The Big Ten has reportedly decided on discipline for coach Jim Harbaugh over the Michigan Wolverines’ alleged sign-stealing.
The league plans to prohibit Harbaugh from being on the Michigan sideline for the rest of the regular season, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. Harbaugh will still be allowed to prepare the team during the week leading up to games.
The Wolverines play at Penn State on Saturday afternoon. If the Big Ten officially hands down its punishment before then, Harbaugh’s suspension would effectively be for three games, as the Wolverines also have a trip to Maryland before closing the season at home against Ohio State. The games against Penn State and Ohio State are unquestionably the biggest of Michigan’s season.
The decision to punish Harbaugh over the sign-stealing allegations despite the NCAA being in the early stages of its investigation comes with the Big Ten under increasing pressure from its other members to take some sort of action, given that it seems very unlikely Harbaugh was not aware of what his staff was doing. The school is prepared to take any suspension to court, countering that no evidence has emerged directly linking Harbaugh to any wrongdoing.
More must-reads: