Michigan pays tribute to Jim Harbaugh with special formation on first series vs. ECU
Jim Harbaugh isn’t on the sidelines for Saturday’s season opener against East Carolina, but his presence was felt early on. When Michigan lined up for its first series, the Wolverines lined up in a special formation as they all held up four fingers as a tribute to their suspended head coach.
The offense lined up in the “train” formation just before taking the first snap of the season and held up a No. 4, which was Harbaugh’s number when he played at Michigan. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is serving as the acting head coach for Saturday’s game as Harbaugh starts his self-imposed three-game suspension as an NCAA investigation into the program continues.
The drive would end with a Michigan touchdown to give the Wolverines a 7-0 lead over ECU.
Neither Harbaugh nor offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore are coaching in the game as a result of their self-imposed suspensions. Moore is sitting out one game due to the ongoing investigation, and he’ll serve as the acting head coach for Michigan’s game against Bowling Green in Week 3.
It’s not the first time the Wolverines made note of Harbaugh’s absence on Saturday, though. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy wore a “Free Harbaugh” shirt off the bus as he arrived at The Big House for the game, clearly alluding to his head coach’s suspension due to alleged recruiting violations.
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More on Jim Harbaugh’s suspension, situation between Michigan and the NCAA
The NCAA’s investigation into Harbaugh has taken a few turns. Just ahead of Big Ten Media Days, reports said he was facing a possible four-game suspension as a result of false statements amid recruiting violations. Rumors and reports continued to swirl about the nature of the violations, and the NCAA released an unprecedented statement clarifying a cheeseburger wasn’t part of the inquiry.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman noted how rare it is for the NCAA to publicly address an ongoing investigation, but noted there’s “friction” between Michigan and the NCAA that could’ve played a role in it. If the Wolverines continue to do well, he thinks Harbaugh could speak out even more.
“I think, look, you also have a little bit of friction — maybe even more than a little — with Jim Harbaugh and Warde Manuel, the AD,” Feldman said on The Rich Eisen Show. “There’s a lot of stuff going on. I think you’ll see, especially as Jim Harbaugh and Michigan keep winning and keeps ascending this year, I think you’ll see Jim Harbaugh be very vocal and step on a lot of toes. It’ll be interesting to see how they keep the train on the tracks here.”