Subscribe
Follow Us
The Big Ten is reportedly reviewing lengthy written responses from Michigan and football coach Jim Harbaugh, and there is no indication of any timetable on a decision on potential Big Ten discipline regarding Michigan's alleged sign stealing, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.
Michigan submitted a 10-page response to the Big Ten warning commissioner Tony Petitti against what the school describes as “premature” disciplinary action against football coach Jim Harbaugh, according to Dan Wetzel and Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports. The school believes that Tony Petitti and the Big Ten conference is in a rush to punish Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football program because of public and internal pressure from other schools in the conference, and that it could create an “indefensible precedent.”
In the letter from Michigan signed by athletic director Warde Manuel, the university suggests that sign-stealing is a rampant and common practice within the Big Ten.
“The conference should act cautiously when setting precedent given the reality that in-person scouting, collusion among opponents, and other questionable practices may well be far more prevalent than believed,” the letter signed by Warde Manuel says, according to Wetzel and Dellenger.
Article Continues Below
Big Ten commissioner Petitti reportedly suggested a multi-game suspension for Harbaugh in a meeting on Friday, according to Wetzel and Dellenger.
Michigan is resisting any punishment for the scandal, but accepts full responsibility for the actions of Connor Stalions, the alleged orchestrator of the sign-stealing scheme. The university does assert that Connor Stalions was operating on his own, and that there is no evidence tha tother coaches, most notably Harbaugh, knew about the system.
The college football world is all watching to see what happens with Michigan and what potential punishment the football program will get.
