Jim Harbaugh will no longer be an honorary captain for Michigan's season opener against Fresno State.
After Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel revealed last week that Harbaugh would serve as the Wolverines' honorary captain in Week 1, head coach Sherrone Moore said Tuesday that Harbaugh has since backed out because he wants to remain with the Los Angeles Chargers before the NFL season starts the following week.
Jim Harbaugh will not be an honorary captain at Michigans opener, Moore says. Harbaugh called and said he didnt want to be away from the Chargers.
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) August 13, 2024
Harbaugh's decision comes one week after the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions declared the former Michigan head coach "violated recruiting and inducement rules, engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations."
The committee handed Harbaugh a four-year show-cause penalty as a result of his actions. Should he return to college football within the next four years, he would be fully suspended for his first year of employment.
The NCAA has yet to issue penalties to the Michigan football program or Harbaugh for the Stalions case.
On Aug. 4, ESPN reported details from an NCAA notice of allegations draft that Harbaugh, Moore and former Michigan staffers Chris Partridge and Denard Robinson committed Level 1 violations related to the Stalions case. The draft states both Harbaugh and Moore could face show-cause penalties for their involvement, while Moore could also face a suspension.
In a press conference for the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 5, Harbaugh denied knowledge of Stalions' sign-stealing scheme in response to the reported NCAA notice of allegations draft.
"Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson. I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I've coached," Harbaugh said. "No one's perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So for (me), it's back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
