Jim Harbaugh adamant about Michigan's stance on NIL, recruiting: 'We're not going to pay recruits to sign here'

Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh has long been a supporter of NIL — student-athletes’ ability to profit off of their name, image and likeness — which was passed last summer. However, he’s insisted that U-M will follow the spirit of the rules, providing a “transformational, not transactional” experience for current players, while acknowledging they can make money along the way.

Appearing on the Jed Hughes Podcast, Harbaugh discussed why he believes NIL is “very positive.”

“Before we jump to how it can be exploited in a bad way — as we all know, human nature, that’s something that is definitely a possibility … I think we can all agree, take jersey sales for example, or T-shirts, memorabilia, those kinds of things that every school has, every school has the bookstore or the shop where fans’ orders can go to buy their gear. It makes sense that the player whose number is on that jersey, their name is on that jersey, should share in that revenue,” Harbaugh said. “That example right there, I think, we all agree on. 

“Also, to profit off their name, their image and their likeness, I support it. You just support anybody’s ability to do that. That’s all in the positive light and the way we’re approaching things here at Michigan.”

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Unlike some schools across the country, Michigan will not engage in inducements for prospective players, Harbaugh continued.

“I’ve said this before, we’re going to still maintain that this is going to be a transformational experience, not a transactional experience,” Harbaugh said. “What that literally means exactly is, we’re not going to pay signing bonuses for players to come onto the team. We’re not going to pay recruits to sign here. When they get here and they do well, they’re going to profit pretty good here off of the jersey sales and other examples.

“Simply put, that’s how I feel about it and what our policy is here. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s not the way to do it.”

The Michigan coach also pointed out that culture issues could arise from incoming players being paid just to join the team, while older athletes weren’t afforded that same luxury.

“Boy, imagine yourself on a team and there are good players on the team who have worked really hard,” Harbaugh said. “Some of those seniors, how important that senior leadership is and guys who have stuck around and paid the price and are producing. If the policy on your team is to buy some of your recruits, I don’t think it’ll sit well. From that standpoint, and others, that’s our decision.”

And they’re sticking with it because it’s what the rules call for, Harbaugh alluded. That runs in counter to Ohio State coach Ryan Day saying the Buckeyes will need $13 million to keep their roster intact next offseason, or rumors that southern schools like Texas A&M are buying their recruiting classes.

“When you just look at this, the way that rules are and the very good thing that we were talking about earlier, with name, image and likeness, the players should be able to profit from their name, image and likeness,” Harbaugh said. “What does the coach have anything to do with that, other than make the player the best player he can possibly make?

“Some are making it sound like the coach is making a salary cap or something, the one that is writing the checks. That’s not what it’s designed for. This is designed for players to profit off their name, image and likeness. Period.”

Michigan football’s NIL collective — the ‘Champions Circle’ — is designed to follow Harbaugh’s lead. Valiant Management co-founder Jared Wangler has stated his intentions that current student-athletes will be the ones profiting. And to the extent that it’ll be used as a recruiting tool is that prospective players will see how much current ones are making and want to join the fold.

“We’re drawing a line in the sand by saying that we will not be entertaining anything with prospective student-athletes and that we’re just looking to maximize earning opportunities for our current student-athletes,” Wangler told TheWolverine.com.