Big Ten explains penalty for Michigan, Jim Harbaugh in 13-page letter - ESPN

The Big Ten outlined its decision to punish the University of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh in a series of documents released Friday afternoon, including a 13-page letter to school officials that gives step-by-step insight into the league's decision-making.

On Friday, the Big Ten announced that it was suspending Harbaugh from coaching for the remainder of the regular season as punishment for the football program violating the conference's sportsmanship policy.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said he believed immediate action was necessary because of «the extraordinary nature of the offending conduct.»

In the letter, which is addressed to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, the sign-stealing scheme allegedly organized by former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions is termed as an «organized, extensive, years-long in-person advance scouting scheme that was impermissible.»

Later in the letter, Petitti wrote that evidence gathered by the NCAA and corroborated by other Big Ten members leads him to believe that a significant portion of the violation has been «proven,» with details of scope, intent and individual knowledge yet to be determined for potential additional penalties.

Petitti's letter directly addresses several of the issues raised by Manuel and Harbaugh's attorney in letters that they sent to the league office Wednesday. Petitti laid out his justification for a punishment while hitting on themes by detailing the evidence he's seen, his interpretation of the league's bylaws and a pressing need for fairness in the race of a scheme that he said, «compromises the integrity of competition.»

«Competition that is only about winning while disregarding the rules of fair play diminishes all of us, including our institutions,»