Right now, the 2023 Michigan football season is just weeks away (27 days, to be exact), and the talks of a Jim Harbaugh suspension are still ongoing. Recently, top CFB analyst Bruce Feldman appeared on the Rich Eisen Show to shed more light on what is expected and why the NCAA is treating this matter seriously.
Bruce Feldman sheds more light on the Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh suspension
Now, for context, if there is a college football rule that can be broken, there is a good chance that Jeremy Pruitt did so during his tenure with the Tennessee Volunteers. That said, the Vols received a mere slap on the wrist (a fine), while Jim Harbaugh is likely to be suspended for a third of the upcoming season over a cheeseburger and a foggy memory. Still, since Tennessee was allegedly more honest about everything, the NCAA is more focused on implementing a Jim Harbaugh suspension before the season opener on September 2nd.
“We’re expecting a four-game suspension,” Bruce Feldman said on the Rich Eisen Show. “At one point when I had talked to folks into the winter they thought there was a chance it could be six games.
“I think it was because they felt like whether he had lied or misled to the NCAA, however the NCAA’s view of this. This is the example of it’s more the coverup than the crime kind of thing. And it’s coming off the heels, not connected to, but where Tennessee got a heavy fine.
“Tennessee had massive cheating going on Jeremy Pruitt‘s watch, now Jeremy Pruitt was a terrible coach and lost a ton of games, so they wanted to get rid of him anyway and try to get out of their buyouts.
“Tennessee was really forthcoming under that and the NCAA likes when you come forward. The NCAA hated that Mike Garrett and USC kind of thumbed their noses at the NCAA back in the Reggie Bush days. And so I think the fact that, ‘Oh, you weren’t forthcoming.’ And just kind of hat in hand as the way it’s been described to me that that’s where this kind of falls in.”
In essence, Michigan football and head coach Jim Harbaugh are likely to face a four-game punishment because Harbaugh told the NCAA that he couldn’t recall who covered the tab a few years ago. As absurd as it may sound, Bruce Feldman believes that this situation will ultimately lead to a four-game penalty, regardless of the details or precedent set with Tennessee and other schools.
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