The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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58 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2023 R ecently, Tennessee football received an $8 million fine and a six-year show-cause penalty for former coach Jeremy Pruitt as a result of 200-plus in- dividual violations, including 18 Level I (serious) in nature. The Volunteers avoided a bowl ban and will skate forward with- out any disruption to recruiting or their preparation for the season. Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor, Michi- gan is preparing to play its first four games without head coach Jim Harbaugh, and possibly several assistant coaches, on the sideline. U-M negotiators have been collab- orating with the NCAA over po- tential punishment for Harbaugh over alleged recruiting violations. Specifically, a July 25 Yahoo Sports report emerged that the NCAA is working toward a four- game suspension for the ninth- year U-M head coach as well as pun- ishment for a few of his assistants, including one game each for offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight ends coach Grant Newsome. Yes, seriously. Such is the logic of the NCAA. Their message — telling them you don't re- member a minor incident in which you bought burgers for committed recruits during a COVID dead period is as bad or worse than serious recruiting viola- tions, even the pay for play that's been going on under their noses for years. Those are the "major" allegations lev- ied against Harbaugh, along with as- sistants watching a Zoom video of a recruit when they weren't supposed to and having an analyst to perform some coaching duties on the field. Meanwhile, programs around the country are dropping bags of money for recruits under the guise of NIL while Harbaugh and Co. have taken a "trans- formational, not transactional" ap- proach — and the NCAA does nothing. They always talk a good game, and they are again when it comes to pay for play, determined to "take action." United States senators have even pro- posed legislation to deal with the issue. In reality, neither is in position to stop it, and they probably know it. Those who are doing it have been at it so long they've perfected the practice without leaving a trace. So … that's where we are, and it's un- likely to change. "It's OK to buy players and championships, but dammit, don't buy a burger for a couple of unexpected visitors and claim you don't remember! Whatever will become of the sport if we allow that to happen?" Such is the genius of the NCAA. If and when this body dissolves, it will be a day to celebrate. * * * For each of the past 12 years, Cleve- land.com has polled dozens of sports- writers around the Big Ten to determine a preseason conference favorite. Ohio State was the solid favorite in 10 of those 12 years, a testament to their dominance in that period … only Michigan in 2019 and now in 2023 got the nod. U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh not only didn't shy away from it in 2019 … in fact, he embraced it. "That's where I would pick us," Harbaugh said at Big Ten Media Days in July that year. "I feel like our team is in a really good place … young, enthusiastic team with play- ers with a lot of good experience. I'm really feeling 2019 is special." Instead, they finished 9-4 and got trounced at Wisconsin and at home by Ohio State. So, you can't blame Michigan fans who didn't want the dreaded "favorite" label this year after two straight Big Ten titles. It's much different being the hunted than the hunter, as anyone who has tried to defend a championship knows. But this team, this year, won't shy away from it, and it shouldn't. Twenty-seven media members picked the Wolverines to win the conference championship, while eight chose Ohio State and two went with Penn State. Those three programs occupied all the first-, second- and third-place votes in the East. Wisconsin was fa- vored in the West (20 votes), followed closely by Iowa (16), but nobody had a West team winning the title. Nervous Nellies, though, don't fret. This year is nothing like 2019, a year in which OSU entered frothing at the mouth after their rival was picked to capture a championship. These Wolverines have gotten over the hump, many of them on each of the last two title teams. There are so many leaders it's hard to imagine how they're going to find only four captains. OSU will be formidable, and Ryan Day and Co. will likely take a different ap- proach into this year's game. He's al- ready talked about it — playing more to win than blow Michigan out. That, though, plays directly to Michi- gan's strength. Come the fourth quarter, the game is going to be determined by play in the trenches. To that, we say, "bring it on." ❏ Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997. Contact him at cbalas@ thewolverine.com and follow him on Twitter @Balas _ Wolverine. INSIDE MICHIGAN ❱ CHRIS BALAS In The NCAA's Infinite Wisdom … Reports surfaced July 25 that indicated Jim Harbaugh likely will be sidelined for the first four games of his ninth season at Michigan. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL