Jim Harbaugh has received a lengthy suspension following his departure from Michigan.
The former Wolverines head coach, who returned to the NFL this year after guiding the program to a national championship last season, has been handed a one-season suspension and a four-year show-cause order by the NCAA.
The scary thing about this is it has nothing to do with the more recent sign-stealing scandal.
The punishment results from the new Los Angeles Chargers head coach violating recruiting regulations as he is deemed to have made contact with recruits and players while it was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
College football’s governing body has stated that Harbaugh “engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.”
Breaking: The NCAA announced a four-year show-cause order for former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Wednesday for impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/WagAdjrGjJ
— ESPN (@espn) August 7, 2024
Of course, the sanctions will not affect Harbaugh while he’s coaching in the NFL. However, they will come into play if he opts to return to college.
The order, which covers 2024-28, would require any school intent on hiring Harbaugh to suspend him for the first full season. He would then be prevented from participating in athletics-related activities, including practice, film study, travel, recruiting, and team meetings until the order expires.
