Michigan Wolverine Football Program Agrees to Penalties

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Michigan Wolverines' football program and key personnel have entered into an agreement with the NCAA enforcement staff over recruiting violations and coaching misconduct, marking a significant development in collegiate athletics compliance.

The agreement, approved by a Committee on Infractions panel, addresses infractions such as impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts and exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches.

The Agreed-upon Penalties

The agreed penalties involve three years of probation for the school, a fine and recruiting restrictions. The individuals face one-year show-cause orders. The school admitted to failing to deter and detect impermissible recruiting contacts and not ensuring adherence to rules for non-coaching staff members. The committee will separately consider the case of one former coach.

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Harbbaugh Excluded from NCAA Agreement

Michigan’s football program faces further scrutiny as one former coach, presumed to be former head coach Jim Harbaugh, opted out of the agreement reached with the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions. The NCAA’s notice of allegations, sent to Michigan in January, outlined several violations, including impermissible meetings with recruits during a COVID-19 dead period and exceeding limits for on-field coaches.

The violations, categorized as Level II infractions, also include texting recruits outside of contact periods and having analysts instruct players during practice, which exceeds NCAA limits. Additionally, coaches were found to have monitored players’ workouts over Zoom, further complicating the situation for the program.

Notably, Harbaugh had previously served a self-imposed three-game suspension at the start of the 2023 season for allegedly making false statements during the investigation. However, his decision not to participate in the current agreement with the NCAA indicates a separate and ongoing legal battle for the former coach.

Final Hammer Pending for the Michigan Wolverines

While the committee’s final decision is pending, the Division I Committee on Infractions has permitted the immediate implementation of penalties for the agreed-upon violations. This marks the fourth case utilizing multiple resolution paths. Further details will be released once the committee finalizes its decision.