Sports

Michigan football coming to IMG Academy

By JASON DILL jdill@bradenton.com
FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2015, file photo, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh calls for a flag in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland in College Park, Md. Michigan and Florida both entered the season hoping to revive storied programs that had begun to look more pedestrian than they were accustomed to. Enter Wolverines coach Harbaugh and Gators coach Jim McElwain, who both brought their own style and approach to the sidelines in their first seasons on the job. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 3, 2015, file photo, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh calls for a flag in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Maryland in College Park, Md. Michigan and Florida both entered the season hoping to revive storied programs that had begun to look more pedestrian than they were accustomed to. Enter Wolverines coach Harbaugh and Gators coach Jim McElwain, who both brought their own style and approach to the sidelines in their first seasons on the job. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) Patrick Semansky AP

Michigan football is coming to Manatee County. Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed the Wolverines are spending part of their spring football practice at IMG Academy during Wednesday's National Signing Day, according to multiple reports.

The Wolverines trip would coincide with the school's spring break.

IMG was the training ground for one of this year's Super Bowl teams, the Carolina Panthers, ahead of the 2012 season when the team was displaced due to the Democratic National Convention that year.

In January, sources told the Detroit Free-Press that Michigan was eyeing IMG as its spring football practice destination. The Free-Press also cited a football budget that had a surplus of $64 million for the 2013-14 school year as not being a potential roadblock.

The hurdle, though, was the Big Ten Conference or NCAA saying no to the proposal.

ESPN reported Michigan's first four spring practices are scheduled for IMG Academy.

Harbaugh's bid to take his entire team on the road for spring practice is continuing his trend of unconventional methods since becoming the Wolverines head coach. Last June, he raised eyebrows for holding a satellite camp in Prattville, Ala., which is something SEC schools are prohibited from holding off-campus camps.

IMG officials have not commented yet.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Michigan football coming to IMG Academy ."

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