What Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said about the investigation

Today, 9th-year Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh had his first media availability since October 21st — the presser in which he previewed the Michigan State matchup. Seeing as last week was the bye for the Wolverines, and also saw tons of news regarding the alleged sign-stealing scandal, today’s presser in Ann Arbor was much-anticipated by the fans and media. While Harbaugh is still unable to comment on many aspects of the NCAA’s investigation and the scandal as a whole, here is what he had to say this afternoon.

What Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh said about the investigation

Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh have been through a PR nightmare as of late, with the sign-stealing scandal taking the national news cycle by storm ever since Pete Thamel of ESPN initially broke the news. While Harbaugh released a quick statement, in which he denies knowledge of the sign-stealing ring that was allegedly led by now-suspended staffer Connor Stalions, he has not said much else.

Is Harbaugh holding back more comments?

“I’m with you (the fans and media) in this situation,” Jim Harbaugh told us this afternoon. “But you just have to let it play out.”

“(Michigan will) cooperate with the investigation and watch how it plays out. But the speculation part — as I said, there’s too much of a one-track mind on coaching the team to be able to engage in every piece of speculation that seems to be any and everywhere. I just channel my inner William Wallace. That’s the visual I think of to keep a one-track mind.”

How is Jim Harbaugh and his team handling the news?

“The team is refreshed, I’m refreshed,” Jim Harbaugh said. “There was an opportunity to spend time with the families after a pretty good week of practice last week (during the bye). We got some things down. We’re in onward mode. … it’s a one-track mind that I’m modeling, and I see it throughout the program.”

How did an outside investigation firm get its hands on Michigan’s private data?

“I’m going to let others speculate on the various speculation that’s out there,” he said. “It would be unfair to the team to not just be coaching the team.”

Does Harbaugh have a message for Michigan football fans and alumni who are feeling embarrassed?

“That is speculation,” he said. “I would say everybody’s entitled to their opinion.

“I don’t have a message right now,” he added. “Everybody is welcome to their opinion. I think the people that know us the most, think the most of us.”

References back to his initial statement

Throughout today’s press conference, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh made numerous references back to his initial statement on the sign-stealing scandal, insisting that everything he needed to say was best summed up there.

Below is what Jim Harbaugh said earlier this month in his official statement on the sign-stealing scandal news.

“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter. I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action. I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules. No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.”

Despite the allegations and investigations, Michigan football and Jim Harbaugh return to action at the Big House this weekend to face the Purdue Boilermakers. Following this weekend’s game, Michigan has a grueling and crucial three-game stretch to finish the season: at Penn State, at Maryland, and against Ohio State.

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