According to Detroit sources and The Athletic, Michigan and Jim Harbaugh have been served with four (4) Level 2 violations and a Level 1 against Harbaugh for lying about contact with two recruits during Covid dead period. Level 1 is the most serious and may give Michigan a way to void his contract. Will they do so? Unlikely. Will the rumors of Harbaugh leaving for the Carolina Panthers heat up and get a push from U of M officials to leave? Very likely.
His “I expect to be back” answer to the rumors is not close to a denial. Maybe the fact that he knew violations would be filed (I’m sure he did) motivated him to find a new landing spot with a very large paycheck. Maybe not Mich money. But better than getting fired, lose the contract for the violations clause, and look for a co-ordinator’s job.
The rumor up here is that recruits came by for an impromptu recruiting visit during COVID, they were taken out to eat, which is a minor violation, but the coaches lied about it and that’s the Level 1.
Motivation to leave may stem from getting a letter about this while other major shenanigans are going in other places. If this is all it is, UM won’t let him go or try to push him out the door.
I’m no Michigan fan but the idea the NCAA should be punishing him is bonkers. It’s the absolute Wild West with all this NIL nonsense going on. The only level one violations should be for things like player abuse, breaking state or federal law, or the like. Strange times.
I’ve seen worse at MAC schools, and the NCAA let’s the big boys get away with anything. Sort of in agreement with @YellowNumber5 that this is a weird hill for them to die on. Especially with everything coming out about different SEC programs right now.
It’s never the crime; it’s the cover-up.
Yesterday, my son lost a tooth. I hardly ever carry cash and the wife says he gets $5. (What? I got like a quarter.) anyhow, he had a five hiding in a drawer he’d forgotten about from the time I made him sand down and repaint all my golf tees over the winter, so I borrowed it. Somehow, this actually feels worse than what The UM coach did. Yet I live as a free man!
The duller Harbaugh Bro. Apparently.