Michigan's Jim Harbaugh Says 3-Game Suspension 'Made Me a Better Coach'

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is looking at the positives about his suspension that kept him away from the Wolverines for the first three games of the season.

Harbaugh was suspended for the games as a result of his role in four Level II violations and one Level I violation. This punishment was dealt by the university after the initial NCAA suspension fell through and Harbaugh said it felt like "a baseball bat to the kneecaps or to the shoulder."

As he looks to make his return for the Wolverines' first Big Ten conference game against Rutgers, Harbaugh noted the value he gained from an altered perspective.

"Seeing the game in a different way, through a different lens, I think it's made me a better coach. As a result, we're going to implement some new things that we haven't done as it relates to a few policies around here to make sure I don't ever get sidelined again, ramping that up to a gold standard, and also how we watch the game as an offense."

The Wolverines cruised in Harbaugh's absence, outscoring opponents 96-16 en route to a 3-0 start to the season. That did come against three non-Power Five opponents, but still shows the tremendous talent this Michigan team has.

The No. 2 Wolverines are coming off of consecutive Big 10 championships and appearances in the College Football Playoff. The program is still looking for its first win in the postseason tournament but its current ranking shows that this group could be the bunch that is poised to do it.

Having Harbaugh return should only enhance the play, but he will have little room to hit his groove. Rutgers is 3-0 with two victories over Power Five opponents thus far and matchups against ranked teams in Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State loom in the distance.