On Tuesday, the NCAA announced its penalties for Michigan football’s violations during COVID-19.
The Wolverines agreed to three years probation, a fine and recruiting restrictions, and five of the six current or former coaches involved accepted one-year show causes.
The sanctions stem from impermissible workouts during a COVID-19 dead period, illegal tryouts and the program “exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when noncoaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities.”
Overall, the punishment is a light one, with many calling it a “slap on the wrist” on social media.
“Michigan getting a light slap on the wrist for their violations during COVID and then their head of player personnel getting a DUI in the same 24 hours is amazing,” complained one person .
“Michigan got a slap on the wrist,” another person noted.
“Michigan got a slap on the wrist,” said a third person.
But it’s not just anti-Michigan people calling the punishment a “slap on the wrist.” Even the official Maize ‘n’ Brew X/Twitter account used the phrase, and a Michigan fan said the penalties didn’t even amount to a slap.
Michigan Football has reached a settlement with the NCAA regarding COVID-19 recruiting violations.
Slap. On. The. Wrist. @WoodsFootball has morehttps://t.co/U5QL4IODnU
— Maize n Brew (@MaizenBrew) April 16, 2024
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Jim Harbaugh was Michigan’s head coach at the time of these infractions. His lawyer, Tom Mars, released a statement earlier today following the NCAA announcement.
“Coach Harbaugh filed a lengthy response to the NOA, which unfortunately has not been made public,” Mars said . “I see that Michigan changed its position to get this resolved, which is not surprising. I can almost hear the wheels of the bus going ‘whomp, whomp.’”
Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal remains under NCAA investigation.