Would Michigan's Jim Harbaugh Stick Around To Fight NCAA, Committee On Infractions? COI Has Now Made This A Public Battle

The NCAA finds itself at a crossroads with Michigan and Jim Harbaugh as we enter the 2023 football season. What was once a negotiated punishment of a four-game suspension, the committee of infractions has decided to take things a step further.

Talks of a four-game suspension were first reported by Yahoo. The suspension would have seen Harbaugh not take the field with his team in the month of September. The NCAA has been investigating Michigan for recruiting infractions, centering on impermissible contact with recruits during the Covid dead period. The problem for Jim Harbaugh is that the NCAA felt he wasn't being truthful about the alleged infractions.

So, we thought the problem was solved with the agreed upon suspension. But, the COI had different plans, as it rejected the settlement, sending this case most likely into 2024. The NCAA also did something we haven't seen before, in publicly commenting on message board rumors.

Yes, the once prominent NCAA decided to release a statement claiming that this case was not about Harbaugh buying a cheeseburger for a recruit.

"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.

“It is not uncommon for the COI 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.”

So, not only is the COI not agreeing with what the NCAA and Michigan agreed to, it's also decided to publicly comment on the investigation. This is also a broken rule, as the NCAA has policies that don't allow it to publicly comment on ongoing investigations. Not only is the COI disagreeing with the NCAA, it's also breaking protocol.

For what? To argue that some message board fodder isn't true, making it look even worse in the process. What we do know is that the COI is not ready to play ball with Jim Harbaugh, while trying to hold onto as much power as possible.

Jim Harbaugh Still At Michigan When COI Rules On Violations?

This is a logical question. The Michigan coach has flirted with the NFL on numerous occasions and now the NCAA seems to be looking for blood. This past offseason was filled with rumors of Harbaugh heading back to the NFL, with Michigan having to put out numerous statements on him staying in Ann Arbor.

If Harbaugh were to win a national title in 2023, which is possible, then maybe he decides it's finally time to go. There's a good chance that Harbaugh could face a harsher penalty from the COI, more than the four games previously agreed upon. If there's a chance this could happen, Harbaugh might finally get back into NFL waters.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Horned Frogs defeated the Wolverines 51-45. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

But the fact that the NCAA decided to comment on a rumor of cheeseburger buying shows how petty the organization can be. It's obvious that the NCAA and Harbaugh are on two different ends of the spectrum when it comes to this case. If the COI feels that he has repeatedly lied about the alleged infractions, then I don't see a lot of mercy being shown in the future.

As you can tell, Harbaugh is sticking to his story, which he should if it's this far down the road. Going back on his word will only make things worse, while the COI is ready to catch him in another alleged lie.

But the NCAA has made it clear in the past that they don't make it easy on folks who lie. Remember when Bruce Pearl got a three-year show-cause penalty for lying about a BBQ? I'm not implying this could be the penalty for Harbaugh, but there is enough precedent in the NCAA's muddy history.

Either way, Michigan now has to fight the NCAA in the court of public opinion, when both sides were close to a final resolution. This is setting up for an interesting case for the Committee of Infractions, if we get that far and Harbaugh sticks around after 2023.