Chargers News: Jim Harbaugh-Era Wolverines Penalized For Recruiting Gaffes

New Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was previously suspended for the end of his Michigan Wolverines' 2023 regular season run due to some NCAA violations (he returned to the postseason to lead them to a CFP national championship), is in hot water again for improprieties regarding his staff's conduct with his old squad.

Andrew Birkle of The Detroit Free Press/USA Today reports that the Wolverines are now on probation for the next three seasons as a result of Harbaugh allowing non-coaching staffers to partake "in impermissible roles" and for NCAA violations incurred at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond the probation period, Michigan is being dinged for recruiting penalties and a fine. The punishment was agreed upon by "five individuals who currently or previously worked for its football program," the NCAA and Michigan itself.

The NCAA and the NFL are totally different sports bodies, so this has little impact on how Harbaugh will be able to conduct himself this season with the Bolts. It's not the kind of publicity he would like to start his Los Angeles tenure, perhaps, but it's not fatal.

With this hopefully now settled, Harbaugh can perhaps focus his full attention on the task at hand: presumably grabbing up as many Michigan players as possible out of next week's NFL draft.