*+*NFLNews

Former Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh now won’t return for season opener

Word got out last week that former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh was going to be an honorary captain for the 2024 season opener on Aug. 31 against Fresno State (7:30 p.m., NBC), however there’s since been a change of plans and the former head man will not be in attendance.

At his first media availability since the Wolverines began fall camp on July 31, first-year head coach Sherrone Moore announced that his predecessor would not be able to make it, instead deciding to stay on the West Coast with his current team, the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Yesterday he called me and told me he didn’t feel he could leave his team in true coach Harbaugh fashion and wanted to be in the fox hole with his team, not make it look like he’s taking a deep long bow,” Moore said. “So he’s not going to make it for the game, but we will have some of our (former players) guys who will be there and then Jack and Jackie Harbaugh are going to take his place, so super excited about that.”

The news was only public for a week − it first gained traction after athletic director Warde Manuel announced the decision on the “1 Star Recruits” podcast − and drew some pushback given the optics behind the timing of it all.

‘WE HAVE A STANDARD OVER HERE’: New faces on Michigan football OL ready to carry torch

Just a few days earlier, the Division I committee of investigation released its 48-page report to the NCAA which detailed a series of alleged improprieties committed by Harbaugh, including his Level I offense for misleading investigators and ultimately punished him with a four-year show cause penalty and one-year suspension should he ever want to return to collegiate coaching.

Earlier in the week, the Free Press confirmed that U-M had indeed been sent a draft notice of allegations for a separate NCAA investigation into the program for its alleged…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/former-michigan-football-head-coach-192828456.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-08-13 19:28:28

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Check Also

Two-minute drill: Washington State’s keys to victory against San Jose State

Sep. 19—PULLMAN — Here is what to watch for when Washington State hosts San Jose …

................................*...........................................++++++++++++++++++++--------------------.....