Jim Harbaugh told staff member to cross line?

Nov 16, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this week, the NCAA announced that Jim Harbaugh would receive a four-year show-cause order in relation to recruiting violations that took place during his time as Michigan head coach. He was also suspended a full season, which he would have to serve if hired by any school during that four-year show-cause order.

In their statement, the NCAA said Harbaugh “violated recruiting and inducement rules, engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.”

The stiffness of the penalty was not specific to the Level II recruiting violations, some of which allegedly took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also due to his lack of cooperation with the investigation.

MLive reports that during the investigation, a former Michigan staffer told the NCAA that Harbaugh urged him to “get guys to campus” and told the staff to “go up to the line and cross if you ha(ve) to” during the COVID-era dead period.

An unnamed former recruiting director also told the NCAA that Harbaugh and his football staff “had no process in place to alert the athletics compliance staff when prospects were planning to visit campus” and “took no precautions during the visits to avoid in-person contact with the prospects.”

Harbaugh, who is now head coach of the Las Angeles Chargers, denied those allegations during the investigation and informed the NCCA that he was fully compliant with COVID-19 recruiting restrictions. He also claimed to have not met with any prospects during that time.

In their final report, the NCAA said they found evidence that Harbaugh held at least two in-person visits with recruits.

Following Wednesday’s NCAA ruling, Harbaugh’s attorney unloaded on what he called a “Kangaroo Court.” In defiance of the same ruling, Michigan then announced that Harbaugh would be the honorary captain for their season-opening game against Fresno State.