Michigan suspends football coach Jim Harbaugh for 3 games to begin 2023 season

Jim Harbaugh informed the Michigan football team prior to Monday's practice that the program has self-imposed a three-game suspension on him to begin the 2023 season, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Free Press.

Harbaugh, 59, will not be on the sidelines for U-M's non-conference schedule — East Carolina (Sept. 2), UNLV (Sept. 9) and Bowling Green (Sept. 16) — but will return for the Big Ten schedule, which begins the following week at home vs. Rutgers (Sept. 23).

It is unclear if Harbaugh was informed of the decision, or if he was part of a collaborative process, but this is seen as Michigan's effort at appeasing its governing body with hopes of avoiding further sanctions in the future.

"The more or less logic is 25% is the standard practice here," the source said. "That’s what Michigan believes is reasonable. It’s defensible. If the NCAA wants more, then that’s going to come out at the hearing. Regardless of what’s right for Jim Harbaugh, what’s right for Michigan is to do the right thing.

"This is clearly the right thing based on the facts of what is known."

While the saga has seemingly taken its final twist on the effects on the 2023 season (outside of clarity on who will serve as the interim coach), the story is far from over.

The Wolverines were served a draft of notice of allegations back in January, and then reports surfaced U-M and NCAA had reportedly agreed to a four-game suspension in July. That deal fell apart in the final hours in early August.

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 various recruiting and coaching infractions. The Level I offenses, deemed more serious, were from statements Harbaugh made to NCAA which the organization deemed misleading.

BIG GAMES: Jim Harbaugh's 10 greatest wins with Michigan football as a player and coach

Once the deal fell apart, it appeared the case would go through the normal hearing process — and it likely still will, which would seemingly push any punishment imposed by the NCAA into 2024 — though there remained a chance U-M could impose its own punishment.

Given the NCAA's Committee on Infractions reportedly rejected the negotiated resolution for a four-game suspension, it seemed unlikely U-M would impose a penalty of lesser severity since the NCAA is looking to bring the case before a judge.

Harbaugh, as well as offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who would have been suspended for one game (along with tight end coach Grant Newsome for their involvement in the alleged recruiting infractions), have said they cannot comment on the investigation each time they've been asked.

“As you probably already know, I'm not allowed to talk about any aspect of that ongoing situation,” Harbaugh said at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “I'm with you — I would love to lay it all out there. Nothing to be ashamed of. But now is not that time."

ANALYSIS: With cloudy future, so much is at stake for Michigan football, Jim Harbaugh in 2023

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

However they're about the only ones who aren't talking. Earlier this month, in another unusual practice, NCAA vice president of hearing operations Derrick Crawford took to social media to dispel any notions or rumors circulating that the investigation was about one now infamous off campus meal.

"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activities," he said. "Not a cheeseburger."

That got Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, fired up enough to publicly respond.

"Pursuant to the NCAA's internal operating procedures, and under threat of penalties, Michigan, the involved coaches, and their lawyers are prohibited from uttering a word about this ongoing case," he wrote. "Yet the NCAA can issue a public statement putting its spin on the case?"

So, that's where things stand.

Any further punishment as it pertains to this investigation will come from the NCAA, but only once the legal process is played out. In the meantime, Harbaugh said he has hiss full attention on the season ahead.

How could he not?

U-M is ranked No. 2 in both the USA Today Coaches and AP Poll to begin the season, and comes off a two-year stretch where it's 25-3 overall with two wins over Ohio State, two Big Ten Championships and two College Football Playoff appearances.

And per Harbaugh, entering Year 9 in Ann Arbor, this not only the deepest team of the bunch, but the mosts experienced, and farthest along any of his teams have been at this point in fall camp.

He said earlier in the summer Michigan could have the most NFL Draft picks in a single draft (which happens to take place in Detroit) of all time.

The question then becomes, with an expected mass exodus of talent, and the idea of an NCAA hearing looming overhead which would likely need to get settled before he coached any games in 2024 (it's still unclear how the NCAA will react to Michigan's supposed show of good faith with this three game ban) what does this mean for Harbaugh's future at U-M?

"You’re always thinking about it, right?," the source said. "Is he going to Pete Carroll here? I mean, I hope not, but everyone knows he wants tot win a Super Bowl. So, it’s kind of hard. I don’t think it plays a role in imposing this, but you can’t help but think about what happens down the line.

"But that’s not something (Michigan) can worry about. It can’t be part of the decision making process, you have to do the right thing.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan suspends Jim Harbaugh for 3 football games