Jim Harbaugh informed the Michigan football team before Monday’s practice that the program has self-imposed a three-game suspension on him to begin the 2023 season, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Free Press.
Harbaugh, 59, will not be on the sidelines for Michigan’s non-conference schedule — East Carolina (Sept. 2), UNLV (Sept. 9) and Bowling Green (Sept. 16) — but will return for the Big Ten schedule, which begins the following week at home vs. Rutgers (Sept. 23).
Harbaugh reportedly faces punishment from the NCAA over the investigation into possible recruiting violations and misleading NCAA investigators. The Wolverines were served a draft of notice of allegations back in January, and then reports surfaced Michigan and NCAA had reportedly agreed to a four-game suspension in July. That deal fell apart in the final hours in early August, leaving Harbaugh free to coach this season, but facing a future hearing — and potentially a larger punishment.
“While the ongoing NCAA matter continues through the NCAA process, today’s announcement is our way of addressing mistakes that our department has agreed to in an attempt to further that process,” Michigan athletics director Warde Manuel said in a release Monday. “We will continue to support coach Harbaugh, his staff, and our outstanding student-athletes. Per the NCAA’s guidelines, we cannot comment further until the matter is resolved.”
Harbaugh’s response, in a statement released by the school, didn’t have much to say on the suspension: “I will continue to do what I always do and what I always tell our players and my kids at home, ‘Don’t get bitter, get better.'”
It is unclear whether Harbaugh was informed of Michigan’s decision or whether he was part of a collaborative process, but this is seen as Michigan’s effort at appeasing the NCAA, with hopes of avoiding further sanctions in the future.
It’s also unclear who will serve as the Wolverines’ interim coach. Manuel’s statement said Michigan would announce that later, but even with the self-imposed punishment and previous recruiting sanctions, the story is far from over.
The suspension stems from alleged Level I and II violations the NCAA said Harbaugh and the football program committed. The Level II violations stemmed from various recruiting and coaching infractions. The Level I offenses, deemed more serious, were from statements Harbaugh made to NCAA, which the organization deemed misleading.
The lack of a deal on the suspension means Harbaugh’s case will go through the normal hearing process — likely pushing any punishment imposed by the NCAA into 2024.
Given that the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions reportedly rejected the negotiated resolution, a lesser penalty seems unlikely.
Harbaugh isn’t the only Michigan coach facing punishment, with offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight end coach Grant Newsome each facing a one-game ban for their involvement in the alleged recruiting infractions. Michigan is not allowed by NCAA bylaws to comment on the investigation, something Harbaugh, Moore and Newsome have said each time they’ve been asked.
“As you probably already know, I’m not allowed to talk about any aspect of that ongoing situation,” Harbaugh said July 27 at Big Ten media days in Indianapolis. “I’m with you — I would love to lay it all out there. Nothing to be ashamed of. But now is not that time.”
But others spoke instead. NCAA vice president of hearing operations Derrick Crawford, in an unusual practice, sent out a statement to dispel any notions or rumors circulating that the investigation was about one now-infamous off-campus meal.
“The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities,” he said. “Not a cheeseburger.”
That got Tom Mars, Harbaugh’s attorney, fired up enough to publicly respond.
“Pursuant to the NCAA’s internal operating procedures, and under threat of penalties, Michigan, the involved coaches, and their lawyers are prohibited from uttering a word about this ongoing case,” he wrote. “Yet the NCAA can issue a public statement putting its spin on the case?”
Any further punishment as it pertains to this investigation will come from the NCAA, but only once the legal process is played out. In the meantime, Harbaugh said he has his full attention on the season ahead.
Michigan is ranked No. 2 in both the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll and AP Poll to begin the season, and comes off a two-year stretch where it’s 25-3 overall with two wins over Ohio State, two Big Ten championships and two College Football Playoff appearances.
