Jim Harbaugh may have received a four-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA on Wednesday, but that didn't show enough cause for Michigan not to honor their former head coach in Week 1.
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel revealed in an appearance on the 1 Star Recruits podcast this week that Harbaugh will serve as an honorary captain for the Wolverines' season opener against Fresno State on Aug. 31.
The announcement comes even though the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions found Harbaugh to have "violated recruiting and inducement rules, engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations." Harbaugh was hit with multiple Level II violations for COVID-19 recruiting infractions but was then tagged with Level I violations for supplying the NCAA with "false or misleading information" during its investigation.
Harbaugh's four-year show-cause penalty means that if he were to return to college coaching from his current job leading the Los Angeles Chargers in the next four years, he would first have to serve a one-year suspension. The NCAA has yet to issue penalties to the Michigan football program or Harbaugh for the sign-stealing operation led by Connor Stalions.
Nevertheless, Harbaugh will be standing at midfield for the opening coin toss when the Wolverines face the Bulldogs in 22 days.
