Michigan reaches settlement with NCAA for recruiting violations

Michigan will serve three years of NCAA probation, pay a fine and face recruiting restrictions after the university and five current or former football employees reached an agreement with the NCAA's enforcement staff on recruiting violations and coaching activities by noncoaching staff members, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

The agreed-upon penalties also include a one-year show-cause order for the participating individuals.

The portion of the case that involves former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers in late January, will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions, and then it will determine its full decision, according to a release from the NCAA.

Tom Mars, Harbaugh's attorney, told ESPN that neither he nor Harbaugh knew about the agreement to the case until seeing media reports Tuesday. Although Mars doesn't know whether Harbaugh would have participated, they were unaware about the discussions to resolve the case. 

Michigan agreed to violations involving impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts, and the program exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when noncoaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities (including providing technical and tactical skills instruction to players).

"Today's joint resolution pertains to the University of Michigan Athletic Department and several former and current employees," Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a prepared statement. "We are pleased to reach a resolution on this matter so that our student-athletes and our football program can move forward. We have no additional information and cannot comment further on other aspects of the NCAA's inquiries."

Michigan and its staff members who were involved are allowed to "immediately begin serving their penalties while awaiting the committee's final decision on the remaining contested portion of the case."

"Per NCAA protocol, we are not identifying individuals," Michigan associate athletic director Kurt Svoboda told ESPN. "I can note that no further game restrictions will be served by anyone who is still on the U-M staff."

First-year Michigan coach Sherrone Moore was suspended for the season opener last season when he was the offensive coordinator as part of the school's self-imposed penalties for violating NCAA rules. Harbaugh also served a three-game suspension to start the 2023 season because of NCAA recruiting infractions. 

Michigan agreed the underlying violations demonstrated "a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation," according to the NCAA. The university also agreed it failed to deter and detect the impermissible recruiting contacts and didn't "ensure that the football program adheres to rules for noncoaching staff members."

The committee's final decision -- including potential violations and penalties for Harbaugh -- is pending.

Michigan is also under a separate NCAA investigation for an elaborate off-campus sign stealing system led by former staffer Connor Stalions. The NCAA's enforcement staff notified Michigan officials and the Big Ten about the allegations on Oct. 18, 2023. The agreement between the NCAA and Michigan that was announced on Tuesday was unrelated.