At SoFi Stadium following the Chargers’ preseason loss to the Rams, head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke briefly to the media but declined to comment on a bombshell NCAA ruling against his former program, the University of Michigan.
When asked about the sweeping penalties including a multi year fine amounting to tens of millions of dollars and a three-game suspension for Michigan’s interim head coach Sherrone Moore Harbaugh offered only a terse, “Not engaging,” repeating a refrain he’s used before .
The NCAA’s sanctions stem from a sign stealing scandal during Harbaugh’s time at Michigan. The university was sanctioned for running an off-campus, in-person scouting operation that violated NCAA rules, leading to the disclosure of 56 separate incidents across 52 games. Disciplinary measures include severe financial penalties, probation, scholarship reductions, recruiting restrictions, and show-cause orders for involved personnel .
Harbaugh himself was slapped with a 10-year show cause penalty starting in 2028 following an earlier four year order effectively barring him from returning to college football for a significant time . Michigan, meanwhile, avoided any postseason ban, a decision the NCAA says was made to avoid penalizing current student-athletes for past violations .
Michigan plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the NCAA’s claims reflect misinterpretations. Harbaugh, meanwhile, continues to withhold his opinion from the public.