Michigan Football: Three Years of Probation and Recruiting Restrictions Following NCAA Investigation

The NCAA on Tuesday placed Michigan on three years of probation, penalized the school, and placed restrictions on recruiting after football coaches and staff under coach Jim Harbaugh had improper communication with players and prospects while access was restricted due to the COVID-19 virus.

Regarding infractions involving five current and former coaches and staff members, the NCAA stated it had reached a negotiated agreement with the school that has been accepted by the committee. However, it omitted claims that Harbaugh had not cooperated with investigators. Now, that is a different case.

“We are pleased to reach a resolution on this matter so that our student-athletes and our football program can move forward. We have no additional information and cannot comment further on other aspects of the NCAA’s inquiries,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in statement.

The recruitment issue is also unrelated to the NCAA’s probe into illegal in-person scouting and sign theft, which rocked Michigan’s 2023 national title campaign and led to Harbaugh’s Big Ten punishment for three games.

Following his graduation from Michigan in 1997, Harbaugh became coach of the Los Angeles Chargers after guiding the team to its first national championship since 1997.

The NCAA did not name Harbaugh in Tuesday’s announcement.

“The negotiated resolution also involved the school’s agreement that the underlying violations demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation,” the NCAA said. “The school also agreed that it failed to deter and detect the impermissible recruiting contacts and did not ensure that the football program adhered to rules for noncoaching staff members.”

The committee stated that a final decision was still pending and that it may include sanctions and possible infractions for the former coach.

Reporting by The Associated Press.