'Michigan vs. Everybody': Juwan Howard, Wolverine players take to social media following Jim Harbaugh suspension
Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten for the remainder of the regular season, with the conference making its announcement Friday afternoon amid the NCAA’s investigation into U-M for alleged off-campus scouting of future opponents.
Harbaugh made the trip with his team to State College for Saturday’s game against Penn State (noon ET on FOX). He received the news of his suspension upon arrival. Michigan quickly filed a court motion for a temporary restraining order that, if granted, will allow him to continue to coach.
After arriving in State College, Michigan players took to social media with one simple word, an acknowledgement of the situation with: “Bet.”
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Michigan basketball head coach Juwan Howard, a strong advocate of the football program, also made a statement on social media, declaring that it’s “Michigan vs. Everybody!”
Michigan players have made that message their rallying cry amid the NCAA investigation, the Big Ten’s punishment and the public criticism from rival fans and talking heads in the media. Valiant Management and The M Den released a line of ‘Michigan vs. Everybody’ merchandise this week.
Wolverine players were sporting the gear while traveling to Penn State Friday.
Michigan fired back Friday after Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti ruled in favor of a suspension, issuing the following statement:
“Commissioner Petitti’s hasty action today suggests that this is more about reacting to pressure from other Conference members than a desire to apply the rules fairly and impartially,” the school said in its statement. “By taking this action at this hour, the Commissioner is personally inserting himself onto the sidelines and altering the level playing field that he is claiming to preserve.
“And, doing so on Veteran’s Day — a court holiday — to try to thwart the University from seeking immediate judicial relief is hardly a profile in impartiality.”
Michigan won’t just be taking on the Big Ten in its court case or the NCAA in the investigation, but it’ll be playing its first ranked opponent of the season in No. 10 Penn State. The Wolverines are seeking their 10th straight road win for the first time since 1946-49.
Follow along at TheWolverine.com for continual updates as the story develops.
