The Big Ten suspended Michigan's Jim Harbaugh from in-game coaching for the rest of the regular season, the Big Ten announced on Friday.
That means Harbaugh is prohibited from being on the sideline for Saturday's game against No. 9 Penn State, a Nov. 18 matchup with Maryland the regular-season finale against No. 1 Ohio State. Harbaugh would still be allowed to coach during the week but will not be allowed in the stadium venues on game day.
Michigan sought to block the suspension ahead of its game against Penn State, but there was no ruling on a temporary restraining order before kickoff. On Nov. 16, the school dropped litigation and accepted the suspension, ensuring Harbaugh will be away from the sidelines for the Wolverines' final two games of the regular season.
This is a result of the sign-stealing scandal involving Michigan staffer Connor Stalions – who was suspended with pay by the University of Michigan on Oct. 20.
Michigan responded in a statement that said will oppose Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti's "hasty action."
MORE ON MICHIGAN SIGN-STEALING:
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"To ensure fairness in the process, we intend to see a court order, together with Coach Harbaugh, preventing this disciplinary action from taking effect," the statement said.
And on Friday night, the university requested a temporary restraining order against the Big Ten in Washtenaw County Trial Court, seeking to block the suspension. However, the hearing was scheduled for Friday before Michigan's game against Maryland, the second game of the three-game suspension.
Michigan sent a 10-page letter to the Big Ten on Wednesday in response to the investigation launched by the conference, citing a lack of due process. Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, sent a separate letter to the Big Ten arguing that fellow Big Ten schools Rutgers and Ohio State also stole signs. He suggested Harbaugh did not know about the activities of Stalions.
"When other teams had been legally acquiring Michigan's signals with 100% percent accuracy for at least two years by studying Michigan game films, there was no reason for Coach Harbaugh or anyone else to believe that (Stalions) had not acquired his information about other team's signals by using the same methodology," Mars wrote in his letter to the Big Ten, which has been reviewed by Yahoo Sports.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti made the ruling. According to an ESPN report, Big Ten coaches encouraged Petitti to take action on a Nov. 1 call. Big Ten athletic directors followed suit on Nov. 2 while offering their support.
How long is Jim Harbaugh suspended?
Michigan has three regular-season games remaining in 2023. The Wolverines (9-0) remain in the hunt for the Big Ten championship game. Harbaugh would miss the games against the Nittany Lions, Terrapins and Buckeyes, games that will have a significant impact on the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race, though there is a chance a TRO could allow him to coach at least one of the latter two games.
MORE: Jim Harbaugh's timeline of trouble
Would Harbaugh be able to return for the Big Ten championship game if the Wolverines make it? That's another question that needs to be answered.
| DATE | OPPONENT |
| Nov. 11 | at No. 11 Penn State |
| Nov. 18 | at Maryland |
| Nov. 25 | vs. Ohio State |
| Dec. 2 | Big Ten championship |
Why was Jim Harbaugh suspended?
The Big Ten's decision is curious because it suspended Harbaugh, even while acknowledging there's no proven direct link to the head coach and the violations.
"We impose this disciplinary action even though the Conference has not yet received any information indicating that Head Football Coach Harbaugh was aware of the impermissible nature of the sign-stealing scheme," the Big Ten statement read.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did not mince words in a statement on the Big Ten's suspension of Harbaugh. He said while the program has been disappointed to hear about the allegations, it also feels that the conference skipped due process of a complete investigation in suspending Harbaugh on Friday.
Manuel described the suspension as "completely unethical" and "an assault on the rights of everyone (especially in the Big Ten) to be judged by a fair and complete investigation."
"All of the Head Coaches in the Big Ten (some who have been accused of actively participating in the trading of signals of opponents) and my Big Ten AD colleagues can rejoice today that someone was 'held accountable,' but they should be worried about the new standard of judgment (without complete investigation) that has been unleashed in this conference," Manuel said.
Statement from Michigan AD Warde Manuel. “I find that completely unethical, insulting to a well-established process within the NCAA, and an assault on the rights of everyone (especially in the Big Ten) to be judged by a fair and complete investigation.” pic.twitter.com/Qm9iehYVTR
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 11, 2023
On Oct. 18, the NCAA informed Michigan it was opening an investigation into whether the Wolverines violated NCAA bylaw 11.6.1, which prohibits off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents. Harbaugh denied "any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan illegally stealing signs" in a statement via the University of Michigan.
Details of that investigation into Michigan staffer Connor Stalions and an alleged sign-stealing operation have leaked with each day. That reached a peak when allegations surfaced this week that Stalions was on the sideline for Central Michigan's opener against Michigan State on Sept. 1. Yahoo Sports reported an investigation by Purdue found Stalions had purchased tickets to six games the last two years. Stalions resigned on Nov. 3.
The NCAA has yet to rule on another case involving Harbaugh and involving impermissible contact with recruits during COVID-19. Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh to start the season, but that case is expected to be heard by the NCAA in the summer of 2024.
