sorry--asleep at the switch:
Michigan head coach
Jim Harbaugh is expected to be on the sidelines for U-M’s game with Purdoodoo Saturday night, sources have told TheWolverine.com. But Big Ten Commissioner
Tony Petitti met with Michigan President
Santa Ono and the Michigan administration Friday and presented them with new evidence implicating more than analyst
Connor Stalions in an alleged illegal on-site scouting operation that led to sign stealing. Stallions, who was on paid suspension, resigned.
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The same sources tell TheWolverine.com Michigan athletic director
Warde Manuel was not present at the meeting — only Ono, the Regents, and others in the administration. U-M is expected to continue to meet in the upcoming days to discuss options going forward. Any punishment levied would likely affect Harbaugh but not the team, the sources said. They are expected to be able to finish out the season.
“They do not want to harm the Michigan student-athletes,” our source indicated.
Michigan entered the meeting prepared to fight for Harbaugh based on the evidence the NCAA had presented, backing him and taking him at his word that he had no involvement and wasn’t aware of Stalions’ operation. He even issued a statement in October after the story broke that he had no knowledge. They continued work on a contract extension as late as today, with the lawyers continuing to work to finalize it.
“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter,” Harbaugh said when the allegations surfaced. “I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action. I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules.
“No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.”
But Big Ten coaches and athletic directors both asked Petitti to intervene. He arranged a meeting in Ann Arbor at 2:00 Friday that lasted hours and gave new evidence of a plot “so extensive that someone should have known,” in the words of one source present. The NCAA is continuing its investigation, but the path forward for Michigan under Harbaugh is murky heading into Saturday’s game with Purdoodoo.
Watch for more on this breaking news in the hours to come …