COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State safety Josh Proctor was carted off the field in the third quarter of Saturday’s 35-28 loss to No. 12 Oregon, a significant blow to a struggling Buckeyes defense.
Proctor waved to the crowd as he was taken into the locker room, wearing what appeared to be an air cast on his right leg. He had to be helped onto the cart by medical staff, and his teammates surrounded him in support.
Proctor, who was a game-time decision after injuring his shoulder late in the season opener against Minnesota, was down on the field for several minutes.
An Ohio State spokesperson had no further injury information at the time and said the athletic department won’t report it.
No. 3 Ohio State was trailing 21-14 when the injury occurred, and Oregon scored on the following play after Proctor was taken into the tunnel.
Ohio State was allowing 9.3 yards per carry at the time of Proctor’s injury, and it had no answer for Ducks running back CJ Verdell, who finished with 161 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
The showdown between Michigan and the Big Ten Conference is approaching a crossroads.
While an NCAA investigation into Michigan’s alleged off-campus scouting and signal stealing plods along, the Big Ten is poised to impose discipline for violating its sportsmanship policy. The league recently sent Michigan a notice of disciplinary action, required by the sportsmanship policy “in the event it becomes clear that an institution is likely to be subjected to” penalties.
Michigan was expected to send its response to the Big Ten by the end of Wednesday, but any discipline from league commissioner Tony Petitti was not expected until Thursday at the earliest. The likeliest penalties, including a suspension, would focus on Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh rather than the entire team, sources told ESPN. Former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions, at the center of the NCAA’s investigation, resigned from his position Friday after initially being suspended with pay.
The biggest question around college football this week is: What will Petitti do?
The first-year commissioner had drawn positive reviews around the league so far, especially after the brief but rocky tenure of predecessor Kevin Warren, who also finished with a record media rights deal and the expansion of USC and UCLA. But the Michigan controversy has sparked emotions and divisions within the league. Last week, Petitti heard from Big Ten coaches and athletic directors, many of whom strongly encouraged him to act against Michigan, even though the NCAA investigative and infractions process is far from over. He also met on campus with Michigan president Santa Ono, who had urged Petitti in an email before their meeting to respect due process and let the NCAA’s investigation play out (Ono shared his letter with the other Big Ten presidents and chancellors). Michigan sources have made it clear that if Petitti imposes discipline, the school will use every available legal recourse to fight back.
“This is going to get ugly,” a Michigan source told ESPN. “We don’t think this is fair that 13 schools gang up on one and the commissioner will just give in. Does [Petitti] have the authority? No question. But we have a lot of levers of power, too.”
With a decision coming as soon as today, let’s examine each side’s position and what could happen if the situation reaches a courtroom.
Where the Big Ten stands
When the NCAA began its investigation of Michigan last month, the Big Ten appeared ready to watch from the sidelines. The league issued a statement Oct. 19 saying that it had notified Michigan’s upcoming opponents, but beyond that, would simply “continue to monitor the [NCAA] investigation.”
As new details emerged about the lengths Stalions allegedly went to obtain opponents’ signals, though, the Big Ten noted to ESPN that it could take action against Michigan before the NCAA’s lengthy investigative and infractions process concluded, by imposing penalties through the conference’s sportsmanship policy. A Big Ten source told ESPN on Oct. 24 that the league would want to have “as full of a picture of what the facts actually are, if we were to act” before the NCAA completes its investigation.
The Big Ten believes it has the facts to be certain that Michigan illegally obtained signals, which the league considers serious. The league has been communicating with the NCAA, and has been following new information, including last week’s revelation that an unidentified man resembling Stalions appeared on Central Michigan’s sideline dressed like a coach for the Chippewas’ Sept. 1 opener at Michigan State.
Evidence has not yet emerged showing Harbaugh knew or orchestrated the off-campus scouting, according to sources. But the Big Ten views Harbaugh as being responsible for everything in the program, whether he has knowledge of it or not. The league could cite NCAA bylaw 11.1.1.1, which states: “An institution’s head coach is presumed to be responsible for the actions of all institutional staff members who report, directly or indirectly, to the head coach.”
The Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy, a brief and somewhat vaguely written document that has been revised only once since 2013, grants Petitti “exclusive authority” to determine whether violations have occurred, and to dole out discipline. Petitti would be leaning into the policy if he chooses to suspend Harbaugh, possibly noting factors outlined in considering discipline, such as, “the manner in which the offensive action fits within the context of the rules of the game for the sport at issue.”
The length of a Harbaugh suspension is also worth monitoring. A two-game suspension — covering Saturday’s game at Penn State and a Nov. 18 game at Maryland — would fall under standard discipline, which Petitti could impose on his own. Anything beyond two games is classified as “major” discipline, and would require approval from the Joint Group Executive Committee, which includes representatives from several league members. The JGEC can deny or lessen the penalties Petitti proposes, but sources do not expect it to be an obstacle for the commissioner.
How will Petitti react after Michigan sent the Big Ten documents that it says show three teams — Rutgers, Ohio State and Purdue — colluded to share Michigan’s signals in advance of Purdue’s matchup with the Wolverines in the 2022 Big Ten championship game? Although a Big Ten source told ESPN that the documents won’t impact the league’s pursuit of possible discipline for Michigan, Petitti and the league may face additional pressure to argue that Michigan’s situation was much different and much worse.
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