ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan on Monday levied a self-imposed three-game suspension for football coach Jim Harbaugh to begin the 2023 season after alleged NCAA recruiting violations.
In a statement, the university announced that Harbaugh will miss the season-opener against East Carolina on Sept. 2, followed by games against UNLV on Sept. 9 and Bowling Green on Sept. 16, The Detroit Free Press reported.
Harbaugh, 59, will return to the sidelines on Sept. 23, when the Wolverines open their Big Ten schedule with a home game against Rutgers, according to the newspaper.
Michigan is self-imposing a three-game suspension for coach Jim Harbaugh to begin the 2023 season, stemming from alleged violations committed during the COVID-19 dead period, a source told ESPN. https://t.co/NBTM7zHitd
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) August 21, 2023
The coach faces a Level I violation for allegedly misleading NCAA investigators, who began a probe of the Wolverines football program over several Level II violations for recruiting and off-field violations, MLive.com reported.
“While the ongoing NCAA matter continues through the NCAA process, today’s announcement is our way of addressing mistakes that our department has agreed to in an attempt to further that process,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said in a statement. “We will continue to support coach Harbaugh, his staff, and our outstanding student-athletes. Per the NCAA’s guidelines, we cannot comment further until the matter is resolved.”
In a statement, Harbaugh said “I will continue to do what I always tell our players and my kids at home, ‘Don’t get bitter, get better.’”
Jim Harbaugh's comment following the news that he will serve a three-game, school-imposed suspension for the first three games of the 2023 season (East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green): pic.twitter.com/pUksrRCvL5
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) August 21, 2023
University officials said that an announcement about an interim coach will be announced at a later date, ESPN reported. Offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight ends coach Grant Newsome also face one-game penalties, MLive.com reported.
Harbaugh is beginning his ninth season at Michigan, according to Sports-Reference.com. He owns a 74-25 record in Ann Arbor, including a 13-1 mark last season.
The university is forbidden by NCAA bylaws to comment on the investigation, the Free Press reported.
During Big Ten media days in July, Harbaugh declined comment, ESPN reported. He did say that “I’d love to lay it all out there -- there’s nothing to be ashamed of -- but now is not that time.”
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