Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh and several staff members, some of whom are no longer with the program, could face serious allegations of NCAA rules violations for which severe punishment may apply.
The alleged rules violations occurred in 2021 and violated NCAA restrictions regarding in-person recruiting contacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, a source close to the situation told The Detroit News. The source requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.
The NCAA Division I Council in March 2020, in an effort to protect the health and safety of athletic team staff members, players and recruiting prospects, established a temporary recruiting dead period which prevented in-person recruiting, including official and unofficial visits.
These allegations of impermissible contact with recruits during the COVID dead period are serious in nature and considered Level I and Level II violations — the NCAA has three levels of violations, with Level 1 being the most severe. The earliest the NCAA would deliver a Notice of Allegations to Michigan is later this month, according to the source.
A Michigan spokesman reached Thursday night did not have a comment on the allegations.
"We haven't seen this or heard from the NCAA," said Kurt Svoboda, Michigan associate athletic director for external communications and public relations.
There is precedent in cases involving impermissible contact with recruits during the COVID dead period, and the NCAA punishments have been severe. Some examples include the California State University Northridge men's basketball coach and two assistant coaches who violated recruiting rules during the COVID dead period, and Air Force also incurred recruiting violations during the same period. The CSUN head coach and four Air Force assistants received show-cause penalties, which are applied by the NCAA when major rules violations have been found. The show-cause penalty stays in effect against the coach for the amount of time designated by the NCAA and can be carried over if the coach is hired by another program while the sanctions are in effect.
The NCAA applies four levels to its violations — Level I, a “severe breach of conduct”, Level II, a “significant breach of conduct”, Level III, “breach of conduct, and Level IV which include incidental issues violations.
According to the source, the NCAA categorizes the allegations Michigan could face as Level I and II.
Level I violations, per an NCAA graphic, “seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of college sports” and provide a recruiting or competitive advantage. They can include “lack of institutional control” and “violation of head coach responsibility rules” among others.
Level II violations are, according to the NCAA, “more than minimal but less than a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage.” They can be “systemic violations that do not amount to lack of institutional control”. And Level III violations are considered isolated or limited in nature.
The allegations emerge as Harbaugh weighs his coaching options. Harbaugh just completed his eighth season coaching the Wolverines and has enjoyed tremendous success the last two seasons. Michigan has gone 25-3, including back-to-back wins against Ohio State and in the Big Ten championship, but the Wolverines’ season has ended each year in the national championship semifinals, most recently a 51-45 loss to TCU last Saturday.
Harbaugh, 59, who came to Michigan after four seasons coaching the San Francisco 49ers, which he took to a Super Bowl where he lost to his brother John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings last February but was not offered the job. He returned to Michigan, signed a five-year contract extension and vowed his NFL flirtation was over.
But reports this week have indicated the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers have expressed interest in Harbaugh for their head coaching vacations. On Monday, known in the NFL as “Black Monday," other coaching openings will be revealed as coaches are fired.
On Thursday, Harbaugh issued a statement through the Michigan football department reiterating what he said last month to reporters, that he plans to be coaching the Wolverines this season while also keeping the door open, suggesting he could leave for the NFL.
“I am aware of the rumors and speculation over the past few days,” Harbaugh said in the statement released through Michigan on Thursday. “College and NFL teams have great interest in all our personnel, from players to coaches to staff, and I truly believe that is a testament to the strength of our University of Michigan football program.
“As I stated in December, while no one knows what the future holds, I expect that I will be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023. I have spoken with President (Santa) Ono and Athletic Director Warde Manuel and appreciate their support of me and our program. Our mission as Wolverines continues, and we are preparing for the 2023 season with great passion and enthusiasm. As our legendary coach Bo Schembechler said, “Those Who Stay Will be Champions.”
