Don't trust coincides, ever.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore is one of seven members from the 2023 football program accused of violating NCAA rules in a draft of the NCAA's notice of allegations obtained by ESPN.
www.espn.com
I'll try to give some background on what might happen if anyone cares to listen. I was around these situations for many years.
I'm not at all calling out leodisflowers, but a while ago he posted in a different thread that nothing would happen to Michigan because "somebody at the NCAA" told him that Michigan is one of the "sacred cows" that the NCAA won't touch. If in fact someone at the NCAA told him that, the person doesn't work for the enforcement staff or the committees on infractions office, because that statement is simply not true. There have been numerous cases regarding "marquee" schools.
But what is true is that, like the criminal justice system, the infractions committee cannot level any punishment on a member institution without evidence. The enforcement staff can only do so much to gather that evidence -- they have zero subpoena power, and nobody has to cooperate with the NCAA unless that person is presently either staff member or student-athlete at a member institution. Harbaugh and Stalions can (and most likely will) tell the NCAA to FO when requested to interview. They can then be "show-caused," but that will mean nothing unless they try to get back into college athletics. Further, big schools can be a lot better at burying or hiding incriminating evidence than the smaller fish. The big schools have far more resources (read: well-heeled lawyers).
A major problem in the infractions process in recent years was the ill-fated independent resolution process, put in place after a recommendation by Condoleezza Rice following a review of the full infractions process six or so years ago. It was a disaster until finally disbanded last year, with that group essentially letting some schools off scot-free (looking at you, Kansas) while the established infractions committee (the people who actually know what they were doing) was rightfully slamming other schools. This case will be heard by a panel of the committee that will know what it is doing.
A couple of things to watch for:
(1) It is not at all unusual for schools in these cases to stand behind their coaches, especially if they are still employed by the school and really especially if they win a lot. Now that Harbaugh is gone, Michigan is far more likely to assign blame to him, to admit that he failed to monitor his program or, depending on what evidence the enforcement staff has gathered, admit that he knew of the violations, allowed them and/or knowingly participated. That could, and I stress could, lead to a finding of unethical conduct on his part.
(2) We'll find out how high Michigan is on Coach Moore by how the school handles his situation. Will they admit he was part of the scheme? If so, will they punish him prior to the infractions hearing preemptively? Or will they try to paint him as unknowing and innocent or try to minimize any involvement on his part? Again, the actual evidence gathered by enforcement and presented to the committee panel will determine specifics.
(3) Having read a number of stories regarding the case, but still unaware of what the actual evidence might be, I look for Stalions to be show-caused for 10 years (the longest available time frame), Harbaugh for a shorter time, victories to be vacated, a large monetary fine, scholarship reductions and maybe, maybe, a short bowl ban. If victories are vacated, the entities that awarded the national titles (NOT the NCAA) will look at rescinding them, not unlike the Heisman Trust revoking Reggie Bush's trophy in 2006.
Or I could be full of it. You decide.
