NCAA DECISION: Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for violating recruiting……read more

NCAA DECISION: Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh has been suspended for violating recruiting……read more

The NCAA has penalized former Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh with a four-year show-cause penalty and a one-year suspension over recruiting violations relating to the COVID-19 dead period in 2021.

The NCAA’s committee on infractions released its ruling on Wednesday and said Harbaugh “violated recruiting and inducement rules, engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations” during the time period. The NCAA also determined that Harbaugh failed to “meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation.”

The show-cause order against Harbaugh begins on Aug. 7, 2024 and continues until Aug. 6, 2028. If he were hired by any NCAA institution during that time period, the 60-year old head coach would be suspended for the entirety of his first season at that institution. After winning the 2023 national championship at Michigan, Harbaugh left this offseason to become the new head coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers.

Michigan and five of it’s staff members reached an agreement with the NCAA earlier this year regarding recruiting violations and impermissible coaching by non-coaching staff members. The university agreed that it had not properly monitored the football program in its resolution with the NCAA. As a result, Michigan was given three years’ probation, a fine of $5,000 plus 1% of its football budget and a number of recruiting limitations. Harbaugh was a participant in that agreement between the university and the NCAA.

The NCAA’s full press release regarding its findings and punishment of Harbaugh can be read below, or by clicking here.