That’s fine, and the screen you were watching may be proven correct, but I’m just quoting the statement the B10 conference themselves released after it suspended Harbaugh. Maybe the B10 didn’t have their ducks fully in a row before they pulled the trigger if their statements don’t line up. One thing says they have no evidence, the other says they do. The whole thing seems a bit rushed/unprepared/bush league.
The Patriots got accused of sign stealing.
I can’t get worked up by this rule breaking. Teams exchange game footage. They use it to prepare.
Is the side-line never shown? I know we see the coaches occasionally on Network games.
The rule isn’t against sign stealing, it’s against in-person scouting (which ultimately results in sign stealing).
Technically, the Patriots got accused of improper sign stealing. Sign stealing in the NFL is perfectly fine. It’s just that there’s a designated area where you’re supposed to do it from, and you’re not supposed to film when you do it. The Patriots filmed from outside the designated area. Essentially procedural violations.
Sort of like if a cornerback bumps at the line but goes beyond five yards while doing so. The act itself is fine, you just can’t do it more than 5 yards down the field.
My understanding is that in the NCAA, you’re not supposed to steal signs at all outside of actually playing a game. Unlike the NFL, you’re not supposed to go to future opponents’ games to steal signs in advance. But of course everybody does so, so this whole thing is kind of a joke.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the 94% of coaches that said they should be punished said so anonymously. To me, that is particularly uncompelling.
Here’s a link to the letter from B10.
Outlines the evidence. It was substantial. Michigan doesn’t disagree, just due process arguments.
It also says there is no evidence that Harbaugh was aware of the sign stealing scheme. As a university representative, he carries out the punishment.
I don’t follow college football and have no skin in this argument.
Based on what I am reading here from H_L, the pro-Michigan position seems to be that some low-level staffer did indeed travel in person to games to steal signs, but the head coach was not aware or involved in this.
Sorry, but that doesn’t pass the smell test. What was this assistant doing - going to the games and stealing signs but not telling anyone else? What’s the point of that? If he was bothering to steal signs, he must have been telling other coaches so they could use the info to game plan. It’s ludicrous to make that one guy the fall guy as if the information went no further.
On the local news just now: “Restraining order filed to block Harbaugh’s suspension”.
So the Big 10 won’t be able to come within 100 yards of Harbaugh?
Jim Harbaugh makes like 10 million a year, I don’t see the need for anyone to simp for him.
As an aside, assuming the suspension sticks, how much of a loss is not having Harbaugh to the per-game success of the team over the rest of the season? A good head coach is obviously extremely important to building the overall culture and attitude of the team, the recruiting, and the strategy in a big-picture sense. But, at least in the NFL, I’m not so sure how it works in college, there are offensive and defensive coaches who do much or most of the play-calling.
Can an undefeated powerhouse team such as Michigan kind of coast along on momentum without Harbaugh for awhile, or will his absence affect the team very strongly in the relative short term? And I mean more in a practical sense, not so much in a morale sense. Does a Big 10 head coach typically contribute much particular genius to individual games?
And this is the best argument that Harbaugh didn’t know or have to know.
There will be more punishment based on how high up the chain of command this goes.
They know there was a scheme, but they are still figuring out who all knew about it.
Dude bought tickets for dozens of opponents’ games and paid many people to attend to steal signs. It was a system. If the god-tier head coach was unaware, he should be taken to a woodshed for gross incompetence.
Well, Michigan beat Penn State with Harbaugh. It would be ironic if they make it to the championship game when Harbaugh returns.
That could happen since he still runs the practices and game prep.
I hope the court stays out of this punishment. The Big Ten should be allowed to clean their own house.
I agree the big punishment will come after the season. Suspending Harbaugh from coaching three games is a slap on the wrist. He’s stlll in charge of the team.
Harbaugh could easily pull a Pete Carroll and evade punishment by failing up into the NFL.
Good news. 
Lessons learned and time to move forward.
Michigan should give thanks the price for cheating is a few games without the head coach, who doesn’t call plays.
I wonder why nobody on the Central Michigan staff approached a stranger on their sidelines decked out in their gear and asked “who the hell are you?”
I think the Big Ten got it right. Harbaugh may or may not have been involved, but he’s in charge of his staff. Personally I’d prefer that Ohio State wins this week just to knock Michigan out of the playoff. As we all know, it takes but one loss to knock a Big Ten team out of the CFP but it takes at least three losses to knock out an SEC team.
Bump:
Apparently, today’s NCAA announcement about penalties against Michigan football has nothing to do with the sign stealing, and mostly, if not entirely, around what got Harbaugh his suspension at the start of the 2023 season. (Also, Harbaugh is still under investigation for that; today’s penalties are for what other coaches did.)
For a crumb of context:
Essentially recruiting and coaching violations. Probation, fine, and recruiting restrictions.
Harbaugh pulled a Pete Carroll - cheat and cheat and cheat at the college level, then dip (back) to the NFL before penalties arrive.