Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to be suspended for the start of the 2023 season amid an NCAA investigation into alleged recruiting violations that occurred during the so-called “dead period” that occurred during the COVID pandemic.
According to multiple reports, including from MLive’s Aaron McMann, Harbaugh told the team during a meeting on Monday that he will be suspended for the first three games of the 2023 campaign, with the school hoping that the punishment will help soften any further punishment from the NCAA.
A suspension of that length would keep Harbaugh out of Michigan’s non-conference games against East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green, with a return date of Sept. 23 for the Big Ten opener vs. Rutgers.
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Previously, it had appeared that the two sides were working toward a four-game suspension, according to reporting from Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger and ESPN’s Pete Thamel, but the deal fell apart earlier this month.
According to Dellenger, Harbaugh was “dishonest about recruiting violations” during conversations with NCAA investigators during an ongoing probe, but the matter has been referred for a hearing after settlement talks ended.
Harbaugh is entering his ninth season at Michigan, with a 74-25 record to his credit in those campaigns. He led the Wolverines to a 13-1 season in 2022, with Michigan claiming the Big Ten title before falling to TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.