Michigan finally received the notice of allegations from the NCAA over alleged recruiting violations during the COVID dead period, the anticipation of which led to coach Jim Harbaugh’s first suspension of the 2023 season, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
Harbaugh faces a Level I violation for allegations of not cooperating with and in fact misleading the NCAA’s investigation into the lesser four violations, which are Level II.
Michigan first saw a draft of the notice of allegations in January. The secondary violations reportedly include an analyst coaching players on the field and text messages that violated NCAA rules, per the report. Michigan self-reported the violation regarding the analyst.
Michigan self-imposed the three-game suspension to open the season after the NCAA Committee of Infractions (COI) did not approve a negotiated resolution of a four-game suspension. Harbaugh missed home games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green but the COI released a statement warning that the self-imposed penalty might not be “reasonable.”
Lying to investigators is an NCAA Level I violation and carries a mandatory six-game suspension.
“The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities — not a cheeseburger,” Derrick Crawford, NCAA vice president of hearing operations, said in an August statement.
Harbaugh, 59, denied that he lied to investigators, claiming he didn’t recall details they were requesting around meetings with recruits.
Harbaugh was suspended for the final three regular season games by the Big Ten over the sign-stealing scandal that could still render major penalties from the NCAA.
Harbaugh returned for the Big Ten Championship and will coach the Wolverines in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Alabama.
–Field Level Media
