[CTcard]

2. Petersen. He’s been a great coach at two Western schools.

Carroll- Wilner might have considered the carnage he left in his wake. A disqualification.

Well, the list wasn't the best coaches of the past seventeen years, but "the best hiring decisions". Petersen moving on to UW presumably lessened the quality of the decision of Boise to hire him; but not so much, he lasted a good amount of time at Boise.

Of course Wilner himself lumps in Petersen's time at UW, but consistency has never been his thing (despite trying ever so hard).

I think the hiring of Meyer by Utah might be considered along with Stanford hiring Harbaugh.
Meyer made Utah good, was succeeded by his defensive coordinator Whittingham, and the combination made Utah good enough to get into the Pac 12. That is probably a bigger consequence than simply making Stanford good long term.
However, Meyer only lasted two years at Utah, and it is debatable whether Meyer really brought Utah Whittingham as Whittingham had also been DC for seven years under McBride - before Meyer.

So ... I would still go with Harbaugh.

[CTcard]

2. Petersen. He’s been a great coach at two Western schools.

Carroll- Wilner might have considered the carnage he left in his wake. A disqualification.

Well, the list wasn't the best coaches of the past seventeen years, but "the best hiring decisions". Petersen moving on to UW presumably lessened the quality of the decision of Boise to hire him; but not so much, he lasted a good amount of time at Boise.

Of course Wilner himself lumps in Petersen's time at UW, but consistency has never been his thing (despite trying ever so hard).

I think the hiring of Meyer by Utah might be considered along with Stanford hiring Harbaugh.
Meyer made Utah good, was succeeded by his defensive coordinator Whittingham, and the combination made Utah good enough to get into the Pac 12. That is probably a bigger consequence than simply making Stanford good long term.
However, Meyer only lasted two years at Utah, and it is debatable whether Meyer really brought Utah Whittingham as Whittingham had also been DC for seven years under McBride - before Meyer.

So ... I would still go with Harbaugh.