Bruce Feldman explains reason for Jim Harbaugh's likely suspension

Michigan still awaits a four-game suspension that will likely be handed down to head coach Jim Harbaugh ahead of the 2023 season after alleged false statements he made to investigators regarding recruiting violations. But college football insider Bruce Feldman revealed on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ that at one point that suspension could have been longer.

“We’re expecting a four-game suspension,” Feldman said. “At one point when I had talked to folks into the winter they thought there was a chance it could be six games.”

Both Harbaugh and the NCAA have remained rather quiet on the situation, but reports of Harbaugh purchasing hamburgers for two recruits that were committed to Michigan during the COVID-19 dead period have circulated as the basis of the NCAA’s investigation.

And according to Feldman, Harbaugh being dishonest to the NCAA during the investigation regarding the matter is what’s motivating the potential suspension versus his actual actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think it was because they felt like whether he had lied or misled to the NCAA, however the NCAA’s view of this. This is the example of it’s more the coverup than the crime kind of thing. And it’s coming off the heels, not connected to, but where Tennessee got a heavy fine,” Feldman said. “Tennessee had massive cheating going on Jeremy Pruitt‘s watch, now Jeremy Pruitt was a terrible coach and lost a ton of games, so they wanted to get rid of him anyway and try to get out of their buyouts.”

A hefty $8 million fine was handed down to Tennessee after their recruiting violations, but according to Feldman regardless of the severity of the violation, the NCAA tends to be more lenient the more forthcoming parties are. Which Harbaugh has not been regarding his own investigation according to multiple reports.

“They [Tennessee] were really forthcoming under that and the NCAA likes when you come forward. The NCAA hated that Mike Garrett and USC kind of thumbed their noses at the NCAA back in the Reggie Bush days,” Feldman explained. “And so I think the fact that oh you weren’t forthcoming and just kind of hat in hand as the way it’s been described to me that that’s where this kind of falls in.”

Whether the suspension happens or not, the severity of it is not as extreme as it may sound given the overall circumstances of the situation. And at the end of the day, it will likely not have a major impact on Michigan’s season as Harbaugh looks to defend the team’s Big Ten title for a second straight season.

“Now as you know, their first four games are against really weak opponents,” Felman said. “And it’s not like he’s suspended for the first four weeks of the season, he suspended for the first four games meaning Jim Harbaugh can still lead the team essentially outside of game day. So he can get them prepared.”