Michigan releases statement in response to Big Ten, will seek court order to allow Jim Harbaugh to coach
The Big Ten has suspended Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh three games for violation of its “sportsmanship policy.” Michigan has responded with a statement from the President’s office in which it states it will seek an immediate injunction.
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“Like all members of the Big Ten Conference, we are entitled to a fair, deliberate, and thoughtful process to determine the full set of facts before a judgment is rendered. Today’s action by Commissioner Tony Petitti disregards the Conference’s own handbook, violates basic tenets of due process, and sets an untenable precedent of assessing penalties before an investigation has been completed,” it reads. “We are dismayed at the Commissioner’s rush to judgment when there is an ongoing NCAA investigation – one in which we are fully cooperating.”
“Commissioner Petitti’s hasty action today suggests that this is more about reacting to pressure from other Conference members than a desire to apply the rules fairly and impartially. By taking this action at this hour, the Commissioner is personally inserting himself onto the sidelines and altering the level playing field that he is claiming to preserve. And, doing so on Veterans Day – a court holiday – to try to thwart the University from seeking immediate judicial relief is hardly a profile in impartiality. To ensure fairness in the process, we intend to seek a court order, together with Coach Harbaugh, preventing this disciplinary action from taking effect.”
Though the courts are closed for Veteran’s Day, there’s a judge on call to handle emergency cases such as this. The NCAA has gone on record to say there has been no evidence Harbaugh was aware of the operation allegedly run by analyst Connor Stalions, who has since resigned.
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The Big Ten offered evidence of a previously reported spreadsheet of games Stalions planned to have people attend as well as dollar amounts, in addition other circumstantial evidence.
“Head coaches are inherently in charge of their sport programs,” the Big Ten wrote in its response to Michigan’s letter demanding no action be taken in season. “This notion is codified within NCAA rules, specifically in NCAA Bylaw 11.1.1.1, which states that head coaches are responsible for “the actions of all institutional staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach.”
“In accordance with the Big Ten Conference Handbook, institutions are required to adhere to all NCAA bylaws, so head coaches are responsible for their programs (Rule 6.01.1.A in the Big Ten Conference Handbook, a ached for reference). As leader of the sport program, the head coach of the institution’s football team is at risk of disciplinary action in accordance with the Sportsmanship Policy and likewise has the opportunity, which may be waived, to offer his position as to whether the offensive action (the existence of the scheme as set forth above) occurred.”
Watch for more on this breaking story between Michigan and the Big Ten …
