Jim Harbaugh on overcoming off-field issues in 2023: 'We're innocent'

On the field, Michigan was nothing short of perfect. The Wolverines became the first Big Ten team to ever finish 15-0, capturing their first national championship since 1997 Monday night against Washington.

Off the field, it was a bumpy road. Jim Harbaugh served two suspensions — one for an NCAA investigation into COVID-19 dead period recruiting violations and another for the highly publicized sign-stealing scandal around Connor Stalions. Still, Michigan overcame it all to bring home the title.

In the postgame press conference Monday night, the players were asked a question about winning a title with so many off-field issues coming up this year. Harbaugh jumped in, and he maintained the players did nothing wrong en route to the title.

“It couldn’t have gone better,” Harbaugh said. “It went exactly how we wanted it to go, to win every game. Off the field issues, we’re innocent. And we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. I’d just like to point that out. These guys are innocent. Overcome that, wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.

“That’s, really, what I wanted to say. It went exactly how we wanted it to go.”

Harbaugh missed six games as a result of the two suspensions. He sat out the first three games as a self-imposed ban as a result of comments he allegedly made to investigators surrounding the violations during the COVID-19 dead period. Then, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti suspended him for the final three regular season games due to the sign-stealing scandal.

Monday night, after the final game of the season, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines hoisted the trophy. To do it, he said it took quite simply hard work and working as a group to reach the mountaintop.

“Lastly, I just want to point out, nothing fancy here,” Harbaugh said, pointing to his players. “There’s nothing surprising. It was just good old fashioned teamwork, good old fashioned hard work by these players and these coaches. None of us are up here taking a deep long bow because know this was good old fashioned teamwork.”

Now, Michigan is heading into the offseason. All the while, there are two things worth monitoring about Harbaugh. The first is whether any type of punishment will come down against the Wolverines in some fashion. The other is whether he will leave the program for a future in the NFL.

Those conversations are sure to start with the championship game now in the past.