Jim Harbaugh after national championship: 'We're innocent' in off-the-field issues

After his team's convincing 34-13 win over Washington in the national championship, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh took a firm stance when asked about the two major off-the-field incidents surrounding the Wolverines this season: "We're innocent."

Michigan dominated the season from start to finish and completed the perfect 15-0 season, securing the school's 12th national championship on Monday. However, the season was not without controversy, as head coach Jim Harbaugh had to serve two separate three-game suspensions during the regular season.

Harbaugh first served a self-imposed three games of the season after an agreed-upon punishment fell through with the NCAA regarding alleged violations related to recruiting during the NCAA-mandated COVID-19 dead period and misleading investigators. He returned to coach the six games in the middle of Michigan's schedule, before picking up another three-game suspension, this time for the Wolverines' alleged sign-stealing scandal. Former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions allegedly ran a scouting scheme to film future opponents in person, a violation of NCAA rules, and Harbaugh was suspended because the alleged sign-stealing broke the conference's sportsmanship policy.

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At the postgame press conference following the national championship, players on the podium were asked about the off-the-field issues Michigan had to deal with throughout the season, and Harbaugh jumped in to reply instead.

He emphatically said his team did nothing wrong and was innocent. He finished the statement by cracking a grin and repeating that Michigan's season went exactly as the team envisioned.

"(The season) couldn't have gone better, it went exactly how we wanted it to go — to win every game," Harbaugh said. "Off-the-field issues — we are innocent. We stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent and I'd just like to point that out. These guys are innocent. (To) overcome that, it wasn't that hard because we knew we were innocent. So, that's really what I wanted to say, it went exactly as we wanted it to go. It went exactly as we wanted it to go."

Michigan officially received a draft notice of allegations for the first NCAA investigation regarding recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period in December. The sign-stealing scandal is still under NCAA investigation.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh: Michigan football 'innocent' in sign-stealing scandal