Harbaugh wants ‘what’s best’ for student-athletes

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh deflected a question Thursday about the NCAA’s most recent sanctions levied against him, which included a four-year show-cause order and in effect banned him from college athletics until August 2028.

“I’m stopping the engagement there with commenting,” Harbaugh said. “But my only hope is that one day college athletics will be about what’s best for young men and young women who participate in it. That’s really all I’ve got to say about it.”

The NCAA said Harbaugh “engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.” The organization also said he denied his involvement in the violations even though the record “overwhelmingly” supports the allegations.

The show-cause order means any school wanting to hire Harbaugh must appear before the NCAA committee on infractions to explain why it wants to do so. The NCAA’s order for Harbaugh started Wednesday and runs through Aug. 6, 2028.

“During the show-cause order, Harbaugh would be barred from all athletically related activities, including team travel, practice, video study, recruiting and team meetings, at any NCAA school that employed him,” the NCAA said. “Additionally, if hired during the show-cause order, Harbaugh would be suspended for 100 percent of the first season of employment. The results of those contests during Harbaugh’s suspension would not count toward his career coaching record.”

The recruiting case is separate from the NCAA’s investigation into impermissible in-person scouting and sign-stealing allegations that roiled Michigan’s championship season in 2023 and resulted in a three-game suspension of Harbaugh by the Big Ten. Regarding that investigation, Harbaugh said in a prepared statement that he was “unaware” of any wrongdoing by Michigan and said he did not apologize for anything.