ANN ARBOR, Mich. — On the Brown Jug, a well-liked campus hang-out, prospects can order Jim Harbaugh’s 10 oz. Sirloin Steak or his father Jack’s Well-known Brown Jug Burger in a sports activities bar that shares its identify with the image of Michigan’s rivalry towards Minnesota.
Like its namesake, a five-gallon Crimson Wing Pottery jug allegedly bought in 1903 as a result of Michigan feared somebody would possibly tamper with its water provide, the Brown Jug restaurant has turn into embellished in its personal piece of Michigan lore. The story has all of the options of a traditional faculty soccer caper: a lightning-rod coach, a whiff of espionage and conspiracy theories galore, all set towards the backdrop of Michigan’s march to a few consecutive Large Ten championships and the 2023 nationwide championship.
In January 2023, months earlier than Connor Stalions’ identify grew to become identified to school soccer in a sign-stealing scandal and a 12 months earlier than the Wolverines hoisted the championship trophy in Houston, information broke that Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have been being investigated for recruiting violations that occurred throughout the NCAA’s COVID-19 lifeless interval. A reporter posted on a message board that Harbaugh’s transgression was shopping for a “Jug burger” for 2 dedicated recruits who made an impromptu cease in Ann Arbor throughout the lifeless interval, then denying it when confronted by the NCAA.
The story of the cheeseburger on the Brown Jug gained widespread traction publicly, enjoying right into a well-established narrative in regards to the arbitrary NCAA rulebook. In response, Derrick Crawford, NCAA vice chairman for listening to operations, took the uncommon step of commenting on an ongoing case after the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions rejected a negotiated decision in August 2023.
“The Michigan infractions case is expounded to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting throughout the COVID-19 lifeless interval and impermissible teaching actions — not a cheeseburger,” Crawford mentioned.
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For the previous three years, Harbaugh and Michigan have been caught up within the NCAA’s maze of investigations, appeals, negotiated resolutions and bifurcated rulings that may make any faculty soccer fan’s eyes glaze over. Harbaugh versus the NCAA is the story everyone is aware of and virtually nobody understands.
Greater than six months after Harbaugh left Michigan to teach the Los Angeles Chargers, particulars are filtering into public view. On Wednesday, the NCAA gave Harbaugh a four-year show-cause order and a one-season suspension in reference to the case often known as “Burgergate.” It adopted Michigan receiving a draft discover of allegations on Sunday within the case involving Stalions, a former staffer who allegedly coordinated a scheme to gather video footage of opponents’ alerts.
However with Harbaugh again within the NFL, the NCAA not has jurisdiction to punish him, and he has no intention of teaching faculty soccer anytime quickly.
“Right this moment’s COI determination is like being in faculty and getting a letter out of your highschool saying you’ve been suspended since you didn’t signal the yearbook,” Harbaugh’s lawyer, Tom Mars, wrote partly on X. “If I have been in Coach Harbaugh’s footwear and had an $80 million contract as head coach of the Chargers, I wouldn’t pay any consideration to the findings of a kangaroo courtroom.”
My ideas on at the moment’s NCAA determination re Coach Harbaugh. 🦘⚖️ https://t.co/eMtUdIgXK5 pic.twitter.com/4LvPtXnxUj
— Tom Mars (@TomMarsLaw) August 7, 2024
Harbaugh has maintained his innocence and did so once more this week when requested in regards to the allegations within the Stalions case. However the NCAA’s ruling within the COVID-19 case, mixed with paperwork obtained by way of Freedom of Data Act requests and conversations with sources concerned within the course of, inform a unique story than the model that was broadly identified.
In line with the ruling launched Wednesday by the NCAA, Harbaugh met a recruit and his father for breakfast at a neighborhood diner in February 2021, when in-person recruiting was prohibited as a well being and security measure, and organized for them to go to Michigan’s soccer facility. Harbaugh met one other prospect and his father on the similar diner the next month. When confronted by the NCAA, Harbaugh denied having any reminiscence of the conferences. He went a step additional in a subsequent interview, in accordance with the ruling, “unequivocally disputing that both assembly occurred.”
The NCAA had proof on the contrary, together with receipts, expense studies and testimony from the gamers, their fathers and different soccer staffers. Whereas the COI ruling fills in lots of particulars, it leaves some out.
Sure, there was a burger concerned. However not on the Brown Jug.
