Michigan football should thank their former head coach for keeping the school safe from more scandal. On Tuesday, Michigan announced Jim Harbaugh decided to reject the football team’s offer to be an honorary captain for the Week 1 contest against Fresno State.
Jim Harbaugh didn’t feel like he could show up for Michigan
Per Aaron McMann of MLive, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said the school wanted to honor everything Harbaugh did for (or to, depending on who you ask) the program during his time in Ann Arbor. But Harbaugh is too busy with the Los Angeles Chargers:
“He didn’t feel like he could leave his team,” Moore said. “In true coach Harbaugh fashion, (he) wanted to be in the foxhole with his team and not wanting to make it look like he was taking a deep, long bow.
“So, he’s not going to make it for the game.”
Moore’s statement doesn’t make much sense
Harbaugh is attacking the 2024 regular season with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Good for the Chargers.
Except that Moore’s excuse makes no sense. One would assume Harbaugh had accepted the invitation before Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced Harbaugh would be in Ann Arbor to be the honorary captain.
Why would Harbaugh change his mind suddenly?
Maybe Harbaugh or Michigan is afraid of the potential fallout.
Michigan Football was taking a risk by having Harbaugh around
Per the NCAA’s sanctions on Harbaugh for the COVID-19 dead period recruiting scandal, where recruits and their families were put in compromising situations that caused one father to have to hire a lawyer, Michigan could be further punished if Harbaugh participated in one of these activities:
During the show-cause order, Harbaugh would be barred from all athletically related activities, including team travel, practice, video study, recruiting and team meetings, at any NCAA school that employed him.
Moore is already facing a suspension in connection to the sign-stealing scandal where he allegedly deleted over 50 text messages with Connor Stalions.
It’s probably a good idea for Moore that Harbaugh is going to stay busy in Los Angeles.
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