University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh has said he plans to attend a court hearing Friday that will decide whether he is allowed to coach the No. 2-ranked Wolverines this weekend or has to sit out another game.
The Big Ten Conference banned Harbaugh from coaching the remainder of the regular season last Friday, after an ongoing NCAA investigation revealed that a member of his coaching staff had engaged in a sign-stealing scheme that violated the league's sportsmanship policy. While Harbaugh's ban extends to the team's remaining two regular-season games, he is still allowed to attend practices and other team activities.
"I'm just looking for that opportunity, due process," Harbaugh said at a press conference. "I'm not looking for special treatment. I'm not looking for a popularity contest. I'm just looking for the merit for what the case is."
Michigan football analyst resigns amid sign-stealing investigation
The NCAA is investigating Michigan for allegedly sending people to opponents’ games to record video that would be used to decode their signals.
Michigan has accused the conference of rushing to judgment and is expected to seek a court order that would prevent the suspension from going into effect. Harbaugh said he does plan to speak at Friday's hearing and is looking forward to channeling his inner Tom Cruise.
"I've always felt like it'd be cool to get up there and thunder away at a jury like Tom Cruise in 'A Few Good Men' or be a judge," he said. "Alas, I did not go to law school. This will be the first time I've ever really been in this situation."
In the meantime, Harbaugh has said offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will continue to serve as the team's interim head coach. Moore helped lead the undefeated Wolverines to their tenth straight win of the season this past weekend with a 24-15 victory over No. 10-ranked Penn State.
Michigan is one of the favorites to win the national championship and will look to keep their perfect season intact Saturday when they take on the University of Maryland. Whether Harbaugh is allowed to join his team on the sideline remains to be seen.
