Fox Wants to Follow Jim Harbaugh If He’s Suspended for Michigan-Maryland Game
No. 3 Michigan expects to know by Friday whether or not Jim Harbaugh will be allowed to coach the Wolverines’ final two regular-season games. A court hearing in Ann Arbor will determine if a temporary restraining order (TRO) is granted to block the remainder of the Big Ten’s three-game suspension.
Harbaugh did not coach last Saturday’s matchup against Penn State when a ruling on the TRO was not issued before the game.
However, if Harbaugh’s suspension is upheld for Michigan’s Week 12 game versus Maryland and the coach is left to watch his team from a hotel again, Fox Sports wants to make sure he is still part of the Big Noon Saturday telecast.
Fox reporter Jenny Taft appeared on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday and explained that she wanted to interview Harbaugh from the hotel where he was staying while Michigan played Penn State.
The Wolverines said no, but part of that decision was likely based on the team not knowing whether Harbaugh would be available until shortly before kickoff.
However, Michigan will likely know before traveling to College Park whether Harbaugh will be coaching against Maryland. With that prep time, Fox wants to set up some kind of “Harbaugh Cam” during the broadcast. But even if cameras aren’t allowed to follow him—and Michigan probably won’t permit that—Taft insists that she will get an interview with Harbaugh during the game.
“I know that Fox will do whatever we can to make sure some sort of Harbaugh Cam and I will do my best to get all that inside scoop,” Taft said. “And he is going to talk to me if he is there. He can’t say no to me this time.”
Michigan (10–0) will visit Maryland (6–4) on Saturday at noon ET. The game will be televised—perhaps with Harbaugh somehow being part of the broadcast—on Fox.