The NCAA and its Committee on Infractions announced Tuesday that it confirmed a litany of impermissible recruiting activities by numerous coaches and individuals in the University of Michigan football program.
This matter is separate from the Connor Stalions scandal that clouded the Wolverines' 2023 run to the College Football Playoff title.
In its release, which also revealed that the NCAA's Committee on Infraction "split" the case and will fully release a formal decision at a later time, the NCAA revealed that five members -- some current, some former -- "reached an agreement with NCAA enforcement staff on recruiting violations and coaching activities by noncoaching staff members that occurred within the football program, and the appropriate penalties for those violations."
The NCAA per its policy is not identifying the involved individuals, but in its report did find that "the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation."
At issue in this particular probe in the Wolverines' misdeeds under Harbaugh was the staff's in-person recruiting activities -- including but not limited to Harbaugh -- during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the NCAA issued several moratoriums on in-person recruiting.
People associated with the Michigan football program last summer when the investigation was unfolding had indicated the probe stemmed from Harbaugh having purchased a cheeseburger for a recruit during an unofficial visit amidst the pandemic restrictions.
But the NCAA last August issued a rare, explicit statement that dismissed the matter as merely a ham-handed cheeseburger investigation.
"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period," NCAA vice president Derrick Crawford said in a statement, "and impermissible coaching activities — not a cheeseburger. ...
" The COI may also reject an [negotiated resolution] if it determines that the agreement is not in the best interests of the Association or the penalties are not reasonable …”
Harbaugh ended up suspended for six of Michigan's 12 regular-season games last season, and other members of the Wolverines coaching staff -- including new head coach Sherrone Moore, then the offensive coordinator -- also served various suspensions.
The NCAA's full release can be found here: "Michigan committed NCAA violations in football program."
The news comes on the day that the NCAA's spring Transfer Portal window officially opened for football, a period that runs through April 30.