The NCAA has charged University of Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh with a Level I violation for allegedly providing false or misleading information during an investigation into recruiting violations.
Sources confirm Harbaugh stands accused of failing to fully cooperate with NCAA inquiries into infractions committed during 2020’s COVID-19 recruiting dead period.
The university this week formally received notice of multiple allegations outlined earlier this year.
The accusations include four Level II violations related to improper contact with recruits by Harbaugh’s staff and football analysts conducting impermissible coaching duties.
Michigan attempted to negotiate a settlement on some charges, but could not reach an agreement with the NCAA on the severe Level I lack of cooperation violation against its prominent coach.
As a result, the university had little choice but to self-impose a 3-game suspension on Harbaugh at the beginning of the 2023 season. But the NCAA can technically still pursue additional sanctions like a show-cause penalty that would extend the ban into 2024.
The recruiting violations notice comes separate from the athletic department’s scandals around organized in-person scouting and sign stealing by former staffers that also landed Harbaugh in hot water this year.
The Big Ten already suspended him for 3 games for those transgressions violating conference sportsmanship policies.
Michigan now faces an anxious wait on the severity of NCAA penalties to come, potentially including further suspensions for its famous head coach. The university has 3 months to respond to this week’s formal notice of allegations, ahead of a 2024 infractions hearing.
Busted: Harbaugh Facing Level I NCAA Violation For Allegedly Lying To Investigators