In spring 2021, Michigan was within the midst of a large self-improvement undertaking. The Wolverines completed 2-4 throughout a depressing pandemic-shortened season in 2020.
Harbaugh was beneath strain to ship outcomes. Many individuals across the program would credit score the adjustments he made that spring for all the success that adopted: a 40-3 document over three seasons and this system’s first nationwide title in 26 years.
In April of that 12 months, Michigan contacted the NCAA to self-report potential low-level violations involving analysts performing teaching duties. After a nine-month investigation, the NCAA despatched Michigan a draft of minor infractions, a few of which might not apply beneath new guidelines authorised in June 2024 that permit a limiteless variety of staffers to carry out teaching duties.
In different phrases, small potatoes. However two days after issuing the draft allegations, the NCAA knowledgeable Michigan it was reopening its investigation after receiving new info. That new info included proof that Michigan violated recruiting guidelines put in place throughout the COVID-19 lifeless interval.
A number of faculties have been punished for having recruits on campus throughout that point. Essentially the most notable was Arizona State, which was hit with 4 years of NCAA probation, a high quality, a one-year bowl ban and recruiting restrictions for violations that occurred beneath former coach Herm Edwards and assistant Antonio Pierce, now Harbaugh’s division rival as the pinnacle coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NCAA’s discover of allegations mentioned Michigan had “impermissible recruiting contact with and/or offered impermissible inducements to a few then soccer potential student-athletes and their fathers” throughout the COVID-19 lifeless interval. The recruit recognized as Participant 1 met with members of the soccer facility and was given entry to the burden room. Participant 2 and his father met employees members for a reduced meal at a neighborhood restaurant, then met Harbaugh for a free meal at one other restaurant and got entry to Michigan’s soccer services. Participant 3 and his father additionally met Harbaugh at a neighborhood restaurant and met employees members at Michigan’s soccer facility.
A former recruiting director who spoke to the NCAA mentioned Harbaugh urged him to “get guys to campus” and said that Michigan had no protocols in place to keep away from in-person contact throughout the lifeless interval. In line with the ruling, the previous recruiting director instructed the NCAA, “The tradition (within the soccer program) wasn’t to be protected, the tradition was to go to the road and cross it when you needed to.”
Sherrone Moore led Michigan to its third straight win over Ohio State whereas Jim Harbaugh was suspended. (Ezra Shaw / Getty Photographs)
In July 2022, Harbaugh instructed the NCAA he had no reminiscence of assembly with Participant 2 or his father on the diner and mentioned he didn’t bear in mind the participant in any respect. In a follow-up interview a number of weeks later, Harbaugh acknowledged that the participant had visited however denied assembly with the recruit and his father. The COI quoted a portion of Harbaugh’s reply in its ruling.
“I used to have a thoughts like a metal entice, now it’s extra of an aluminum entice however I’d — I’d consider in my — in my state that I’d bear in mind having breakfast at (the diner),” Harbaugh mentioned.
In July 2023, not lengthy earlier than Harbaugh went to Large Ten media days and declared he had “nothing to be ashamed of,” information broke that Michigan and the NCAA have been trying to settle “Burgergate” with a negotiated decision that included a four-game suspension for Harbaugh. The NCAA accepted parts of the negotiated decision pertaining to 2 assistant coaches, a graduate assistant and the previous recruiting director however rejected the parts pertaining to Harbaugh and Michigan as an establishment.
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In line with an individual concerned within the course of, the sticking level was whether or not Harbaugh deliberately misled investigators or offered inaccurate info as a result of he didn’t bear in mind what occurred. Harbaugh maintained that when he denied assembly with recruits throughout the lifeless interval, it was as a result of he had no reminiscence of it. However the NCAA had proof that it occurred, together with a photograph taken in Michigan’s soccer facility and a breakfast receipt that confirmed somebody ordering a bacon cheeseburger for breakfast.
When introduced with the receipt, Harbaugh modified his tune.
“I needed to be there, as a result of someone ordered a hamburger for breakfast,” he mentioned, in accordance with an individual concerned within the course of. “Who else orders a hamburger for breakfast moreover me? No person.”
The negotiated decision fell aside. Michigan as an alternative self-imposed a three-game suspension for Harbaugh.
