Jim Harbaugh won't be on the sidelines for Michigan over their first three games. His players are showing how they feel about his absence.
During Michigan's season-opener against East Carolina, several Wolverines protested Harbaugh's suspension, with quarterback J.J. McCarthy wearing a shirt with Harbaugh's name on it and "Free" above it, and the players holding up four fingers to represent Harbaugh's jersey number in college.
J.J. McCarthy is wearing a "FREE HARBAUGH" shirt while warming up for Michigan 〽️👀 pic.twitter.com/tKbCQEsMj6
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 2, 2023
MORE: Why Jim Harbaugh will miss the first three games of the season
Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh as the program looked to avoid a heftier penalty for the head coach later by the NCAA. During the offseason, Harbaugh came under NCAA scrutiny when receipts showed he purchased cheeseburgers for recruits during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period. The violation was one of several Level II violations that also included practicing with too many coaches on the field and unauthorized video observation of practices.
But what has Harbaugh in the most hot water is the Level I violation, which is for allegedly lying to investigators looking into the previous violations.
The NCAA declined a four-game suspension that had been negotiated between the governing body and Michigan. That means the NCAA will continue its investigation into Harbaugh and will conclude an appropriate punishment at a later time, likely 2024.
The Wolverines athletic department self-imposed the three-game suspension on Harbaugh in an effort to try and lessen whatever later punishment the NCAA might hand Michigan's head coach, per ESPN.
MORE: Harbaugh's father, son set to take more coaching responsibilities in his absence
The outside perception of the investigation has been that Harbaugh is being penalized over the purchase of a cheeseburger, which NCAA vide president of hearing operations Derrick Crawford denied that in a rare public statement on an ongoing investigation.
"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities — not a cheeseburger," Crawford said.
That doesn't mean the Wolverines appreciate the head coach being forced to miss the games. Several players, including McCarthy, wore shirts supporting their team's head coach. And during the team's train formation before its first offensive play, the players held up four fingers, which was Harbaugh's jersey number when he was the quarterback at Michigan.
Michigan players put up 4 fingers before their play as a tribute to coach Jim Harbaugh, who is suspended and not at the game.
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 2, 2023
🎥: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/hZO7UGSVTM
Harbaugh will be out until Week 4, when the Wolverines open the Big Ten slate against Rutgers. Harbaugh will miss games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green.
