Ohio State football: Jim Harbaugh could be facing a Jim Tressel situation
By Ryan Stano
The Ohio State football program was involved in the dumbest scandal in NCAA history when its players were punished for selling memorabilia, which they owned, in exchange for tattoos. It led to five players for the Buckeyes receiving various suspensions and Jim Tressel getting a show-cause.
Tressel was let go by the Ohio State football program in 2010. In 2011, the Indianapolis Colts hired him as a replay consultant. Despite him no longer working in the NCAA, Roger Goodell decided to suspended for the first six games of the season because he viewed that Tressel was trying to avoid the punishment levied by the NCAA.
Jim Harbaugh is trying to do the same thing with Michigan, although his violations are far more egregious. He was given a notice of Level I violations from a 2020 Covid recruiting violation and still has yet to receive his notice from the cheating scandal that he was suspended three games for.
If the NFL has any consistency, they will suspend Harbaugh for a number of games to start the 2024 season. He shouldn't be allowed to lead the Chargers when the year begins. The NCAA will list out a punishment for Michigan prior to the NFL season starting, so the NFL should levy their punishment accordingly.
What Tressel was punished for isn't even in the rulebook anymore with the world of NIL now acceptable. What Harbaugh and Michigan did is an integrity of the game issue. Goodell is terrified of people thinking the NFL has an integrity of the game issue. He should levy punishment.
Next story. These two Buckeyes are likely to transfer in the Spring. dark. Next
While Ohio State won't have to deal with Harbaugh anymore, the Buckeyes still have to deal with a pretty good Michigan defense in 2024...as of now. There could be a mass exodus coming in the form of the transfer portal. Ohio State might try to get their hands on some of those players if that happens.
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