A Michigan man was coming house.

That was the pitch when the College of Michigan named Jim Harbaugh their subsequent soccer coach again in 2015. He was a former quarterback who wore the maize and blue beneath legendary head coach Bo Schembechler, and following his personal NFL profession he solid a path as a coach, creating winners at Stanford after which with the San Francisco 49ers.

And his Michigan teaching journey has been successful, a minimum of on the sector. The Wolverines completed with a 5-7 file in 2014 beneath Brady Hoke, the yr earlier than Harbaugh arrived on campus. The turnaround was virtually fast, as Michigan completed with a 10-3 file in Harbaugh’s first season and gained the Citrus Bowl.

The Wolverines have endured only one shedding season beneath Harbaugh — the shortened COVID-19 yr — and have now made the School Soccer Playoff in three-straight seasons.

Nonetheless, there’s extra to the Harbaugh story in Ann Arbor than the wins and losses.

Much more.

An early satellite tv for pc camp controversy

It didn’t take lengthy for the highlight to seek out its technique to Harbaugh’s desk.

Throughout his early days at Michigan, Harbaugh turned the poster baby for “satellite tv for pc camps.” These have been have been camps hosted by excessive colleges, together with some small faculties, the place higher-level faculty coaches have been invited in as visitor coaches. These have been additionally large sources for recruiting, as higher-level coaches might work together with the quite a few top-level recruits who attended these camps.

Whereas some conferences, such because the ACC and the SEC, had restrictions on their coaches attending these camps — limiting them to a 50-mile radius round their faculty — the Massive Ten didn’t. So Harbaugh leaned into the follow. Onerous. Throughout 2015 Michigan was slated to go to 9 such camps in June. The next yr? Harbaugh had 34 such visits on his calendar for the month of June, as a part of the varsity’s “Summer season Swarm Tour.”

In fact, a disagreement adopted, apparently sufficient that includes Nick Saban, the coach Harbaugh will face on New Yr’s Day. Saban blasted the follow, evaluating it to the “wild, wild West,” and Harbaugh didn’t stay silent:

Ultimately, the NCAA issued a blanket ban on the follow in 2016. Harbaugh didn’t take that call quietly, blasting the NCAA and dropping his “I counsel we drop the time period ‘student-athlete’ for consistency,” line. Whereas that was finally rescinded, coaches at the moment are restricted in what number of camps they will attend, and after they can attend them.

The Matt Weiss investigation

Then there’s the matter of former co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss. Weiss was fired by Michigan in January of 2023 following a “report of pc entry crimes” that occurred in Schembechler Corridor from Dec. 21-23, 2022. In response to reporting from the varsity’s Day by day Crime & Fireplace Log, it’s alleged that somebody — Weiss specifically — participated in “fraudulent exercise involving somebody accessing college emails accounts with out authorization.”

The college has been cooperating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation relating to the matter, and reporting this fall indicated that the incident was not linked in any technique to the alleged sign-stealing operation (which we’ll handle in a second). Additional, there’s not reporting in any respect that Harbaugh was concerned into the alleged pc entry crimes in any approach.

Nevertheless, given every thing else that has occurred with the Wolverines this yr, it bears mentioning.

Beef in recruiting

Harbaugh started the 2023 yr suspended.

For beef in recruiting. Literal beef that’s.

The NCAA started an investigation into Michigan’s recruiting practices, in the end sending a Discover of Allegations to the varsity which cited 4 Stage II violations. Among the many alleged violations? Assembly with recruits throughout a COVID-19 lifeless interval, texting recruits exterior of allowable timeframes, having analysts carry out teaching duties on the sector throughout practices, and observing gamers understanding over Zoom.

The place did the conferences happen? On the well-known “The Brown Jug,” a stunning Michigan establishment. Harbaugh allegedly met the recruits there and acquired them burgers.

Burgers which the undersigned creator can attest to as being tasty. It really is a stunning spot.

The matter was heading in direction of a decision between the NCAA and the varsity, however then talks broke down. In response to the NCAA, Harbaugh refused to confess that he initially lied to NCAA investigators at the beginning of the investigation. The coach held that the didn’t recall the conferences with recruits when chatting with investigators, and that he was by no means knowingly and purposefully dishonest.

Different members of his employees obtained punishment from the NCAA. Mike Macdonald, who was as soon as the Wolverines defensive coordinator and now holds that very same job with the Baltimore Ravens, was hit with a one-year show-cause penalty.

On account of the alleged dishonesty with investigators — a transfer seen by the NCAA as a Stage I violation, and thus extra extreme conduct than the underlying allegations — Harbaugh was dealing with a suspension of wherever from three to 6 video games. In an effort to get out forward of that, the varsity self-imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh, which he served forward of the season.

That was one lower than the four-game suspension that was rumored at the beginning of the yr.

Harbaugh was not alone, as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight ends coach Grant Newsome served self-imposed one-game suspensions.

