak of Bama247) that Michigan remains "convicted" in their pursuit of DeBoer. However, the result of the College Football Playoff first round for Alabama could have an effect on the Wolverines' pursuit as the Tide advancing would complicate the timeline for the coaching search in Ann Arbor.

Michigan might not wait on Kalen DeBoer for College Football Playoff

It's worth noting, first and foremost, that Thamel also reported that Alabama has been working and continues to work on retaining DeBoer however they can. There were reports of negotiations regarding an extension days after Moore's firing and in the heat of rumors about Michigan's pursuit, but no new deal with the Crimson Tide has been signed.

When you consider that, though, Michigan is right to consider the CFP and what it could mean for them in their coaching search. In all likelihood, DeBoer wouldn't leave Bama until his team's postseason run has subsided. A win in the first round would put the Crimson Tide into action on Jan. 1, which is the day before the transfer portal officially opens — which essentially amounts to late in the offseason with how the transfer timeline has been truncated due to changes this offseason.

If the Wolverines were to put all of their eggs in the DeBoer basket, not only would they risk potentially missing out on him and then being ostensibly late in the offseason and scrambling to find another candidate that fits the bill, but they would also be putting themselves on a sweaty timeline even if he did choose to leave Alabama.

Thus, it's wise for Michigan to consider what Alabama and DeBoer do in the Playoff as part of the equation. It could burn them quite mightily if they don't.

The Wolverines still have top-tier options even if it's not Kalen DeBoer

To be clear, we don't know with 100 percent certainty that Michigan would fully move on from DeBoer with an Alabama win in the CFP — that's an assumption on my part reading between the lines. Having said that, if we do end up in a world in which the Wolverines are moving on, that doesn't leave the people in Ann Arbor high and dry.

Frankly, given how up-and-down things have been for DeBoer over two seasons in Tuscaloosa, I may actually prefer someone like Kenny Dillingham as the Plan B for Michigan. What he's done to galvanize resources in Tempe at Arizona State and bring the Sun Devils from the cellar to seemingly being perennial Big 12 contenders is remarkable. Furthermore, he's the cult of personality and youthful presence that the Wolverines seemingly need, not to mention the integrity that Dillingham has consistently displayed since becoming the head coach at his alma mater.

Even beyond Dillingham, though, current Washington head coach Jedd Fisch and former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter (now the Ravens DC) would also be nice hires who have already been rumored as connected to the job.

The point is, though, that this isn't a DeBoer-or-bust situation for Michigan. More importantly, it doesn't appear that the Wolverines administration is operating in a way that suggests they want the Alabama head coach and nothing else. But one thing that keeps becoming clear is that the College Football Playoff could very well set the wheels into motion in Ann Arbor to make the hire to replace Moore.