Jim Harbaugh popped again for alleged cheating. It’s time to drop the self-righteous act.

Back in the golden days of college football, when Jim Harbaugh was renowned for provoking others, social media would explode with his responses to allegations of cheating. In 2016, Harbaugh tweeted, “If the Georgia coach is implying any intent on our part to break rules, he is barking up the wrong tree,” after Kirby Smart suggested the NCAA would intervene following Michigan’s spring practice at IMG Academy. The following year, Harbaugh fired back at ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who accused Michigan of hiring the father of a top recruit, by calling him “Pete Finebaum, the unabashed SEC water carrier.”

Playing in the gray area of the NCAA rulebook while maintaining an air of righteousness tends to create enemies. And now that Michigan is at the top of college football, all of its opponents are coming out with their fangs bared. For the second time this year, Harbaugh is facing a dispute with the NCAA over potential rules violations that were petty, easily avoided, and ultimately foolish if proven true.

At the start of this season, Harbaugh served a self-imposed three-game suspension for misleading or noncompliant conduct during an investigation into impermissible contact with recruits and coaching activities during the COVID-19 dead period. Now, reports from Yahoo! Sports and the Big Ten confirm that Michigan is under another inquiry for in-person scouting of opponents, a violation that has been against the rules for almost 30 years and is unnecessary in today’s age unless the goal is to gather additional information about an opponent’s play-calls.

The question now is how Harbaugh will face punishment for these offenses when other high-profile coaches, like Kansas basketball coach Bill Self, have avoided significant penalties despite years of evidence of wrongdoing. Despite selective enforcement, the clear violation of rules committed by Michigan casts doubt on Harbaugh’s program and invites suspicions about his conduct.

In 2020, when the world was grappling with COVID-19, NCAA schools agreed to pause recruiting and other offseason activities. Is it a major offense if Harbaugh dined with a few recruits during this time? Not necessarily, but it is a deliberate violation to gain an unfair advantage. Moreover, failing to be truthful or cooperative with the NCAA is another offense that has historically led to severe penalties.

The alleged scouting violation is even more absurd. With a record of 7-0 and multiple blowout victories, Michigan’s need to steal signs for games against weaker opponents like Nebraska and Rutgers is nothing short of comical. The focus now shifts to whether these investigations will lead Harbaugh back to the NFL, especially if Michigan, arguably the best team in the country, wins a national title.

Predicting Harbaugh’s next move is futile. Harbaugh is slippery and aloof, traits that he often leverages to his advantage. However, what truly stands out is how his downfall has been in the works ever since he returned to college football. While Harbaugh claims to abide by the rules, he has comfortably settled in the gray area while insinuating that everyone else in the sport is a cheater.

For instance, in 2019, author John Bacon, closely linked to the Michigan program, revealed that another school had offered Rashan Gary $300,000 during his recruitment. While this claim may invite skepticism, it serves to glorify Harbaugh’s commitment to doing things the right way while casting doubt on his competitors. However, an important detail in Gary’s recruitment was Harbaugh’s hiring of Chris Partridge, his high school coach, as the director of player personnel and recruiting. This move, although legal, sits in the gray area, just like Harbaugh’s so-called “satellite camps” or his exploitation of loopholes in practice limits.

From the gray area, it’s not a far leap to outright rule-breaking, even if the rules seem minuscule. It’s worth recalling Kirby Smart’s words from seven years ago when he predicted that the NCAA would have to intervene in Michigan’s practices at a later time. The recent cheating claims against Harbaugh should prompt him to drop his self-righteous act and face the consequences of his actions.

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Alex Martin

Alex Martin is your guide to the global phenomenon of football. With a focus on international leagues and tournaments, he provides match commentary, player interviews, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of football.