Michigan football penalized by NCAA for coronavirus recruiting violations
ANN ARBOR, MI - JULY 30: Michigan Stadium, the largest stadium in the United States, and second largest stadium in the world, home of the Michigan Wolverines football team and women's lacrosse team in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 30, 2019. (Photo By R
FOX 2 (WJBK) - The NCAA has handed down penalties for the University of Michigan's football program Tuesday in connection to coronavirus recruiting violations.
Penalties include three years of probation, fine, and recruiting restrictions, the NCAA announced. According to a release, Michigan and five people who currently - or previously worked for the football program have reached an agreement with NCAA enforcement staff on recruiting violations and coaching activities by non-coaching staff members that happened in the football program.
"A Committee on Infractions panel has approved the agreement. One former coach did not participate in the agreement, and that portion of the case will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions, after which the committee will release its full decision," the announcement said.
The agreed-upon violations involve in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts, and the program exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when non-coaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities "including providing technical and tactical skills instruction to student-athletes."
The decision also involved the school's agreement that the violations "demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation."
The school agreed it did not stop or recognize the "impermissible recruiting contacts" and did not make sure that the football program adhered to rules for non-coaching staff members.
"The committee will not discuss further details in the case to protect the integrity of the ongoing process, as the committee's final decision — including potential violations and penalties for the former coach — is pending.
"By separating the cases, the Division I Committee on Infractions publicly acknowledges the infractions case and permits the school and the participating individuals to immediately begin serving their penalties while awaiting the committee's final decision on the remaining contested portion of the case. That decision will include any findings and penalties for the former coach. This is the fourth case where the committee has used multiple resolution paths."
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The penalties in this case include three years of probation for the school, a fine and recruiting restrictions with the "Level I-Mitigated classification for the school. "
The participating individuals also agreed to one-year show-cause orders consistent with the Level II-Standard and Level II-Mitigated classifications of their violations.