Paul Finebaum calls NCAA handling of Jim Harbaugh investigation 'clueless' after Michigan's self-imposed suspension

Last month, it looked like Jim Harbaugh was looking at a four-game suspension from the NCAA in light of recruiting violations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA then decided a decision would come later, and Michigan got out in front by self-imposing a three-game ban for Harbaugh to start this season.

According to SEC Network host Paul Finebaum, though, the situation should have been taken care of already.

Finebaum joined Matt Barrie on SportsCenter Tuesday afternoon and commended Michigan for its decision to suspend Harbaugh after the NCAA opted not to do so. He also pointed out how long it’s been since the infractions, which the NCAA said did not involve a cheeseburger. That’s why Finebaum thinks the Wolverines’ self-imposed punishment should be enough to resolve the investigation.

“Michigan made the right decision to go ahead and push this forward,” Finebaum said. “This should have already been adjudicated by now. But the NCAA — being their clueless nature that we always see from them — decided not to accept a four-game penalty. So Michigan went ahead and said, ‘Okay, we’ll keep him out of three, and you can figure it out at the end of the year.’

“And quite frankly, this should be enough. Frankly, nothing should have happened. These were minor allegations years ago, and quite frankly, if Jim Harbaugh had said, ‘Yeah, I did it,’ this would have been over with. But of course, Jim Harbaugh never does stuff like that.”

Michigan officially announced the suspension Monday afternoon and will declare an interim head coach at a later date. Wolverines athletics director Warde Manuel released a statement on the matter, confirming the suspension is part of the plan to help move the investigation along.

“While the ongoing NCAA matter continues through the NCAA process, today’s announcement is our way of addressing mistakes that our department has agreed to in an attempt to further that process,” Manuel said. “We will continue to support coach Harbaugh, his staff, and our outstanding student-athletes. Per the NCAA’s guidelines, we cannot comment further until the matter is resolved.”

News of the potential suspension came about right before Big Ten Media Days, at which Harbaugh spoke. He couldn’t comment on any aspect of the situation at the time, though.

After Michigan announced its suspension, he released a brief statement — his first on the matter.

“I will continue to do what I always tell our players and my kids at home, ‘Don’t get bitter, get better,’” Harbaugh said.