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Warde Manuel, Michigan AD and CFP committee member, to skip Week 11 meetings
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Warde Manuel is the AD for Michigan and a current member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. He was involved in the initial discussions ahead of the first CFP rankings reveal last week, but Manuel will not be in the room for Tuesday’s rankings.
In a statement released on Monday, Manuel announced he is staying in Ann Arbor to attend to “important matters” regarding the current NCAA investigation into Jim Harbaugh’s football program. That investigation is related to allegations of illicit sign-stealing and centers around recently resigned staffer Connor Stalions.
While Manuel will miss the Week 11 meeting, he indicated he will return to the meetings next week through the end of the season. Here is Manuel’s statement:
I want to provide an update regarding my participation with the College Football Playoff Committee this week. I will not be traveling to our weekly meeting in Dallas but instead will stay in Ann Arbor, attending to important matters regarding the ongoing investigation into our football program. I look forward to being back in the room with my fellow committee members next week and every week through the end of the season.
Following the initial reveal of the CFP rankings, Executive Director Bill Hancock was asked about Manuel’s status on the committee. According to Hancock, there was never any thought to asking Manuel to leave the committee during the investigation, and Hancock spoke glowingly of Manuel’s credibility and indicated the current investigation is not an issue for Manuel’s standing.
As for Manuel’s absence this week, it is unclear what that has to do with the investigation, but it could be a sign that things or ramping up, or Manuel and the Wolverines could be bracing for a potential ruling from the Big Ten. We’ll find out soon enough.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
