Harbaugh’s unsportsmanlike penalty in the 2016 game
Jim Harbaugh had a bit of freak out here, getting hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. #MICHvsOSU pic.twitter.com/kD3bdfE8BF
— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) November 26, 2016
The head linesman — from the state of Michigan, not that it matters — (assessed the penalty). … Coach Harbaugh threw his clipboard out on the field. Well, that’s a no-brainer. First of all, he was complaining about an offside call, which is not the hardest in the book to make. It was a completely valid call.
You have to be able to control yourself. There’s a tremendous amount of gray area with the unsportsmanlike conduct call. His actions were black and white. If that head linesman doesn’t make that call, he’s going to get downgraded by the boss. And it’s going to cost him.
You throw something out on the field, I can understand that … if you’re a fourth-grader. If you’re an adult that’s paid (more than) $5 million a year to coach a major college football team, I would expect more.
And what about the spot? Barret carried the ball on fourth and one and got pushed back right at the marker. The play was called a first down, but Michigan fans and coaches were livid, and still are to this day. Capron had this to say.