Paul Finebaum defends Jim Harbaugh as NCAA targets ‘low-level’ Michigan football staffer

Paul Finebaum has come to the defense of Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh, plus a new target of the NCAA investigation. 

It’s always interesting when Paul Finebaum is coming to the defense of Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh, but he’s at it again following the latest reports of an NCAA investigation.

Finebaum was a huge critic of Harbaugh for years. However, he has defended him in the “Burger Gate” scandal and accused the NCAA of “piling on” Jim Harbaugh, saying this investigation probably wouldn’t have happened if it was someone else.

Here’s more of what Finebaugh said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” 

"“I sense that there’s some piling on here to Jim Harbaugh. He turned his nose to them a couple of months ago, which, as you remember, during this investigation, and it seems to me like selective prosecution. That doesn’t mean that some of this didn’t happen. I frankly think that’s happened almost everywhere, not to the degree that the story is laid out here. But it’s a very gray area and I think if this had been someone else, this investigation probably would not have gotten to this point.”"

Michigan football staff targeted by NCAA

There is new reporting from Pete Thamel of ESPN that Michigan football staffer, Connor Stalions, an analyst for the program, is at the center of the “scheme.”

Stallions is a former United States Marine. Here’s what Thamel wrote about his role for the Wolverines: 

"“Around Michigan’s football building, Stalions is known to technically work in the recruiting department under director of recruiting Albert Karschnia. But a source said it was known in the building that he spent much of his time deciphering opponents’ signals, often watching television copies of opponents’ games. On Stalions’ Instagram page, there are photos of him on the sideline next to two of Michigan’s former defensive playcallers, Don Brown and Mike Macdonald.”"

It sounds to me like Stallions might just be really good at his job. I guess if there are photos of him at a stadium, then sure, there will be something worth investigating and there will be some punishment down the road for Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh.

I confess I don’t see the point. Teams change their signals all the time. Michigan has accused others of stealing their signs, so the Wolverines adjusted. It’s gamesmanship but I don’t think Jim Harbaugh is doing anything other programs aren’t doing.

Go Blue. Beat State.