We meet Connor Stalions, and Harbaugh will get one other suspension

And now we meet Connor Stalions.

Again in October, allegations surfaced relating to former Michigan analyst Connor Stalions, who was employed by the group as a soccer analyst following seven years as a volunteer. In response to a number of experiences, Stalions was on the head of an operation geared toward deciphering varied play-call indicators for upcoming Michigan opponents. The investigation additionally consists of allegations that Stalions was on the Central Michigan sidelines, wearing CMU gear, whereas Central Michigan opened their season towards Michigan State.

Signal-stealing is a quite gray space within the guidelines, because the NCAA does allow sign-stealing throughout video games. Nevertheless, there are two acts that aren’t allowed: In-person advance scouting to decipher indicators, in addition to utilizing digital gadgets to decipher indicators.

Stalions was alleged to be on the head of an enormous operation that did each of these issues.

Each the NCAA and the Massive Ten launched investigations into the matter. In the end, the convention handed down a three-game suspension for Harbaugh, on the day earlier than the Wolverines have been scheduled to play Penn State on the street.

That Friday was the day on which Veterans Day was noticed, that means courts have been closed, and as such the varsity — and coach Harbaugh — have been put in a troublesome spot in making an attempt to have the suspension put aside on a brief foundation. Attorneys for the varsity and the coach filed a movement looking for a Momentary Restraining Order (TRO) that may enable Harbaugh to educate the group towards Penn State, however the courtroom as a substitute set in a listening to for the next Friday.

Forward of the scheduled listening to, Michigan introduced that the varsity had reached an settlement with the Massive Ten. “This morning, the College, Coach Harbaugh, and the Massive Ten resolved their pending litigation. The Convention agreed to shut its investigation, and the College and Coach Harbaugh agreed to just accept the three-game suspension,” started an announcement from Affiliate Athletic Director Kurt Svoboda. “Coach Harbaugh, with the College’s help, determined to just accept this sanction to return the main focus to our student-athletes and their efficiency on the sector.”

The assertion indicated that there was no proof of any involvement on Harbaugh’s half within the sign-stealing operation.

“The Convention has confirmed that it’s not conscious of any data suggesting Coach Harbaugh’s involvement within the allegations. The College continues to cooperate totally with the NCAA’s investigation,” stated the assertion from the varsity.

Now, the NCAA’s personal investigation stays ongoing, and as famous within the preliminary suspension handed down by the Massive Ten, further penalties may very well be forthcoming for each Michigan and coach Harbaugh, on the conclusion of that investigation.

So the matter is just not but settled.

The NFL at all times looms

One thing else that at all times appears unsettled in relation to Harbaugh?

His teaching future.

Given his current success at Michigan, the prospects of him returning to the NFL are at all times simmering within the background. He has flirted with the NFL previously, and final January he met with Carolina Panthers proprietor David Tepper, and interviewed with the Denver Broncos.

Nevertheless, he finally put out an announcement that he could be staying at Michigan.

“I really like the relationships that I’ve at Michigan — coaches, employees, households, administration, president Santa Ono and particularly the gamers and their households,” Harbaugh stated in an announcement. “My coronary heart is on the College of Michigan. I as soon as heard a smart man say, ‘Don’t attempt to out-happy, blissful.’ Go Blue!”

Nonetheless, for those who look across the present NFL panorama, there are definitely some choices for him ought to he entertain a return to the league. The Panthers are once more on the lookout for a head coach, and Tepper might take one other run at Harbaugh. The Los Angeles Chargers are one other touchdown spot, and Harbaugh may very well be enticed by the prospect to educate Justin Herbert. Then there are some potential touchdown spots that would open up within the subsequent few weeks, together with the Chicago Bears, the place Harbaugh was as soon as a participant.

The coach was requested a few potential NFL return forward of the Rose Bowl, and deftly prevented the subject:

Nevertheless, the varsity may not be as amused. In response to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community, Michigan is trying to ink Harbaugh to a ten-year contract extension.

But, that features a clause that he not entertain the NFL for the 2024 season:

Sources say Harbaugh, whose present deal runs by way of 2026, obtained a suggestion from Michigan for a 10-year, $125-million contract extension that may make him one of many highest-paid coaches in faculty soccer. But there’s a caveat, and it’s NFL-related.

If he signed the deal — which he has not but performed — Harbaugh would agree to not entertain or settle for an NFL job for the 2024 season. The NFL clause could be one season solely, however that’s apparently been sufficient to tug out the method.

Harbaugh has not but signed that deal, which solely opens the door to extra questions. And wouldn’t you already know it, information broke on Sunday that Harbaugh had retained agent Don Yee to characterize him going ahead. Yee’s shopper checklist consists of Tom Brady, Sean Payton, and different NFL figures.

Maybe the NFL really is in his future. Is a nationwide championship in his future as effectively?