Despite Jim Harbaugh leaving college football for another shot at the NFL as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, the NCAA punished the former Michigan head coach. What were the penalties, what do they stem from, and will Harbaugh ever coach on the college stage again?
NCAA Penalizes Former Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
The NCAA served Harbaugh a four-year show-cause order and suspended him for one season.
If a collegiate program hires him during those four years, he will have to sit out an entire season and would be “barred from all athletically related activities, including team travel, practice, video study, recruiting, and team meetings” until his show-cause order is fulfilled.
In short, even if Harbaugh completely crashed out with the Chargers in one or two seasons, he couldn’t attempt to revitalize his image in the college ranks for another three or two years.
The punishment is unrelated to the NCAA’s ongoing sign-stealing investigation into the Wolverines’ program. Instead, it revolves around Michigan’s recruiting violations during Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach.
The NCAA found the program conducted in-person recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period, had impermissible tryouts involving recruits, and exceeded the number of coaches allowed in practice.
As a result, Michigan will endure a three-year probation, recruiting restrictions, and an unspecified fine. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for three games and then-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore for one to begin last season as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA.
However, Harbaugh was not part of an earlier agreement with the governing body that allowed other staffers to begin serving their penalties immediately. Harbaugh’s attorney, Tom Mars, posted a scathing reaction on X in response to the punishment announcement.
My thoughts on today’s NCAA decision re Coach Harbaugh. 🦘⚖️ https://t.co/eMtUdIgXK5 pic.twitter.com/4LvPtXnxUj
— Tom Mars (@TomMarsLaw) August 7, 2024
While Harbaugh is focused on turning the Chargers into the Kansas City Chiefs’ biggest competition in the AFC West, the Wolverines are awaiting a Notice of Allegations regarding the alleged sign-stealing investigation.
Harbaugh was adamant that he has nothing to apologize for after being asked about his role in the scandal:
“No one’s perfect. If you stumble, you apologize, and you make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware, nor complicit in those said allegations. So for me, it’s back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
KEEP READING: College Football Coaches Leaving for the NFL 2024
Sign-stealing is not specifically prohibited, but off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents is illegal. Michigan was accused of purchasing tickets to scout future opponents and sending staffers to those games to digitally record teams signaling their plays.
At the center of the controversy was off-field football analyst Connor Stalions, who will tell his side of the story for the first time on Netflix’s documentary “Untold: Sign Stealer,” which will be released on Aug. 27.
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