Amid speculation that the Michigan football program is set to receive a notice of allegations from the NCAA and reports it could face a postseason ban and that current coach Sherrone Moore may be suspended, former Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh was defiant in the face of criticism today.

“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson,” Harbaugh, now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, said in response to reports that Michigan is about to receive a formal notice from the NCAA.

“I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I’ve coached. No one’s perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right.”

Harbaugh added: “Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So far, it’s back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”

Reports emerged that the NCAA will imminently send Michigan a formal notice of allegations relating to a probe centered around claims that former UM football staffer Connor Stalions spearheaded an effort to improperly scout future Wolverines opponents in person and steal their signals.

Stalions is expected to receive Level I violations for his alleged role in arranging off-campus and in-person scouting. It is alleged that Stalions bought tickets to games involving future Michigan football opponents and sent staffers to record their play signals.

Before the NCAA began its investigation, the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season, although Michigan won those games under then-interim coach Sherrone Moore, who was promoted to head coach after Harbaugh’s exit this offseason.

Despite the scandal, Michigan went undefeated and won the national championship. Harbaugh departed for the Los Angeles Chargers head coaching position after the season.

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Tommy Schuster was a Michigan high school football hero, leading Chippewa Valley High School to a Division I state title in 2018. Schuster then quarterbacked FCS North Dakota for five seasons. He left with school records in career passing yards (9,075), pass completions (843), and passing touchdowns (63).

Playing for Michigan State in his last year of college football, Schuster will have a very different task. He will play backup to Aidan Chiles, star of the Spartans’ winter transfer portal haul. Spartans offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said that Chiles could learn from Schuster the same way he learned from DJ Uiagalelei last season at Oregon State.

“I think he sees when Tommy goes out there. He knows he’s started, he’s played a lot of games, how each rep in camp matters and just the detail,” Lindgren said on Thursday. “The difference between executing the play and creating a big play or something like that and missing it is so small at this level. I think he’s seen that and heard that a little bit from Tommy.”

Chiles himself said Schuster was his “dog” and gave praise to the veteran on Thursday.

“He’s cool. He don’t miss, that’s ‘Touchdown Tommy.’ I like Tommy,” Chiles said. Especially like, him being experienced and everything, it’s really good having him just him knowing what he sees. He’s a quiet dude but when you talk to him he’s real cool.”

“I want him to be totally ready. He had a nice day today, not going to change the offense if he’s in the game. He’ll be able to operate at a high level, that’s what we’re expecting from him,” Smith said.

Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith will rely on Chiles to kickstart a Spartans offense that has a lot of potential on paper coming off a season that saw one of the weakest in program history. While Schuster will be important as a veteran mentor, Smith is also comfortable if an emergency situation forced Schuster onto the field.

“I want him to be totally ready,” Smith said on Tuesday. “He had a nice day today. … He’ll be able to operate at a high level, that’s what we’re expecting of him.”

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