Joel Klatt explains why Jim Harbaugh did not want to deal with NCAA

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers job on Wednesday night, ending a weeks long will-he-or-won’t-he saga that had plenty of wrinkles to it. Not the least of which was NCAA involvement.

Harbaugh had already been the target of some sanctions imposed by Michigan as a way to get out in front of an NCAA investigation into alleged recruiting violations stemming from the COVID-19 dead period. For that, Harbaugh sat out three games at the beginning of the 2024 season.

But there was more hanging over the program.

In addition to the aforementioned issue, the much-publicized ordeal involving low-level staffer Connor Stalions allegedly stealing other teams’ signs has yet to fully play out.

“There’s also an aspect of why deal with the NCAA?” FOX analyst Joel Klatt explained on the Joel Klatt Show. “If I’m Harbaugh there’s no way I want to deal with the NCAA. Look at what’s going on right now. They’re getting a notice of infractions about a recruiting dead period. They’re still going to be under investigation for the Connor Stalions issues. And in his mind he’s like, ‘Why?'”

NCAA concerns won’t follow Harbaugh to the NFL, where he’ll be able to focus on coaching football around the clock.

Klatt reiterated that Harbaugh was most likely going to face further discipline at some point, whether it came from the NCAA, the league office or Michigan itself, once again trying to get in front of an issue.

“He already had to serve six games of a suspension this last year,” Klatt said. “It was going to be more. I’m sure that the investigation is not going to be nothing in terms of the sign-stealing. OK? And all that will come out later.”

Harbaugh had worked to get certain language put in his contract, namely a clause that would prevent him from being fired if he was hit with a Level I or Level II violation over Stalions’ involvement in the alleged scandal.

Michigan finally caved on that language shortly before Harbaugh decided to join the Chargers, according to a report from The Detroit News.

Still, Harbaugh has a clean break now. He won’t have to worry about the NCAA any longer.

“This is an opportunity for him to just leave and not have to deal with the NCAA,” Klatt said. “I wouldn’t want to have to deal with the NCAA. They’re getting notice of allegations for recruiting dead period, meanwhile kids are pulling up to their national letter of intent signings in Lambos? Again, what are we doing? So he left and he went to the National Football League.”