Michigan receives massive fine, other penalties, for NCAA violations

The NCAA has announced the penalties for the Michigan football program due to the Connor Stalions sign-stealing case. And while at first glance they might seem relatively light, the actual fines are going to be massive.

First, let’s mention the show-cause orders. Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions will be kept away from the football program for ten and eight years, respectively. That might not seem like a big deal–neither is currently affiliated with the program–but there are downsides to not being able to bring back a recent National Championship-winning coach for recruiting or alumni services. Also, Denard Robinson will not be allowed back with the program for at least three years.

The NCAA determined that it would not suffice for Sherrone Moore, who deleted text messages that could have been relevant to the investigation, to only be suspended for the two games Michigan self-disciplined him for. He will also be suspended for a third game. However, the NCAA is not making him take that suspension in the 2025 season, and he can use it to sit out a cupcake game in 2026.

There are also relatively minor recruiting penalties. The big one, though, are the fines.

The NCAA didn’t simply levy a basic number for the fines. So when people see the top line amount of just $50,000, this might seem like a slap on the wrist. However, the other financial penalties are staggering. Let’s break them down:

First, the scholarships. Looking at Michigan’s data for athletic scholarships and doing some rough math, 85 football scholarships (though now up to 105 are allowed) should average to about $6 million. So 10% of that is another $600,000 in fines. And the other two fines are even bigger.

10% of Michigan’s football budget is absolutely massive. The numbers aren’t public yet, but coaching salaries alone are well over $20 million. The total…

Source link : https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/buckeyes/football/2025/08/15/michigan-receives-massive-fine-other-penalties-for-ncaa-violations/85675374007/

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Publish date : 2025-08-15 16:03:00

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