‘Free Harbaugh’: QB desires coach back amidst ban

• Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 2, 2023, 04:28 PM ET Close ESPN staff

• author Signed up with ESPN in 2011
• Finished from Central Michigan

Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy used a “FREE Harbaugh” shirt prior to and after Saturday’s game in a nod to coach Jim Harbaugh, who is serving a school-imposed three-game suspension.

“I just want my coach back,” McCarthy stated after Michigan’s 30-3 win over East Carolina on Saturday.McCarthy used the Harbaugh No. 4 shirt with the word”FREE “composed in marker on white tape above the coach’s name as he left the bus, throughout pregame warmups and during the postgame press conference. When asked why he was wearing his tailored “Free Harbaugh” shirt on Saturday, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said merely: “I simply want my coach back.” Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

The group lined up in Harbaugh’s notorious train development– all aligned in a single file– on the group’s very first offensive belongings while the players held up four fingers in reference to Harbaugh’s jersey number from his playing days with the Wolverines.

“That was definitely a homage to Coach Harbaugh,” McCarthy said. “That was quite cool to do that.”

Harbaugh’s restriction belongs to the university’s self-imposed sanctions from an NCAA examination into incorrect recruiting contact and Harbaugh allegedly not complying with the NCAA.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Protective organizer Jesse

Minter acted as the acting head coach in Saturday’s game, as offending organizer Sherrone Moore was also serving a one-game suspension associated to the investigation. That didn’t seem to decrease the Wolverines, consisting of McCarthy, who threw for 280 yards and 3 goal passes in the win.Harbaugh and Moore, according to McCarthy, viewed Saturday’s

game together as they served their suspensions.Harbaugh was able to coach the team throughout the week, and helped the personnel with the game plan.”When I saw him last night, it actually strike me that it’s actually decreasing,”Minter said.Moore will be back next week for Michigan’s game against UNLV, with Jay Harbaugh and Mike Hart sharing head-coaching responsibilities.

Moore will then function as head coach for the 3rd game of the season versus Bowling Green.Despite winning the game, McCarthy stated the group desired its coach on the sideline.”I personally felt like something was missing today,”McCarthy said after the game.”And it was absolutely him.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.