The Big Ten on Friday sidelined University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season. Conference announced.
The move comes three weeks after the NCAA announced an investigation into Harbaugh and the team over alleged sign theft.
The Wolverines, who are 9-0, head to Happy Valley to face Penn State, 8-1, on Saturday.
Harbaugh will not be allowed to coach the team from the sidelines during games, but he will be able to serve as head coach at practices during the week.
The university condemned the punishment in a lengthy statement.
“We are appalled by the commissioner’s rush to judgment when there is an ongoing NCAA investigation, an investigation in which we are fully cooperating,” she said.
The statement went on to note that the ruling “is more about responding to pressure from other conference members than about a desire to apply the rules fairly and impartially.”
“By taking this action at this hour, the commissioner is putting himself personally on the sidelines and altering the level playing field that he claims to maintain. And by doing so on Veterans Day – a court holiday – to attempt to frustrate the university from seeking immediate injunctive relief, “It does not constitute any measure of impartiality. To ensure fairness in this process, we intend to seek a court order, in cooperation with Coach Harbaugh, to prevent this disciplinary action from taking effect.”
Earlier this week, the team resisted any potential punishment in 10 page letter To the Big Ten. Sources also told the Associated Press that the Wolverines could invoke emergency legal action if they do so. Punished before completing the full investigation.
The Big Ten said the university violated the conference’s sportsmanship policy “for engaging in impermissible character scouting over several years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that threatens the integrity of competition.”
The statement added that the penalty was “imposed on the institution,” but Harbaugh was the one carrying out the penalty.
It remains unclear how Harbaugh and the Wolverines were involved in stealing the signs Harbaugh had previously denied itBut Yahoo Sports previously reported that the NCAA was looking into whether Michigan sent representatives to future opponents’ games to obtain information about their banners.
During the week, coaches spend hours analyzing opponents’ match footage to discover notable weaknesses that may emerge in future matches, as well as strengths they will have to work to defend.
But teams are not allowed to use footage of competitors’ sideline actions for fear of potential sign stealing.
“Any attempt to record, whether through audio or video means, any signals sent by an opposing player, coach or other team member is prohibited.” 2023 NCAA Football Rulebook.
both of them Michigan and Harbaugh previously said They will cooperate with the NCAA investigation.
This is a developing story. . Please check back for updates
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