Earlier than the primary sport, Harbaugh stood inside Schembechler Corridor with a typewritten assertion and lambasted the NCAA’s establishment. It was neither the primary nor the final time he would criticize faculties for hoarding the large revenues generated by faculty soccer, however his feedback had a specific chew given his looming suspension.
“What I don’t perceive is how the NCAA, the tv networks, the conferences, the colleges and coaches can proceed to tug in tens of millions and in some instances billions of {dollars} of income off the efforts of school student-athletes throughout the nation with out offering sufficient alternatives to share within the ever-increasing revenues,” he mentioned.
Harbaugh spent the primary three Saturdays final season in school-imposed exile, mowing his garden, working the chains for his son’s youth soccer group and attending a funeral for considered one of his former gamers at Stanford.
Upon returning, Harbaugh promised to institute insurance policies that may make Michigan the “gold commonplace” for NCAA guidelines compliance. Little did anybody know that one other suspension was across the nook.
The directions mentioned to enter an unmarked door within the alley behind an Ann Arbor steakhouse. The restaurant was closed, however Jim Stapleton can be ready within the downstairs lounge.
Satisfied somebody was out to get Harbaugh within the wake of the Stalions revelations, a section of the Michigan fan base targeted its consideration on Stapleton, a lawyer, Michigan booster and former Detroit Tigers govt who occurred to serve on the Committee on Infractions. Some followers believed he was leaking details about the Stalions case in an effort to hurt Harbaugh.
The information that the NCAA was investigating the alleged sign-stealing operation broke lower than a month after Harbaugh returned from suspension. Stalions, a beforehand nameless staffer incomes $55,000 per 12 months, was recognized because the ringleader of a scheme to purchase tickets for dozens of video games involving Michigan’s opponents and gather video footage of opponents’ alerts.
The story prompted an uproar from followers of Michigan’s Large Ten opponents, who noticed Harbaugh as a cheater and Michigan’s holier-than-thou picture as a fraud, and urged commissioner Tony Petitti to take motion. He in the end did, suspending Harbaugh for the ultimate three regular-season video games for violations of the league’s sportsmanship coverage.
Within the eyes of many Michigan followers, Harbaugh was being persecuted for the equal of jaywalking, presumably as a result of he had the nerve to name out NCAA hypocrisy. The NCAA’s investigation reportedly originated with an out of doors investigative agency, spawning the wild theories and paranoia amongst Michigan followers and college directors that enveloped Stapleton, amongst others.
Stapleton, who beforehand served on the board of regents at Jap Michigan, had been accused of making an attempt to undermine Harbaugh up to now due to bitterness about former coach Brady Hoke’s firing and the method of Harbaugh’s hiring.
He despatched a prolonged e mail to members of Michigan’s campus group in January denying allegations of spreading details about the sign-stealing investigation, outlining authorized steps he’d taken to clear his identify and documenting a private toll, together with “quite a few demise threats and character assassinations towards me posted on-line.”
Stapleton then agreed to an on-the-record interview with The Athletic and offered directions for the place to fulfill clandestinely.
From the steakhouse lounge, he laid out the the reason why he couldn’t have accessed privileged details about the NCAA’s investigations into Harbaugh’s program, together with the COI’s recusal procedures and the wall of separation between the NCAA’s enforcement employees and COI members who rule on instances. He additionally denied that anybody on the NCAA had it out for Harbaugh or Michigan.
“The NCAA will examine something that’s credible, irrespective of the place it comes from,” Stapleton mentioned. “Rumors come day by day. But when one thing’s credible, it’s their job to research it. This notion that it was achieved to ‘get Michigan’ or ‘get Harbaugh,’ that wasn’t the NCAA’s intent. Perhaps it was another person’s.”
If the allegations have been supposed to disrupt Michigan’s dream season, the plot failed.
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Sherrone Moore, now Michigan’s head coach, led the Wolverines to a few victories in Harbaugh’s absence, together with a dramatic 30-24 win towards unbeaten Ohio State. Harbaugh returned for the postseason, twice-suspended however as defiant as ever.
“We stood sturdy and tall as a result of we knew we have been harmless,” Harbaugh mentioned after Michigan’s 34-13 victory towards Washington within the championship sport. “And I’d prefer to level that out. These guys are harmless.”
Harbaugh made his long-awaited return to the NFL two weeks later, leaving Michigan to rejoice a nationwide championship and unwind a tangle of NCAA allegations.
