ANN ARBOR, Michigan (AP) — The NCAA on Wednesday issued a four-year restraining order against former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh for improper contact with recruits and players during the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively banning him from college sports until August 2028.
The NCAA said Harbaugh, who left his alma mater to coach the Los Angeles Chargers after last season’s undefeated national championship, “failed to create an atmosphere of compliance with the rules and violated his duties as head coach.”
“Harbaugh acted unethically and failed to cooperate when he denied any involvement in improper recruiting contacts despite having substantial information to the contrary,” the NCAA said in a 48-page decision that repeatedly suggested the coach had not been honest with investigators.
Harbaugh will only face the penalty if he unexpectedly returns to college football within the next four years.
The recruiting case is not related to the NCAA’s investigation into improper personal scouting and Allegations of sign theft that disrupted Michigan’s 2023 championship season and led to a Harbaugh suspended for three games by the Big Ten Conference.
Multiple cases of rule violations in such a short period of time could cause the NCAA to treat Michigan as a repeat offender and impose harsher penalties on the school in the sign-stealing case.
“It probably depends more on how the committee (on violations) interprets the entire case and whether it gives the institution the benefit of the doubt in some areas,” said Jay Ezelle, a Birmingham, Alabama-based attorney who has handled NCAA cases.
New Michigan coach Sherrone Moore is facing allegations that he violated NCAA rules regarding the Investigation into scouting and sign theftthree people briefed on an impending memorandum of allegation told The Associated Press last weekend. All spoke on condition of anonymity because the memo was confidential.
Two of the people said Moore was accused of deleting text messages with Connor Stallions – the former junior recruiting staff member who coordinated an off-campus pre-scouting operation – around the time the investigation opened.
One of the people said the NCAA recommended a less serious Level 2 violation for Moore, adding that messages between Moore and the Stallions were found and the coach submitted them to the NCAA.
The NCAA had already sentenced Michigan to three years’ probation, a fine and recruiting restrictions after reaching a negotiated settlement in the case. Harbaugh did not agree to the agreement and denied allegations that he did not cooperate with investigators. His case was handled separately.
The Committee on Infractions found that Harbaugh’s “willful disregard” of NCAA rules increased the severity of the case, leading the panel to classify Harbaugh’s case as serious (Level I), resulting in a one-year suspension under the hearing order.
The order is in effect until August 6, 2028. It requires any school seeking to hire Harbaugh over the next four years to suspend him for the first full season. After that, Harbaugh would continue to be barred from sports-related activities such as team travel, practices, video study, recruiting and team meetings until the order expires.
Harbaugh’s attorney, Tom Mars, said the coach was not invited to participate in the settlement process, nor did he know that an agreement had been reached between the school and the NCAA. He sharply criticized the NCAA’s punishment.
“From Coach Harbaugh’s perspective, today’s COI decision is like being in college and getting a letter from high school saying you were suspended for not signing your yearbook,” Mars wrote on social media“If I were in Coach Harbaugh’s shoes and had an $80 million contract as head coach of the Chargers, I would pay no attention to the findings of a sham court claiming to represent the principles of the most blatant and repeated violator of federal antitrust law in the country.”
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel noted that the school has already accepted the sanctions and served many of them.
“Our employees have worked to improve processes and we are focused on the future and our commitment to integrity and compliance,” Manuel said.
Moore, who was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach when Harbaugh joined the Chargers, stepped in as assistant head coach four times last season while Harbaugh served suspensions, including the final game of the regular season against Ohio State.
Personal scouting is banned by the NCAA, which investigated Michigan’s alleged system to determine how organized it was and who knew about it. Stalions, who did not cooperate with the NCAA in the investigation, will break his silence on August 27 on Netflix when the documentary “Sign Thief” makes its debut on the streaming service.
“I don’t apologize” Harbaugh said on Monday when asked about the NCAA’s notice to the Wolverines about sign stealing: “I did not participate. I was not aware of or involved in those allegations.”
In the recruiting case, the NCAA sharply questioned Harbaugh’s “vague” answers during questioning by investigators, at one point asking “whether he had lied to law enforcement officials.”
“I don’t believe I’m providing false or misleading information,” Harbaugh replied.
The NCAA found that Harbaugh did not remember meeting with recruits, despite confirmation from at least one of his own staff and the candidates’ families. One recruit specifically recalled the coach “ordering a hamburger for breakfast, which ‘kind of caught his eye.'” Other evidence provided by the NCAA included a text message from Harbaugh to a recruit.
“Given the substantial amount of reasonable and credible information in the record, Harbaugh’s denials are not credible,” the NCAA said.
Harbaugh’s punishment and the news of the sign-stealing scandal all come as Michigan looks to defend its national title. The Wolverines open the season at home against Fresno State on Aug. 31.
“These things happen when you’re at the top,” Michigan defensive back Quinten Johnson said a few hours before the penalties against Harbaugh were announced. “It’s not really a cause for concern right now.”
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AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo contributed. Follow Larry Lage at https://twitter.com/larrylage
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