Michigan football’s Jim Harbaugh expected on plane to Penn State ‘one way or another’

Jim Harbaugh’s attorney is confident that the Michigan football head coach will be making the trip to Penn State for Saturday’s game. 

Michigan football is still waiting on word from the Big Ten on what, if any, punishment it will attempt to levy against Jim Harbaugh for alleged in-person scouting.

Many insiders thought something would come on Thursday from the Big Ten, but there still hasn’t been any word, although Heather Dinich reported that a decision is now expected to come down on Friday afternoon.

A three-game suspension seems to be the most likely punishment, which is insane, because there is no procedure for that under the sportsmanship policy, without consulting an executive committee.

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN also reported that different things were being considered, including a large fine. Yet, it feels like the Big Ten is about to suspend Jim Harbaugh right as the Michigan football is about to get on the plane to Penn State.

The plane leaves at about 1 p.m. So we’ll see what the Big Ten does. However, even if a suspension is issued, Michigan football and Harbaugh are prepared to fight in court.

Tom Mars is representing Harbaugh and wrote an eight-page letter to the Big Ten this week, in response to the allegations against the Wolverines.

The league has no evidence Harbaugh did anything and the head coach responsibility thing everyone is talking about is an NCAA rule. It has nothing to do with the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy.

Basically, the Big Ten has evidence that Connor Stalions might have broken an NCAA bylaw. So they are trying to use the evidence against Stalions, as a justification for punishing Harbaugh.

The NCAA could do this after an investigation, but not the Big Ten. Michigan surely believes a court will agree and Mars said to Pete Thamel of ESPN: “I’m confident he’s going to be on that plane (to Happy Valley) one way or another.”