Warde Manuel releases statement amid Jim Harbaugh suspension

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel released a statement amid Jim Harbaugh’s suspension. Harbaugh won’t coach Saturday against Penn State due to not having a temporary restraining order in place against the Big Ten.

“I want to make it clear at the outset of this statement that no one at the University of Michigan is happy to hear of the allegations and preliminary evidence that has come forth about in-person scouting and sign stealing by a member of our football program. No one,” Manuel said to open his statement.

“We, like every institution in this country, preach and educate all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, to adhere to rules and ask questions if something is unclear.”

The full statement can be read below.

A statement from Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel: https://t.co/RNDoJ2FlEI pic.twitter.com/qVlYvyfMnR

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 11, 2023

Manuel made it clear to the Big Ten that Michigan would stand behind Harbaugh.

“You may have removed him from our sidelines today, but Jim Harbaugh is our head football coach,” Manuel’s statement said in part. “We look forward to defending Jim’s right to coach our football team at the hearing on Friday. He has instilled his pride, passion, and the team’s belief in themselves to achieve greatness.

“I will continue to support Jim throughout this process, my coaches and staff, and especially our student-athletes as we continue to play this game and fight to win for Michigan and all who love us.”

Without a temporary restraining order in time, Harbaugh will be ineligible to coach Saturday. There was hope from Michigan it would be in time so he’d be on the sidelines.

Harbaugh even travelled with the team to Penn State. But, the head coach won’t be working in a vital top 10 showdown for the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race.

The ex parte motion is the latest act in a flurry of legal moves by attorneys representing Michigan and Harbaugh. They must be working in overdrive, because just hours after the Big Ten first announced the suspension for Harbaugh on Friday, those defense teams for Harbaugh and Michigan were able to draft up 20 pages worth of documents to file for motions.

They first filed a breach of contract complaint to the Big Ten for violating their own due process rules in punishing Harbaugh prematurely. Then, they tacked on a temporary restraining order request allowing for Harbaugh to remain on the sidelines for now, since his absence in any game would cause “irreparable” harm to the team.