NCAA imposes four-year “show cause” order on Jim Harbaugh over COVID recruiting violations [Video]

If things don’t work out for Jim Harbaugh in L.A., he won’t be going back to college football. Not for at least four years.

The NCAA has imposed a four-year “show cause” order on the former Michigan coach. The punishment stems not from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal but from recruiting violations during the COVID deal period.

From the press release: “Throughout the investigation, Harbaugh denied his involvement in the violations, which were overwhelmingly supported by the record. Harbaugh also refused to participate in a hearing before the committee. . . . Harbaugh’s violations of the COVID-19 recruiting dead period are Level II violations, but his unethical conduct and failure to cooperate with the membership’s infractions process — specifically, his provision of false or misleading information — is a Level I violation.”

The “show cause” order means that, if any NCAA program hires Harbaugh during the four-year period, it will be required to …