University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh will miss the first three games of this season after being suspended.
The 59-year-old Harbaugh told the team about the decision on Monday, The Detroit News reported.
Michigan opens the season on September 2 against East Carolina. The coach will return for the Wolverines’ September 23 Big Ten opener against Rutgers.
The newspaper reported the suspension comes after Harbaugh was accused of lying to and misleading NCAA investigators looking into recruiting violations.
Earlier this summer, a negotiated settlement between the NCAA and Harbaugh fell apart. The NCAA Committee on Infractions announced on August 11 that it was rejecting the proposal.
“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,” Derrick Crawford, NCAA vice president of hearing operations, said in the statement, rejecting the original settlement. “It is not uncommon for the [committee on infractions] to seek clarification on key facts prior to accepting. The COI may also reject an NR [negotiated resolution] if it determines that the agreement is not in the best interests 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.”
By suspending Harbaugh on its own, the university is hoping to avoid harsher penalties from the NCAA, the newspaper reported.
At Big Ten media days in July, Harbaugh said he would like to share his side of the story.
“As you probably already know, I’m not allowed to talk about any aspect of that ongoing situation,” Harbaugh said July 27 in Indianapolis, Detroit Free Press reported. “I’m with you — I would love to lay it all out there. Nothing to be ashamed of. But now is not that time.”
