Jim Harbaugh’s departure will not affect NCAA investigations.
Michigan’s athletic director, Warde Manuel, stated on Wednesday that he anticipates Jim Harbaugh’s departure will not significantly impact the ongoing NCAA investigations into potential rule violations during Harbaugh’s tenure as the Wolverines’ football coach.
Harbaugh accepted a position with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers in late January following a national title win at Michigan, concluding his nine-season stint at his alma mater. The NCAA initiated two investigations into Harbaugh’s program during his final two years at Michigan: one concerning alleged recruiting violations amid the pandemic and another regarding an alleged illegal scouting operation. Manuel noted that he has not received updates from the NCAA on either case in recent weeks.
“Their investigation is ongoing,” Manuel remarked. “I don’t foresee [Harbaugh’s departure] altering their investigation. It will simply proceed, and we’ll see how it unfolds. We will continue to cooperate with them and support their investigative efforts.”
In the aftermath of Harbaugh’s exit, Michigan experienced the departure of several assistant coaches, including the entire defensive staff and strength coach Ben Herbert, who followed Harbaugh to the Chargers. Manuel disclosed that Michigan had planned to increase the football assistants’ budget by “a couple million dollars” before Harbaugh’s departure, and both he and Moore endeavored to retain as many coaches as possible.
“I won’t delve into specifics, but we’ve had discussions with all of them,” Manuel stated. “People decided to leave. It wasn’t due to a lack of effort on our part to retain them.”
Manuel expressed understanding towards the departing staff seeking new opportunities, noting that their exits provided Moore with an opportunity to shape the team’s identity, particularly on the defensive front. According to ESPN sources, Moore recently appointed former New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to the same position in Ann Arbor.
While Martindale and others are anticipated to join the coaching staff, Michigan has only confirmed one external assistant coach hire so far—tight ends coach Steve Casula, who previously served as UMass’ offensive coordinator. Moore elevated Justin Tress to succeed Herbert and oversee the team’s strength and conditioning.
In addition to augmenting the assistant coaches’ pool, Manuel revealed ongoing efforts to maximize players’ opportunities through NIL deals, announcing a new collaboration with Learfield and Altius Sports Partners to enhance NIL prospects for Wolverines athletes across all sports.
Manuel acknowledged criticism from Michigan fans who perceive the school’s approach to NIL as too conservative, but he believes Michigan has been proactive in promoting opportunities for its athletes. Solly Fulp, Learfield’s executive vice president for NIL operations, cited Michigan as one of the top five schools in terms of deals completed by their athletes out of the 100-plus schools they collaborate with on NIL.
Manuel views this partnership as a “long-term investment” to capitalize on evolving opportunities for college athletes to generate income, anticipating that schools will increasingly share revenue with their athletes in the near future.
“The pace is accelerating by the day,” Manuel remarked. “We must continue to consider what we offer our student-athletes. I believe changes will happen sooner rather than later.”
