Jim Harbaugh critics get more fuel for their fire after NCAA ruling

Travis Wakeman

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Jim Harbaugh critics get more fuel for their fire after NCAA ruling image

Jim Harbaugh came back to the NFL at the right time. That was either a well-planned tactic or a stroke of good timing. His critics would prefer the former. 

Harbaugh is focused on his new gig as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers and will not apologize for the sign-stealing situation the University of Michigan was involved in last season. However, he has been hit with some different penalties that were handed down by the NCAA on Wednesday. 

Harbaugh has been given a four-year show cause order and a one-year suspension following an investigation into impermissible recruiting in 2021 related to the pandemic. 

Jim Harbaugh not likely to return to college football

If Harbaugh were to be hired by a school within the next four years, he would automatically be suspended for the first year of employment. 

Harbaugh won the national championship with the Wolverines last year but that title will always be questioned in the court of public opinion. The critics who felt that Harbaugh decided to return to the NFL now, to avoid all of the penalties they say he knew were coming, will use Wednesday's ruling to aid in their argument.

Harbaugh's attorney, Tom Mars, released the following statement on Twitter/X:

Harbaugh may never coach in college again and almost certainly won't in the next four years. Fans of the Chargers would like to have him around for a long time. 

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Travis Wakeman

Travis Wakeman Photo

Travis Wakeman has been covering the NFL since 2012 when he started with Bleacher Report. After reporting about the Broncos there until 2016, he joined the FanSided network as a site expert covering the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers while simultaneously covering the Broncos at Broncos Wire when that site launched. He then took over the Broncos site at FanSided in March 2020 and covered the team there until spring of 2024. A lifelong Broncos fan and fan of the game, Travis is filled with sometimes useless NFL knowledge, but it always serves him well in any trivia contest. You can follow him on Twitter/X @traviswakeman10.