In the wake of a controversial season, NCAA President Charlie Baker lent his support to the University of Michigan's football team, declaring their national championship win as unquestionably legitimate. According to a statement obtained by the Detroit Free Press, Baker stated, "As it was, it was out in the public domain. And people either made adjustments or didn't. And at the end of the day, no one believes at this point that Michigan didn't win the national title fair and square."
The NCAA's investigation into allegations of a sign-stealing scheme by the Michigan team had cast a shadow over the season. However, Baker defended his decision to preemptively inform Michigan and the Big Ten of the ongoing probe. Baker said, "I don’t regret doing it because sitting on that information, I think we would have put everyone, including Michigan, in an awful place." This was according to a report by AP News, Baker noted that the disclosure allowed teams to possibly adjust their strategies if they chose to.
The NCAA revealed the investigation was spurred by a third party who claimed to have compelling evidence of Michigan's involvement in sign-stealing, prompting the NCAA to reach out to those possibly affected. While details about the third party were not disclosed, the chain of events following the revelation resulted in a three-game suspension for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and an onslaught of media attention. Harbaugh has categorically denied any wrongdoing, affirming his lack of involvement in the allegations brought against his program.
Despite the investigation's looming presence, the college football community and Baker himself have applauded Michigan's on-field performance. "I watched and found Michigan to be 'clearly the better team,'" Baker admitted, as he explained that it was critical to ensure the investigation didn't negatively affect game outcomes. Meanwhile, the situation continues to thicken with Michigan still dealing with a separate NCAA case over recruiting infractions. Harbaugh's future with the Wolverines hangs in the balance amidst these upheavals, with no clear timeline for resolving the matters, according to Beloit Daily News.
As the NCAA sign-stealing investigation is expected to stretch over several more months, Michigan enthusiasts and critics alike are left to watch and wait. The Wolverines have yet to receive a formal notice of allegations, which will kick off a 90-day response window, followed by an infractions committee hearing. Baker has expressed a desire to expedite the investigative process, stating, "We do have a series of discussions going on with the infractions folks about whether or not we can't do some things to speed up the pace of our investigations," as per Beloit Daily News. Harbaugh ensured his stance remains firm, repeatedly denying involvement in sign-stealing activities which has further muddied an already intricate web of NCAA inquiries.
