Early Wednesday afternoon, the NCAA Committee on Infractions (COI) issued its decision in a case involving former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s involvement in recruiting violations within the Michigan football program. In that decision, the COI found Harbaugh guilty of Level II recruiting violations and Level I unethical conduct violations for lying to investigators, and levied a four year show cause penalty against him as a result. The penalties, which bar him from engaging in athletic activities, along with a full-season suspension should he be employed by an NCAA institution within that four-year penalty time frame, go into effect immediately. Though, they are unlikely to impact Harbaugh who is already coaching in the NFL.
In the decision released by the COI, the Committee gave an outline of the history of the infractions dating back to April 2021, when Michigan self-reported potential Level II violations for non-coaching staff members participating in coaching activities. In the “collaborative” investigation of these self-reported violations, NCAA enforcement officials uncovered broader issues in February 2022 when it came to their attention that Harbaugh and staff had impermissibly met with a recruit and his father during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period. Upon receipt of this information, the NCAA and Michigan “extended” their investigations.
In a broader investigation, NCAA enforcement officials found proof that Harbaugh had impermissibly met with two recruits at a local diner during a dead period. In their report, the COI noted that these violations of recruiting conduct warranted Level II violations. However Harbaugh’s conduct during the investigation aggravated his penalty. According to the NCAA, Harbaugh “unequivocally disput(ed)” that these meetings had ever taken place to investigators — statements the NCAA later deemed to be untrue.
“Despite his denials, the weight of the factual information — including statements from the prospects, their fathers, and other football staff members, as well as documentation such as receipts and expense reports — demonstrates that Harbaugh was physically present and engaged in these meetings,” the COI stated in its decision.
In interviews, Harbaugh even went as far as stating that he had no recollection at all of the prospect in question. However, phone records proved differently, demonstrating that Harbaugh had texted the recruit in question following his visit. This statement from Harbaugh, coupled with others that the COI determined to be intentionally misleading proved to be the basis for the Level I unethical conduct charges that Harbaugh now faces.
Harbaugh was the only Michigan staff member to contest the allegations made against him, and as such was the sole focus of the report. However, the report noted that five other staff members had agreed to Negotiated Resolutions of facts and punishments for recruiting and coaching violations. With the COI’s decision today, one of two investigations into the Michigan football program has officially wrapped up.
“Today’s announcement mirrors the resolution we negotiated with the NCAA enforcement staff that was subsequently accepted by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions in April 2024,” Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel said in a statement released Wednesday. “We have accepted the sanctions and have already served many of the penalties outlined in the findings. Our staff has worked to improve processes and we are focused on the future and our commitment to integrity and compliance.”
With all punishments levied in the first of Michigan’s headline-grabbing scandals, the Wolverines face renewed scrutiny. And that scrutiny is unlikely to abate, as Harbaugh and Michigan are not yet done facing punishments. With a Notice of Allegations relating to the sign stealing scandal likely coming down the pipeline soon, Michigan’s football program is not out of the woods yet.
However, with the COI finding infractions within Michigan football and levying Level I and II violations against Harbaugh, the first of Michigan’s scandals has closed.
The post NCAA finds Harbaugh guilty of recruiting, unethical conduct violations appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
Leave a Reply