Pete Thamel: Jim Harbaugh will deal with 'complications' if he stays at Michigan, possible suspension

Pete Thamel of ESPN dropped some truth on the Jim Harbaugh situation with his future at Michigan up in the air.

Ahead of the College Football Playoff, the Wolverines are preparing for the Rose Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Before kickoff comes, Thamel revealed Harbaugh could face some “complications” if he decides to remain in Ann Arbor beyond the Playoff.

According to Thamel, Harbaugh is facing multiple Level 1 violations due to his various infractions against the NCAA, and he could be suspended if he doesn’t bolt for the NFL in 2024.

“It will be complicated for Jim Harbaugh if he stays,” Thamel relented, via ESPN’s College GameDay. “Michigan earlier this month received the Notice of Allegations from the COVID-19 recruiting case. Remember, Harbaugh’s already taken a three-game, self-imposed suspension for that case. He faces additional suspicion there. The significance of the NOA coming in that case is that Harbaugh is expected to face another Level 1 violation for head coach responsibility in the Connor Stallions case. That could be an aggravated charge, because he’d be a repeat violator. That would mean a suspension that could come at a minimum of a half-game suspension.

“So moving forward for Jim Harbaugh, there are a lot of complications, as those two NCAA cases with Level 1 violations get worked through the system.”

That makes the future for Harbaugh that much more interesting. Will he leave for the NFL to avoid punishment, or will Harbaugh remain in Ann Arbor and take his medicine after the College Football Playoff?

Regardless, we know where Michigan stands, as the program reportedly offered Harbaugh a massive new contract, but there’s a no-NFL clause for 2024.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Harbaugh can become the highest paid coach in college football. However, he could not entertain a return to the NFL for next season, should he sign the deal.

“Sources say Harbaugh, whose current deal runs through 2026, received an offer from Michigan for a 10-year, $125-million contract extension that would make him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football,” Rapoport wrote. “Yet there is a caveat, and it’s NFL-related.

“If he signed the deal — which he has not yet done — Harbaugh would agree not to entertain or accept an NFL job for the 2024 season. The NFL clause would be one season only, but that’s apparently been enough to drag out the process.”

Rapoport also reported Michigan offered Harbaugh a shorter deal worth $11 million per year. Although the length of the contract was not revealed.

In nine seasons, Harbaugh is 87-25 with the Wolverines program. He arrived in 2015 after a four-year stint coaching the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to that, Harbaugh had college experience for four years coaching the Stanford program, from 2007-10.

Either way, Jim Harbaugh’s future remains a gigantic talking point. But at the moment, all his focus is on the Rose Bowl.