Reports: Jim Harbaugh 'Likely' to Be Suspended, Still Receive New Michigan Contract

A suspension for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is the "most likely scenario" should he be punished by the Big Ten amid the sign-stealing scandal surrounding the program, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

It briefly looked like Harbaugh's future with the Wolverines writ large might be a bit murky when the Wall Street Journal's Andrew Beaton and Rachel Bachman reported the school had pulled a contract offer.

However, Michigan insider John U. Bacon said Saturday administrators are "proceeding with Harbaugh's contract."

Harbaugh has denied knowing of any effort by Wolverines staffers to intentionally circumvent NCAA rules regarding live scouting in an effort to decipher the signs of opposing teams. That has done little to quell the calls for the head coach to be held accountable.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Max Olson conducted a survey of 50 FBS coaches, and 35 said Harbaugh can't claim plausible deniability.

"I don't believe (Harbaugh) organized or started it, but if some young guy comes up to me and says, 'I've got all of their signals,' well, I'm thinking, 'I know you did something that you shouldn't have,'" one Big Ten defensive coordinator said. "That's on the coordinators. And if I'm the head coach and I'm watching one of my recruiting analysts have a constant flow of information with my coordinators during a game, I'm wondering what is going on there or I'm an idiot."

Ross Dellenger and Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports, meanwhile, reported Thursday that Big Ten athletic directors "continued to encourage action from the league" on the matter during a meeting with conference commissioner Tony Petitti.

Thamel added that "a vast majority of the Big Ten coaches expressed their frustrations with the ongoing signal-stealing investigation" to Pettiti and that "a chorus of voices encouraged Petitti to take action against Michigan."

If Harbaugh were to receive a suspension this season, it would potentially have massive ramifications.

Michigan is 8-0 and sits third in the initial College Football Playoff rankings with games against No. 11 Penn State and No. 1 Ohio State still ahead. Losing their head coach could be a clear blow in the Wolverines' quest for another playoff bid.