Big Ten hands down punishment: Jim Harbaugh not allowed on the sidelines during games

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Pete Thamel

From Big Ten: "As a penalty imposed on the institution, the University football team must compete without its Head Football Coach for the games remaining in the 2023 regular-season, effective immediately. This disciplinary action shall not preclude the University or its football team from having its Head Football Coach attend practices or other football team activities."

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Pete Thamel

Sources: The Big Ten is expected discipline Michigan for the in the in-person scouting and ongoing sign stealing investigation and will prohibit Jim Harbaugh from being on the sideline until the conclusion of the regular season. He will be allowed to coach during the week.

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sources indicate a Big Ten response is coming early this afternoon. Michigan leaves at 1 and flies midafternoon out of Detroit after getting through security checks, per usual routine.

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Here is Michigan’s 10-page letter to the Big Ten responding to the sportsmanship investigation, reporting with @RossDellenger 1/3

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Eleven Michigan state lawmakers sent this letter to the Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti today urging him to “refrain from taking any premature measures” against Michigan:

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A former employee at a Big Ten football program said Monday it was his job to steal signs and he was given details from multiple league schools to compile a spreadsheet of play-calling signals used by Michigan last year.

The employee said he recently shared the documents, which showed the Wolverines’ signs and corresponding plays — as well as screenshots of text-message exchanges with staffers at other Big Ten schools — with Michigan. He spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he feared the disclosures could impact his coaching career.

The spreadsheet was compiled with details from a handful of coaches and programs across the Big Ten, the person said. He also said gave the details to Michigan last week because he hoped it would help Jim Harbaugh’s embattled program and he believes Harbaugh and his coaches are being unfairly blamed for the actions of a rogue staffer.

The alleged actions by conference schools potentially violate the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy, which could lead to punishment by the commissioner’s office. Harbaugh’s program also faces that possibility.

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FWIW:
Big Ten's Tony Petiti was informed today that the two programs which fed Purdue Michigan's signals before the 2022 BT title game were Rutgers and OSU. Not clear if rules broken, doesn't directly affect UM's situation, but raises question re: relative competitive advantage.

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UPDATED STORY: @sinow is able to publish partially redacted documents showing how Michigan opponents decoded Wolverines signals and matched them with run and pass concepts.

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A Michigan official has confirmed to ESPN that the school received formal notification from the Big Ten of potential disciplinary action. This is a step stated in the league’s sportsmanship policy.

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