Jim Harbaugh Punished by NCAA for Recruiting Violations at Michigan

August 7, 2024

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Jim Harbaugh Punished by NCAA for Recruiting Violations at Michigan

Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was given a four-year show-cause order, including a one-season suspension, by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions on Wednesday in connection with violations of the 2021 COVID-19 deadline.

The COI ruled that Harbaugh “violated recruiting and inducement policies, engaged in unethical conduct, failed to foster an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach accountability obligations” in the recruiting violations case, one of two NCAA cases involving Harbaugh and Michigan. The NCAA has yet to impose penalties in the case involving former staffer Connor Stalions and his alleged scheme to collect video footage of opponents’ signals.

The punishments for Harbaugh are the final resolution of the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan for hosting recruits on campus during the COVID-19 blackout period. It’s essentially a formality, as Harbaugh left Michigan in January to become head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.

“The way I see it, from Coach Harbaugh’s perspective, today’s COI decision is like being in college and getting a letter from your high school saying you’ve been suspended for not signing the yearbook,” said Harbaugh’s attorney, Tom Mars. wrote on X.

In its decision, the COI wrote that Harbaugh met a prospect and his father for breakfast at a local restaurant in February 2021 and gave them access to Michigan’s football facility. Harbaugh met another prospect and his father at the same restaurant the following month. Those meetings violated the COVID-19 dead period, which prohibits coaches from having in-person contact with recruits.

Harbaugh initially denied remembering the meetings and later went further, “unequivocally denying that either meeting occurred,” the COI said. The NCAA collected evidence, including receipts, expense reports and statements from the prospects and other staff members, showing that Harbaugh was “physically present and involved” in the meetings.

The NCAA ruled that Harbaugh’s underlying actions constituted a Level II violation, but he was given a more serious Level I violation for providing false or misleading information to NCAA investigators.

If Harbaugh were to return to college football during the four-year show, he would be “barred from all athletic activities, including team travel, practice, video study, recruiting and team meetings, at any NCAA school that employed him,” according to the NCAA. He would also be suspended for 100 percent of his first full season.

Michigan was placed on three years of NCAA probation and had recruiting restrictions placed on it in connection with the COVID-19 dead period violations. As part of a negotiated resolution to settle Michigan’s portion of that case, the school acknowledged in April that Harbaugh had failed in his responsibilities as head coach.

Harbaugh left Michigan for the NFL in January after leading the Wolverines to a 15-0 season and their first national championship since 1997. He served two suspensions during the 2023 season: a three-game suspension imposed by the school at the start of the season for his role in the COVID-19 recruiting violations and a three-game suspension imposed at the end of the regular season by the Big Ten in connection with the in-person scouting allegations.

The NCAA sent a draft notice of allegations to Michigan on Sunday, outlining possible charges in that case. They include a Level I charge against Harbaugh and a Level II charge against new head coach Sherrone Moore for allegedly deleting text messages with Stalions.

“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson,” Harbaugh said earlier this week when asked about the allegations in the Stalions case. “I raised my family with that lesson. I preached that lesson to the teams I coached. Nobody’s perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right.

“Today I make no apologies. I did not participate, was not aware, nor was I complicit in those accusations. So for me it’s back to work and attacking with a fervor unknown to humanity.”