Can NCAA punish Jim Harbaugh? Former Michigan football coach leaves for NFL amid investigations
As Jim Harbaugh heads to the West Coast, there is still some unfinished business with the NCAA.
The former Michigan football coach, who has accepted the job with the Chargers after leading Michigan to a national championship, is a key figure in two NCAA investigations into the program. The first is alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period, and the second is for Michigan's alleged sign-stealing operation headed by Connor Stalions.
Harbaugh has been suspended a total of six games for these sets of allegations. The first suspension for the alleged recruiting violations was self-imposed by Michigan, and saw him missing the first three games of the 2023 season. The second was handed down by the Big Ten and commissioner Tony Pettiti, and removed him from the Michigan sidelines for the final three games of the regular season.
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The NCAA, however, works slower. The first investigation has been ongoing since 2021 at the earliest, and the sign-stealing allegations are so robust and complicated it could be another few years before the dust settles.
Jim Harbaugh NCAA investigations
At the time of his departure, Harbaugh was implicated in two NCAA investigations into Michigan football.
Recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period (colloquially referred to as the cheeseburger investigation)
Illicit taping of opposing signs helmed by resigned staffer Connor Stalions
The former investigation saw Harbaugh suspended for three games in a self-imposed punishment by the university. The NCAA has served Michigan with a notice of allegations, which featured several Level II violations and a Level I violation alleging Harbaugh misled investigators.
The latter investigation holds the more serious allegations. Michigan was implicated in a sign-stealing scandal, in which staffers (and adjacent staffers) were allegedly sent to games to illegally film signs. Harbaugh has adamantly denied involvement in the operation. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 season amid intense pressure from conference coaches.
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Can Jim Harbaugh be punished by the NCAA as an NFL coach?
The NCAA and the NFL generally work in harmony, but the rules around coaches who left are murky.
In October, there was a report the NFL would not act as a "safe harbor," per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. The example given there was former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who didn't join the Colts as an offensive consultant until Week 7 in 2011, essentially serving a quiet six-week suspension for impermissible benefits during his tenure at Ohio State.
On the other end of the spectrum is Pete Carroll. The NCAA brought the hammer down on USC for myriad violations during Carroll's time with the Trojans, including a bowl ban and vacated wins (including a national championship). Carroll, meanwhile, carved out a successful career as an NFL coach in Seattle and emerged largely unscathed (though he later expressed contrition for leaving and the program being sanctioned thereafter).
Although Carroll's situation came under a different set of rules (Carroll's tenure was marred by a "lack of institutional control," whereas current NCAA bylaws assume coaches are accountable for every part of their program), it's still more comparable. Suspending an offensive analyst is one thing. Suspending a head coach is another entirely.
Only time will tell what will happen with Harbaugh and Michigan. But with Harbaugh gone, the biggest questions now come down to what the future holds for the legacy of Team 144. There's an argument to be made two arguably premature suspensions are enough. But the college football world will know more when the NCAA follows up.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Can NCAA punish Jim Harbaugh in NFL? What to know about investigations
