On Sunday, a leaked draft of an NCAA Notice of Allegations (NOA) was published, delving into the repercussions of the Michigan football sign-stealing scandal and what potential punishments the Wolverines could face.
The following day, the most prominent of the seven individuals accused of violating NCAA rules maintained his innocence.
Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who left to become the coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers after leading the Wolverines to the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship, said Monday that he will not apologize for the alleged misdeeds that have engulfed the program for the better part of 10 months.
REQUIRED READING: Sherrone Moore in hot water over Michigan football sign-stealing scandal
“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised with that lesson,” Harbaugh said. “I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams I’ve coached. No one’s perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So, it’s back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
In the draft NOA, Harbaugh is one of four former Michigan staff members accused of Level I violations, the most serious offense in the NCAA rulebook. Harbaugh allegedly failed to cooperate with the NCAA investigation after denying requests from college sports’ governing body to look through his messages and phone records. Because of that, Harbaugh could face a show cause penalty if he ever returns to the college game.
According to ESPN, the report added that there was no evidence that Harbaugh was involved in Connor Stalions’ sign-stealing operation or that he knew what was going on, but that he failed to actively search for “red flags.”
Current Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, who served as the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator last season before being promoted following Harbaugh’s departure to the NFL, allegedly deleted 52 text messages with Stalions, a Level II violation.
Late last month, Michigan released a separate 11-page NOA from the NCAA detailing allegations of impermissible contact with recruits during a mandated dead period in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. In the document, the NCAA accused Harbaugh of engaging in “dishonest conduct” after giving what it deemed to be misleading answers during an interview with investigators.
“The violations involved unethical or dishonest conduct and a failure to cooperate, which are presumed Level I and seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA Collegiate Mode,” the NOA read.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh: ‘I do not apologize’ amid Michigan sign-stealing scandal
Detroit Free Press