Now not obligated to defend its former coach, Michigan reached a negotiated decision with the NCAA in April that included three years of probation and an acknowledgment that Harbaugh “failed to fulfill his accountability to cooperate” with the investigation into COVID-19 recruiting violations.
“I can virtually hear the wheels of the bus going, ‘whomp, whomp,’” Mars wrote in an announcement.
Jim Harbaugh’s ultimate 12 months at Michigan ended with a nationwide title parade. (Nic Antaya / Getty Photographs)
Sunday, Michigan acquired a draft of the NCAA’s allegations within the Stalions case, together with a possible Stage II cost towards Moore for allegedly deleting a sequence of textual content messages with Stalions shortly after information of the scandal broke. Moore was among the many coaches who reached negotiated resolutions with the NCAA within the COVID-19 case and served a one-game suspension final season. Michigan may additionally face penalties if the NCAA finds that the brand new allegations represent a sample of noncompliance.
Stalions, who hasn’t spoken publicly for the reason that scandal broke, is ready to inform his facet of the story in a Netflix documentary scheduled for launch Aug. 27. Harbaugh reiterated to reporters this week that he “didn’t take part, was not conscious, nor complicit” in Stalions’ alleged scheme, however he faces additional NCAA penalties for not totally complying with an NCAA request to show over emails and messages from a private system. There’s no telling when punishment will in the end be handed down.
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And although “Burgergate” has been resolved, one key query stays: Did the entire thing actually begin with a cheeseburger on the Brown Jug? In line with one particular person accustomed to the case, the reply was no.
“(Harbaugh) was by no means on the Brown Jug,” the particular person mentioned. “His complete deal was Denny’s.”
Denny’s? Residence of the Grand Slam and Moons Over My Hammy? That wouldn’t be out of character for Harbaugh, a professed Cracker Barrel aficionado, however the story had a couple of issues. A fast Google search revealed just one Denny’s in Ann Arbor, situated alongside a busy stretch of Washtenaw Avenue subsequent to a pet provide retailer. Not essentially the most interesting place to take a potential recruit. Additionally, the restaurant closed in 2022, which means the Denny’s and its secrets and techniques could be sealed without end.
There was one one that may settle the query as soon as and for all: the daddy of the recruit recognized as Participant 2. When reached by The Athletic, he confirmed that the notorious meal came about, but it surely wasn’t at Denny’s or the Brown Jug. They met Harbaugh at some native place, he mentioned, a diner not removed from Michigan Stadium …
“Was it Benny’s?”
“Yeah. Benny’s.”
That may be Benny’s Household Eating, an Ann Arbor establishment the place swimmer Michael Phelps famously loaded up on carbs whereas coaching for the Olympics. In line with the daddy of Participant 2, who agreed to talk on the situation of anonymity as a result of confidential nature of the NCAA investigation, they’d come to Ann Arbor for a self-guided tour. At different stops, coaches instructed them the place to choose up a campus map however had no in-person contact. At Michigan, there was a meal the day they arrived, breakfast the subsequent morning, then a tour of the soccer facility. None of which was permitted.
“It was utterly, one hundred pc completely different than in every single place else,” the recruit’s father mentioned. “Even SEC faculties that you just thought up to now would have bent guidelines did it by the books.”
The participant, who was not dedicated to any faculty on the time, didn’t signal with Michigan. The participant’s father ultimately needed to rent a lawyer to take care of the NCAA fallout. He mentioned he realized on the time Michigan was breaking the dead-period guidelines however didn’t really feel he was ready to say something.
“I believed, ‘Wow, that is Harbaugh. It’s a big-time program,’” he mentioned. “You don’t wish to say no.”
On a current Monday morning, the early crowd was beginning to skinny out at Benny’s, the place pictures of Michigan stars adorn the partitions. The day’s specials, written on a dry-erase board, included a bacon cheeseburger and fries for $12.99. Sure, the waitress confirmed, you’ll be able to order it for breakfast.
For months, Michigan followers had been going to the Brown Jug, scanning the menu looking for the well-known cheeseburger. It turned out it was right here all alongside, ready for somebody to order it. Because the NCAA mentioned, the true story of “Burgergate” was about impermissible recruiting contact and violations of the lifeless interval guidelines, not a cheeseburger.
For the document, it was scrumptious. A bit heavy for 9 within the morning, however effectively well worth the wait.
(Prime illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photograph: Gregory Shamus / Getty Photographs)
