Michigan self-imposes a three-game suspension for football head coach Jim Harbaugh over NCAA recruiting infractions

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh will serve a three-game suspension to begin the season as part of the school’s self-imposed penalties for NCAA recruiting violations.

The suspension was announced Monday and will take Harbaugh off the sidelines for the Wolverines’ second-place home games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green. He may coach the team during the week leading up to games, per NCAA rules.

“As the ongoing NCAA issue continues through the NCAA process, today’s announcement is our way of addressing errors that our department has agreed to in an effort to advance that process,” said Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel. .

“We will continue to support Coach Harbaugh, his staff and our outstanding student athletes. As per NCAA guidelines, we cannot comment until the matter is resolved.”

Michigan also said interim coaching appointments would be announced at a later date.

The Wolverines are coming off their second consecutive Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance under Harbaugh, who is 74-25 in eight seasons at his alma mater.

Michigan had proposed a four-game suspension as part of a negotiated resolution to the matter with NCAA enforcement personnel, but the association’s Committee on Infractions reportedly refused to accept that proposal. Without confirming the status of the negotiated resolution submitted by Michigan to the NCAA last month, the NCAA issued a terse statement in response to reports that the settlement was not in danger of being accepted.

“The Michigan violations case relates to unauthorized on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and unauthorized coaching activities — not a cheeseburger,” NCAA vice president of hearings Derrick Crawford said in a statement.

It is not unusual for the COI to ask for clarification of important facts before accepting. The COI can also reject an NR if it determines that the agreement is not in the interests of the Association or that the fines are not reasonable.’

The mention of the cheeseburger references speculation by Michigan fans gaining traction online that the alleged violations were related to Michigan coaches paying for a recruit’s lunch while visiting during a dead spell.

Self-imposing a fine in Michigan does not end the matter. It’s unclear if Michigan even received an official notice of impeachment from the NCAA. Without a negotiated settlement, the case would have to go to the Infringement Committee before a ruling is made.

That whole process could take months and would likely extend to 2024. Schools usually self-impose punishments as a way to get before the NCAA, show cooperation, and mitigate some of the damage of any punishment.

The investigation involved unauthorized texts and phone calls — including some from Harbaugh — to high school students during part of a pandemic-related dead window for contact with potential recruits.

The NCAA also investigated whether a member of Michigan’s off-field football staff violated rules by coaching on the field during practice.

The negotiated resolution that Michigan submitted to the NCAA also included one-game suspensions for offensive coordinator and line coach Sherrone Moore and coach Grant Newsome. The status of those fines is also unclear.

Harbaugh previously told NCAA investigators in multiple meetings that he would not agree to an unethical conduct charge because he was not forthright, according to two people familiar with the situation. The people spoke to the AP earlier this year on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation were not shared.

Harbaugh has flirted with the NFL after each of Michigan’s last two postseason runs, reconnecting with the school where he played quarterback in the early 1990s.