About 24 hours before Michigan and the Big Ten were set to meet in court after the conference handed down a three-game suspension to Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh last week, all parties have decided to resolve their disagreement and move forward. Key to the resolution is Harbaugh accepting his suspension, which will keep him off the sideline through the remainder of the regular season.
Michigan remains under investigation by the NCAA for allegedly stealing signs in an illegal fashion through the use of advanced scouting and technology. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti acted to suspend Harbaugh last week as the NCAA’s investigation continues amid reported pressure from conference members.
“This morning, the University, Coach Harbaugh, and the Big Ten resolved their pending litigation,” the University of Michigan said in a statement. “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.”