Jim Harbaugh Likely Facing Four-Game Suspension

The punishment is due to an infractions case that stems from impermissible recruiting contacts and benefits during the COVID-19 dead period in 2020.

Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh could be headed toward a four-game suspension to start this season, sources have confirmed to Sports Illustrated. Yahoo Sports initially reported the potential suspension.

A negotiated resolution has been reached between NCAA Enforcement and the school and it has been submitted to the Committee on Infractions for approval or rejection, sources familiar with the process say. The general timeline for the COI to sign off on a negotiated resolution is about 30 days. The committee could adjust the penalty or call for a full hearing, which would extend the process several months. Sources said that is not a likely outcome.

Thus Harbaugh’s status should be clarified before the Wolverines open the season against East Carolina on Sept. 2. With or without Harbaugh, Michigan figures to be a heavy favorite in its first four games against ECU, UNLV, Bowling Green and Rutgers. The Wolverines are expected to begin the season ranked in the top five nationally.

Harbaugh and other Michigan staffers—current offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, tight ends coach Grant Newsome and former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald—all could receive sanctions for their part in an infractions case that stems from impermissible recruiting contacts and benefits during the COVID-19 dead period in 2020.

Harbaugh has been accused of lying to NCAA investigators in initial interviews about impermissible contacts he and his staff had with prospects. In this case, the penalties likely would have been considerably smaller if Harbaugh had not allegedly misled investigators.

Tom Mars, a high-profile attorney in the college sports space, is representing Harbaugh in the case. He issued a comment to SI: “We are continuing to work cooperatively with the NCAA staff on an enforcement matter. At this time, we are not allowed to comment on possible penalties or other aspects of the matter.” Multiple NCAA representatives also declined to comment.

Michigan originally contested proposed NCAA penalties for Harbaugh and his staff last winter, leading to a protracted process. However, sources familiar with the ongoing discussions between Enforcement and Michigan expressed optimism earlier this summer that a negotiated resolution could be reached without the need for a COI hearing.

Penalties for Moore and Newsome could be smaller than for Harbaugh, sources told SI. Macdonald could face a larger penalty, but he is now in the NFL working for John Harbaugh, Jim’s brother.

The NCAA’s infractions dashboard provides some further detail on the Michigan case’s progress. The case originated May 24, 2021, with a self-report of potential violations from the school. That launched a 255-day Enforcement investigation, which led to a Feb. 16, 2022, draft of initial NCAA allegations for “consideration of resolution options.”

However, two days later the Enforcement staff received additional information that extended the investigation twice–first to Aug. 31, 2022, then until Jan. 31, 2023. On Jan. 5, the NCAA again submitted a draft of initial allegations to involved parties, and it was after that date that news first started to surface publicly about the inquiry, and Michigan’s pushback against a resolution. A request for documentation from “two parties” involved in the case was not met by Feb. 3, delaying the process two more months.

By mid-June, all parties had agreed to a negotiated resolution process, per the NCAA dashboard. By June 28, the NCAA delivered its official notice of allegations to the school.