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Jim Harbaugh, the coach of Michigan, has been suspended by the Big Ten for the rest of the regular season due to his involvement in the program’s sign-stealing scandal, the conference announced on Friday.
The conference determined that Michigan was “in violation of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy for conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition.”
Harbaugh will be permitted to participate in team practices and preparations but not in games.
“As a penalty imposed on the institution, the university football team must compete without its head football coach for the games remaining in the 2023 regular season, effective immediately,” the Big Ten announced in a statement. “This disciplinary action will not prohibit the university or its football team from allowing its head coach to attend football team practices or other events, save those related to the games to which it relates. For the avoidance of doubt, the head football coach is not permitted to be at the site of the game on the dates that this disciplinary action is applicable.”
Sign-stealing in Michigan’s collegiate football program is being looked into by head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Harbaugh is out of the road game against Penn State, which is ranked ninth, on Saturday, and the game at Maryland the following week. The Big Ten East champion should be decided on Nov. 25 at home against No. 3 Ohio State.
If the Wolverines win their division, then Harbaugh would be eligible to coach in the Big Ten championship game on December 2.
The Big Ten announced the suspension, and Michigan promised an “immediate” legal response.
Friday afternoon, not long after the team’s plane touched down in State College, Pennsylvania, the university issued a statement. Because of the federal holiday known as Veterans Day, it was unclear if Michigan would be able to ask a judge for a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction before Saturday’s game.
