STORY: Michigan, NCAA Working Out A 4-Game Suspension For Jim Harbaugh
It appears Michigan football will be without Jim Harbaugh for at least the first four weeks of the 2023 season.
Michigan and the NCAA are working on an agreement to suspend Harbaugh for the first four weeks of the season. Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger is the first to report the story.
Dating back to last winter, the NCAA was investigating Michigan for recruiting violations. In a notice of allegations sent to Michigan last winter, the association cited four Level II violations, including meeting with two recruits during a COVID-19 dead period, texting a recruit outside of an allowable time period, having analysts perform on-field coaching duties during practice, and having coaches watching players work out via Zoom.
But the real kicker to the story is the NCAA says Harbaugh 'lied' and was not 'truthful' during the investigation. Harbaugh himself has said before that he couldn't recall the events that took place and that he was never purposefully dishonest.
Lying during an investigation is a Level 1 violation in the eyes of the NCAA. That could lead to a six-game suspension, but it looks likely there will be a resolution of four games. It's believed if Harbaugh would've been forthcoming right away, the punishment could have been a slap on the wrist.
Also in the report, coaches Mike MacDonald, Sherrone Moore, and Grant Newsome will all serve some type of punishment. Moore and Newsome may be held out of the first game against East Carolina, while MacDonald -- who is now in the NFL -- will likely serve a one-year show clause. That makes it more difficult for Macdonald to get back into the college ranks.
Michigan's first four games of the season aren't very grueling for the Wolverines. They open the season up with East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green, and Rutgers -- all at home. While it's not good Harbaugh will serve any kind of suspension, the games he will miss shouldn't be challenging.
Harbaugh is expected to be in attendance at the Big Ten Media Days on Thursday, so we will continue to update the story with more information when it comes available.
