Jim Harbaugh update: Decision on Michigan coach's suspension

Jim Harbaugh will not coach the final two games of the Michigan football season after all

Jim Harbaugh will not be on the sideline for the Michigan football team as it plays the final two games of the 2023 college football regular season after the Wolverines and their head coach agreed to accept the Big Ten's three-game suspension amid the conference's probe into sign-stealing allegations.

Harbaugh was suspended for last week's game at Penn State, but the school was scheduled to request a temporary restraining order for him to return to the field for the final two games. Instead, the school will accept the punishment and not have the hearing that was scheduled for this week.

In exchange, the Big Ten agreed to end its investigation into Michigan on the allegations surrounding former assistant Connor Stalions and the sign-stealing claims. And it would appear to end the possibility of any future penalty from the Big Ten.

Moreover, the Big Ten said that "it is not aware of any information suggesting Coach Harbaugh's involvement with the allegations."

"This morning, the University, Coach Harbaugh, and the Big Ten resolved their pending litigation," Michigan said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Conference agreed to close its investigation, and the University and Coach Harbaugh agreed to accept the three-game suspension. Coach Harbaugh, with the University's support, decided to accept this sanction to return the focus to our student-athletes and their performance on the field.

The Conference has confirmed that it is not aware of any information suggesting Coach Harbaugh's involvement in the allegations. The University continues to cooperate fully with the NCAA's investigation."

Michigan sign stealing allegations timeline

Oct 25: Michigan comes under NCAA investigation for allegedly scouting future opponents in person, or in common parlance, stealing football signals. Two opponents told Yahoo that they were aware the Wolverines knew their signals. Football assistant Connor Stalions was ID'd as the person of interest.

Oct 25: Head coach Jim Harbaugh denies knowledge of any sign stealing, but said he would cooperate with the NCAA investigation.

Oct 25: ESPN reports that Stalions bought tickets to games at various Big Ten schools and four games at non-conference playoff contenders over three years, including a game at Tennessee when it was a potential CFP team last season.

Oct 25: Washington Post reports that the investigation began when an outside investigative firm came to the NCAA with files and videos on computer drives that were maintained by Michigan, and claims that multiple football coaches and staff members had access to the files.

Oct 26: Big Ten enters the investigation as the commissioner's office says it has the jurisdiction to look into the claims for violating the league's sportsmanship policy.

Oct 26: NCAA enforcement personnel arrive on Michigan's campus to investigate the matter in person.

Oct 27: An anonymous former Division III football coach claims that Stalions paid him to record future Michigan opponents in person, a violation.

Oct. 29: Reports emerge that NFL teams would be unlikely to hire Harbaugh, who has frequently entertained interest at the professional level, as a potential head coach amid the allegations, as they would want him to serve "some or all" of a possible NCAA suspension first, according to NFL Media.

Oct 30: Harbaugh speaks on the allegations, saying: "You just have to let it play out. Cooperate with the investigation and see how it plays out. Too much of a one-track mind with the team to engage with all the speculation."

Oct 31: Central Michigan investigates allegations that Stalions attended one of its games wearing CMU apparel. Pictures circulate online that show a man who resembles Stalions at the game in a Chippewas hat.

Nov. 2: Big Ten coaches express frustration with the investigation in a 90-minute video call with commissioner Tony Petitti and demand action, according to ESPN.

Nov. 3: Purdue coach Ryan Walters responds, saying: "What's crazy is they aren't allegations. It happened. There's video evidence. There's ticket purchases and sales that you can track back. We know for a fact that they were at a number of our games."

Nov. 3: Stalions resigns his post at Michigan.

Nov. 6: Big Ten notifies Michigan that it could issue some formal disciplinary action against the coach or school after the NCAA revealed its investigative findings to the conference.

Nov. 8: Michigan responds to Big Ten, saying in a 10-page letter that any attempt by the conference to punish the school would be a breach of the league's handbook and would "exceed the commissioner's authority under the Sportsmanship Policy."

Nov. 10: Big Ten suspends head coach Jim Harbaugh for the rest of the 2023 football regular season after it found Michigan "in violation of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Policy for conducting an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition."

Nov. 10: Michigan responds by saying it intends to file a court order hoping that Harbaugh can stay on the sideline during games until the case is fully resolved.

Nov. 11: Court declines to offer a ruling on the restraining order request submitted by Harbaugh and Michigan, meaning he will not coach the Penn State game.

Nov. 16: Harbaugh agrees to accept the suspension instead, meaning there will be no hearing and the coach won't be on the sideline for the Maryland or Ohio State games.

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