Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel released a statement on Saturday about the Big Ten’s decision to suspend football coach Jim Harbaugh for the remainder of the season.
Michigan filed a request to obtain a temporary restraining order after Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti suspended Harbaugh on Friday. However, Manuel’s statement about Harbaugh came shortly after ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the No. 3 Wolverines (9–0, 6–0 Big Ten) would not be able to receive a temporary restraining order. Meaning, Harbaugh will not be inside Beaver Stadium for a massive Big Ten clash against No. 10 Penn State (8–1, 5–1) at noon ET.
Although Manuel wants the program to have due process with a complete investigation, he wrote that the Wolverines have not received that and warned other league leaders about setting a dangerous precedent going forward.
“This is a fundamental principle of our justice, NCAA and, until yesterday our conference system,” Manuel wrote. “Sadly, that is not what happened yesterday. …
“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 colleagues can rejoice today that someone was ‘held accountable,’ but they should be worried about the new standard of judgment that has been unleashed in this conference.
“You may have removed him from our sidelines today, but Jim Harbaugh is our head football coach. We look forward to defending Jim’s right to coach our football team at the hearing on Friday.”
Statement from Athletic Director Warde Manuel on Friday's Big Ten Decision: pic.twitter.com/BGT2fbdCY8
— Kurt Svoboda〽️ (@ksvoboda) November 11, 2023
In addition to Harbaugh’s absence on Saturday, Michigan will be without its head coach in its next two games against Maryland and Ohio State unless a judge grants a temporary restraining order to override Petitti’s discipline in the program’s involvement in the alleged sign-stealing scandal.
Currently, the NCAA’s investigation to the scheme is ongoing.
