Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh Banned for the Remainder of the Season
Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh won’t be at the team’s remaining football games this season. The Big Ten has suspended the coach for the remainder of the regular season. This is as the league exercises its sportsmanship policy. Currently, there’s a NCAA investigation into the University of Michigan’s in-person sign-stealing ring. That’s the reason for the Jim Harbaugh banned news.
Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh Banned for the Remainder of the Season
The Big Ten made the announcement Friday (Nov. 10). The University of Michigan was found to be in violation of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy for, according to a statement, “conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition.”
While the Big Ten’s punishment is for the University of Michigan as opposed to the coach, Harbaugh will still be banned from the sidelines. But, he may coach the team during the week for the rest of the season. He just can’t be coaching at the games from the sidelines.
The Wolverines have a big game this weekend. They’re currently 9-0, so they have a stellar record. They’ll go to Penn State, who is 8-1, for a big road game Saturday (Nov. 11).
The Big Ten first announced the NCAA investigation into Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing on Oct. 19. It’s taken several weeks to look into it more, and it’s a big step that they’re suspending him from the sidelines for the rest of the season. So far, Harbaugh has been adamant that he did nothing wrong. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement that he’s “committed to the highest standards of ethics and integrity for all members of our community.” Harbaugh added that he’ll cooperate, but that he did “not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” in a statement.