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To ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is a “fascinating figure” and a relic of the old college football game.
“I think he’s somewhat of a dinosaur in a changing world,” Finebaum said on the most recent episode of Hail Yes, the Detroit Free Press podcast about Michigan sports while talking about Harbaugh’s future, Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, and the Wolverines’ playoff semifinal game against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
The longtime college football analyst and talk show host expanded on the thought by saying he would not be surprised if this year’s College Football Playoffs would be the final time Harbaugh coaches the Wolverines.
“Like many, I’ll be surprised if he’s there whenever Michigan’s season ends because I think there’s too much baggage built up,” Finebaum said.
The baggage he refers to is Harbaugh’s dual three-game suspensions served during the 2023 season. Harbaugh missed the first three games of the season while serving a ban self-imposed by the university for alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period (Michigan received its Notice of Allegations from the NCAA on this investigation on Wednesday).
The second suspension, however, was the one Finebaum was focused on. Michigan became the biggest story in all of college football when its alleged sign-stealing scheme came to light in late October. The Big Ten and NCAA announced an investigation into the scandal, and the conference punished Harbaugh by suspending him for the final three games of the season for violating the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy.
Because of the ongoing NCAA investigation into the sign-stealing, Finebaum believes “(Harbaugh) would be wise to leave” because, in his eyes, he and the NCAA are at odds with one another.