Bivash
Big Ten Bans Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh From Coaching Games For The Rest Of Regular Season
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for the remainder of the regular season by the Big Ten in response to the ongoing NCAA investigation into the school's alleged in-person sign-stealing activities.
The suspension is based on the league's sportsmanship policy, citing Michigan's violation of conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years.
Harbaugh and the university have filed a request for a temporary restraining order in the Washtenaw County Trial Court, seeking to overturn the suspension.
The judge may rule on the restraining order before Michigan's critical game against Penn State.
The Big Ten's disciplinary action comes amid an NCAA investigation into Michigan's sign-stealing ring, with the league finding the university in violation of its sportsmanship policy.
The suspension is directed at the university rather than specifically targeting Coach Harbaugh.
Michigan's president, Santa Ono, expressed dissatisfaction with what he sees as a rushed process by the Big Ten,
stating that the Commissioner's actions disregard due process and violate the conference's own handbook.
The university argues that the Big Ten breached its contract and misused its sportsmanship policy in imposing the punishment.
The NCAA issued a statement expressing its commitment to competition integrity and clarified that it received consent from the school before sharing information related to the investigation.
The suspension bans Harbaugh from the "game venue" on game days but allows him to coach the team during the rest of the week.
Michigan contends that the rushed suspension would cause irreparable harm to the university's chances of success,
especially considering the team's current 9-0 record and contention for the National Championship.
The disciplinary action is part of the ongoing NCAA investigation into allegations of off-campus scouting and signal stealing by Michigan's staff,
particularly analyst Connor Stalions, who resigned last week.
The university argues that the league is moving too quickly and not following its own procedures, potentially setting a difficult precedent.
The NCAA investigation is separate from the Big Ten's disciplinary measures, and the league's action does not conclude the ongoing NCAA probe.
Harbaugh's suspension could impact Michigan's remaining regular-season games and potentially extend into the postseason.