The NCAA Division I Council is moving to strengthen "personal accountability" during the enforcement process, the organization has announced.
Among the changes, coaching suspensions would be expanded to include days between games, rather than game days themselves.
While he was not mentioned specifically by the NCAA, the move comes weeks after Jim Harbaugh's 3-game suspension last month. While Harbaugh himself compared the suspension to "a baseball bat to the kneecaps," it also became a game of Where's Waldo? to see how Michigan's head coach spent his Saturdays away from Michigan Stadium.
Michigan won all three Harbaugh-less games, defeating East Carolina 30-3, UNLV 35-7, and Bowling Green 31-6.
For what it's worth, Harbaugh's suspension was self-imposed. Michigan sat Harbaugh for three games after the Committee on Infractions rejected a planned 4-game suspension as part of the NCAA's investigation into Harbaugh allegedly recruiting during the COVID-19 shutdown. It's possible the Committee on Infractions adds additional games next season.
In addition to expanding the scope of suspensions, the Division I Council has also approved creating a public database of coaches who have committed Level I/II violations, expanding the disassociation penalties for boosters, and attaching penalties for schools that employ coaches under show-cause orders.
The changes are expected to become official on Wednesday, and could go into effect as soon as January.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.