Michigan will celebrate its 2023 national title team during the 2024 opener, which will bring Jim Harbaugh back to the Big House after coaching all of zero games for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Wolverines AD Warde Manuel revealed the plan on the "1 Star Recruits" podcast, and an athletics department spokesman confirmed the plan to MLive.
“I look forward to seeing him,” Manuel said. “He’ll be an honorary captain for our first game. I look forward to having him back in Ann Arbor for that game.”
The irony here is that Harbaugh is only allowed to associate himself with Michigan right now because he no longer works for Michigan. The NCAA placed a 4-year show-cause on him this week for violating COVID-era recruiting restrictions and, more specifically, being misleading about violating COVID-era recruiting restrictions.
Harbaugh's return will be a full-circle moment in more ways than one.
It'll be his first Wolverines opener since 2022, after missing the first three games of 2023 as a self-imposed suspension for part of the same investigation he is now show-caused for.
Harbaugh also missed the final three regular season games of 2023, serving another self-imposed suspension due to the Connor Stalions illegal scouting scandal. His replacement, Sherrone Moore, now coaches his first game as Michigan's full-time head coach under the specter of his own suspension for his part in the Stalions scandal.
Either way, the loudest roar at Michigan Stadium on Aug. 31 -- louder than a Philadelphia Eagles practice, even -- will undoubtedly be for Harbaugh, a favored son, a returning champion, and a celebrated anti-hero, before the Wolverines roll Fresno State (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.