Jim Harbaugh to serve as honorary captain for Michigan football season opener

Michigan football is planning to honor former head coach Jim Harbaugh during the upcoming football season, making him an honorary captain for the Aug. 31 opener. The Wolverines host Fresno State for a 7:30 p.m. EST kickoff to start the season.

This decision was revealed by athletic director Warde Manuel during a recent interview on a podcast. The Ann Arbor News first reported Manuel’s tidbit about Harbaugh.

Harbaugh was given a four-year show-cause and a one-year suspension by the NCAA recently for his lack of cooperation in an investigation into alleged violations during his tenure at Michigan. He has pushed back against the charges publicly, but the matter is mostly a moot point unless Harbaugh ever decides he wants to coach in college again.

There is still an ongoing investigation into Michigan and Connor Stalions’ impermissible scouting operation.

And while Harbaugh, as the head coach during that time, is certainly a major piece to the puzzle of what happened in running afoul of the NCAA, also led Michigan to heights on the field it hasn’t attained in decades.

Over his last three seasons in charge, Harbaugh led Michigan to a trio of Big Ten titles — with wins over arch-rival Ohio State all three years — and three trips to the College Football Playoff. The Wolverines finally won a semifinal, and the national championship in 2023, capping off a 15-0 season before Harbaugh left to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers’ final preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 24 and the regular season opener is two weeks later, on Sept. 8, giving Harbaugh a free weekend to rejoin his old program, still stocked with players he recruited.

Evidently, the Wolverines don’t care about whatever shadows have been cast by the NCAA investigations and are happy to bring back Harbaugh for a curtain call after his nearly decade-long run as the head coach at his alma mater.

Harbaugh hasn’t been shy in sticking it to the NCAA lately

Harbaugh unapologetically responded to the NCAA punishment on Monday, claiming that he did not did not participate and was unaware of the allegations surrounding sign stealing.

And on Thursday, he also gave a response to the four-year show-cause order that would require any college program wanting to hire him over the next four years to suspend him for his first full season.

“I’m stopping the engagement there with commenting,” Harbaugh said during a press conference. “So my only continued hope is that one day college athletics will be about what’s best for the young men and the young women who participate in them. That’s really all I’ve got to say about it.”