Jim Harbaugh might be out of college football for the foreseeable future thanks to the NCAA’s recent show cause punishment for recruiting violations, but that won’t keep him off the field when Michigan opens their season on August 31 at The Big House against Fresno State.
For that first game of their 2024-25 season, Michigan’s Athletic Director Warde Manuel announced that Harbaugh will be an honorary captain. After leading Michigan to a National Championship last season, Harbaugh left to take the Los Angeles Chargers head coaching job.
So the big question is, does the NCAA’s suspension extend to honorary captains?
Jim Harbaugh Head Back To Michigan For Week 1
In all seriousness, it’s hard not to get a kick out of a good troll job. Whether you agree with the NCAA’s investigations and punishments involving the Michigan program for recruiting violations and sign stealing or not, the Wolverines are clearly digging their heels in to defend themselves.
The big question I have though, is going to these lengths to troll the NCAA before they’ve ruled on the sign-stealing scandal really worth it? Judging from the for new head coach Sherrone Moore and the Michigan program, the NCAA wants to hit them decently hard. And if they haven’t presented Michigan with their potential punishments yet, the whole inviting Harbaugh back for Week 1 thing won’t really make them want to ease up at all.
Obviously Harbaugh should be welcomed back at The Big House and get his moment to be acknowledged in front of the crowd after leading the program to a national title. Having said that, I’m not totally sure how wise it is to do it right away and to announce it just days after the former head coach’s suspension was announced.
It may have an effect on future punishment, and it may not. In all honesty, it probably won’t. But if there was any part of the NCAA Infractions Committee that was thinking of easing the punishment on the Wolverines after leaking the possible sanctions, I’d have to imagine this latest move removed any of those thoughts.
Again, no official punishments for Sherrone Moore or the Wolverines’ football program have been made official yet, but they could be as soon as the next week or so.
