Just days after the NCAA gave Jim Harbaugh a harsh penalty for recruiting violations during his time as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel has decided to honor the former head coach in a pretty unique way.
During a recent appearance on the “1 Star Recruits” podcast, Warde Manuel announced that Jim Harbaugh will serve as honorary captain for the Wolverines’ Aug. 31 game against Fresno State as the team is set to celebrate their former head coach even despite the punishment recently levied by the NCAA.
the NCAA announced a four-year show-cause order for Jim Harbaugh for impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that Harbaugh “engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.”
The show-cause order means that any school wishing to hire Harbaugh between 2024 and 2028 would be required to suspend him for the first full season with the team. After that, Harbaugh would remain barred from athletics-related activities, including team travel, practice, video study, recruiting, and team meetings until the order expires.
Of course, this does not actually impact Harbaugh as long as he remains in the NFL, where he currently coaches the Los Angeles Chargers after leaving Michigan this offseason. And while it might make it difficult for Michigan to re-hire him as a coach, it does not prevent them from celebrating him.
