Bodog offers a prop on who the next head coach of the San Francisco 49ers will be, and for my NFL predictions I would tell you that two developments on Thursday made the favorite of in that prop much, much less likely to take the Niners job.

That guy would be Jim Harbaugh, who of course coaches just miles away from the Niners’ facility at Stanford. Harbaugh is the hottest coaching candidate in both college and the NFL right now after leading the Cardinal to a 12-1 record (best in school history) and a resounding Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

First off, let’s rule out Harbaugh going to Michigan, where he played quarterback. The school would love to have him, of course, but UM simply can’t pay what an NFL job can. Plus, there are reports Harbaugh won’t leave Stanford just for a lateral college move, even at his alma mater. Also, you could argue the Michigan job, in the state it currently is, would be a step down from Stanford.

As soon as Harbaugh got home from Miami and the Orange Bowl he was inundated with requests to meet with NFL teams. And he did meet with the 49ers on Wednesday for some five hours. Reportedly the Niners offered him $5 million a year and the lure of basically staying home. Thus Harbaugh is the +150 favorite according to Bodog NFL odds to get the job.

But now to the Thursday developments.

First, the Miami Dolphins are desperate to land Harbaugh to help energize a fan base that has grown rather disinterested, especially with the Fins going 1-7 at home this season. Harbaugh would do that, so Miami reportedly offered him $8 million a season, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid coach; New England’s Bill Belichick makes $7.2 million. The Dolphins also have what is considered a more solid front office than the Niners, who just hired a new GM (plus there’s no state or local income tax in Florida!). So Harbaugh reportedly favors Miami right now and could land there any day, although the Fins still have to can Tony Sparano.

The other Thursday news was star Stanford QB Andrew Luck shocking everyone by deciding to return to school for his junior year, basically turning his back on tens of millions of dollars in guaranteed money as the lock No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. With Luck back, Harbaugh might be more inclined to go back to Stanford and try and win a national title next year. So don’t waste your money on Harbaugh to San Francisco.

I would also say steer clear of Bodog’s other two individual options: Jon Gruden at +500 and Bill Cowher at +1200. Gruden reportedly got a $7 million offer from the Dolphins before they targeted Harbaugh and he turned them down. No way the Niners go that high for a coach. And Cowher would demand at least that much and would want front-office control, which no new GM is going to relinquish.

No, the easy money on this bet is on the “field” at -200. The Niners are seemingly aiming much lower now, with guys like former Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels, Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson – Bodog offers a prop on Jackson getting the open Oakland head coaching job at -250 – and possibly Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as the candidates. Reports are McDaniels has already told the Niners ‘no thanks’.

Jump on this prop quickly before Harbaugh makes a decision and it is taken down, but the “field” is the only play.

Allen Eastman is known as one of the premier NFL handicappers in the nation and his clients have earned $4,000 in the last seven weeks. He has a hot card of NFL picks for the Wild Card round, and that includes a 6-Unit Game of the Month for the Baltimore/Kansas City game on Sunday.