Delany has muted reaction to Harbaugh camp ban
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said he is proud of new Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel and UM president Mark Schlissel for being pro-active in the conversation about satellite camps since the NCAA Division I Council voted to ban them last Friday.
The Big Ten is among the conferences — the AAC, C-USA and MAC were the others — that voted against a proposal by the ACC to ban the camps. But the SEC, ACC, Pac 12, Big 12, Mountain West and Sun Belt voted for the proposal.
While the SEC and ACC commissioners have been out front of the issue for months, going public with opinions that satellite camps should be banned, not to mention earlier this year taking exception to Harbaugh’s decision to hold four spring practices for week at IMG Academy in Florida, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has not been a vocal advocate.
After last Friday’s vote became public, Delany had a rather passive reaction to the news when asked by USA Today.
“It is what it is,” Delany told the newspaper. “We made our case for holistic vs. ad hoc. You have to accept it. That’s part of the (system) we signed on for. No reaction beyond that. You always would like to win rather than to lose a vote — I don’t care whether it’s in a court or legislature or an assembly of people. You go with the system that’s in place, and so I support that, respect that and move on. (Coaches will) pick up recruitment. Satellite camps are off the table, but presumably everything else is on it.”
Harbaugh, before speaking to Detroit Coaches Clinic at the Horatio Williams Foundation in Detroit on Thursday, was asked if Delany has had his back on these issues and whether he’s given the conference enough support.
"II want our leaders to fight for what is right,” Harbaugh said. “You don’t want them to hide on the issue. But our leadership at Michigan from our president to our athletic director Warde Manuel, they are on top of this. It’s great to see them taking the lead. We’re ready to follow and support. Our leadership at Michigan is going to be at the forefront.”
angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @chengelis