Michigan's Jim Harbaugh expected to be suspended to start 2023 football season
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh would not admit to lying to NCAA investigators.
And it appears that will cost him a quarter of the upcoming regular season.
Yahoo! Sports reporter Ross Dellenger reports that Harbaugh and the NCAA are nearing an agreement that would result in a four-game suspension for the 2023 season as discipline for what have been deemed false statements he made during an investigation into a Level I violation.
Michigan football spokesperson David Ablauf said the school cannot comment because "it is an ongoing case." The Free Press reached out to Harbaugh's attorney, Tom Mars, for comment but a message has not yet been returned.
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These negotiations date back to January, when sources confirmed to the Free Press that Harbaugh would not admit to knowingly misleading investigators, a Level I violation, leaving the talks at a standstill. Yahoo! reported that Harbaugh did admit to the Level II violations, which stem from recruiting violations during a COVID-19 dead period, texting a recruiting during a time not allowed and having coaches and analysts violating limits.
The Free Press confirmed the Level II violations are for recruiting violations and having too many coaches working with players.
Dellenger reports that former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is expected to receive a one-year show-cause penalty from the NCAA. He is now the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. Two current U-M assistant coaches, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight ends coach Grant Newsome, are expected to receive some kind of punishment, according to Yahoo!
The Wolverines enter the 2023 season as the favorite to win the Big Ten championship and reach the College Football Playoff for a third straight season.
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.
Michigan opens the season with four home games: Sept. 2 against East Carolina; Sept. 9 against UNLV; Sept. 16 against Bowling Green and Sept. 23 against Rutgers.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh faces suspension to start 2023 season
