Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh's suspension agreement reportedly called off

So much for that suspension for Jim Harbaugh.

The agreed upon four-game suspension for the Michigan football coach has hit a snag and will now not happen, according to Yahoo! Sports columnist Dan Wetzel. Two assistant coaches, including offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, were slated to serve one-game suspensions.

The agreement needed approval from the NCAA Committee of Infractions, which was expected to come before U-M's season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 2.

But now, according to Wetzel's report, the deal is off. The case will now go through the normal hearing process, which will likely push any punishment into 2024.

The NCAA released a statement to Yahoo! Sports, which all but confirmed the deal is dead.

"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," NCAA vice president of hearing operations Derrick Crawford said in the statement. "It is not uncommon for the COI to seek clarification on key facts prior to accepting. The COI may also reject (a negotiated resolution) if it determines that the agreement is not in the best interest of the Association or the penalties are not reasonable. If the involved parties cannot resolve a case through the negotiated resolution process, it may proceed to a hearing, but the committee believes cooperation is the best avenue to quickly resolve issues."

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Michigan football spokesman David Ablauf said Saturday night "we are unable to comment as this is still an ongoing case."

The suspension was for the Level I and II violations the NCAA said Harbaugh and the football program committed. The Level II violations stemmed from recruiting and coaching infractions. The Level I offenses, deemed more serious, were from statements that Harbaugh made to NCAA which the organization deemed misleading.

A source told the Free Press on July 25 that U-M sent its request for a "negotiated resolution" to the committee, which would have 30 days to accept, reject or change the penalty upon receipt.

That resolution included suspensions for Moore and tight ends coach Grant Newsome, according to the source. There is also a one-year show-cause penalty for former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now the defensive coordinator for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

"We are continuing to work cooperatively with the NCAA staff on an enforcement matter," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement shortly after news broke last month. "At this time, we cannot comment further on any aspect of the matter."

Negotiations date back to January, when sources confirmed to the Free Press that Harbaugh would not admit to knowingly misleading investigators, leaving talks at a standstill. Yahoo! reported that Harbaugh did admit to the Level II violations, which the Free Press confirmed stem from recruiting violations during a COVID-19 dead period, texting a recruit during a time not allowed, having analysts serve in on-field roles and having coaches watch players work out via Zoom.

Other reports claim a violation came when a recruit's cheeseburger meal was paid for by U-M, though the Free Press has not been able to confirm that.

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"This is a one-game suspension for the actual infraction," one source said, "and three games for their belief that he was less than forthright with their investigators."

Harbaugh, who had dalliances with the NFL for a second straight offseason, was thought to be on the verge of a new contract extension with U-M, but there has been no public confirmation since Harbaugh announced he would return to Ann Arbor for the 2023 season.

Manuel did tell the Free Press earlier this summer that the two sides have, "had conversations about that" and "at the appropriate time, we'll make an announcement."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh's four-game suspension to start 2023 now not happening