Report: Michigan reports four secondary NCAA violations

Jim Harbaugh and his staff have only been on campus for four months, but they’ve already had to report several low-level NCAA violations.

According to MLive.com, Michigan football self-reported four Secondary/Level III NCAA violations from December to April.

Level III violations are typical minor and carry no punishment. However, coaches are required to undergo compliance training to ensure similar violations don’t happen again.

Michigan’s most egregious violation was committed by safeties coach Mike Zordich, who spoke about the recruitment of graduate transfer Wayne Lyons with reporters before Lyons had joined the Michigan program. Gwendolyn Bush, Lyons’ mother and Michigan’s player development coordinator, also spoke about the transfer via Twitter before it became official.

NCAA rules prohibit coaches or school officials from talking about prospective student athletes before they’ve officially signed with the school.

Michigan has not yet announced Lyons’ official transfer from Stanford.

Also, on March 18, Harbaugh donated an autographed team helmet and jersey to a high school teammate for a charity event for suicide prevention. Proceeds from the auction were used for a scholarship fund in the name of a student, who had committed suicide. Harbaugh was not aware the funds would be used for that purpose and did not clear the donation through compliance. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from donating items used for high school scholarship funds.

On March 14, members of the Michigan coaching staff, including Harbaugh, allowed a recruit to sit with them in premium seats at a Michigan hockey game. Harbaugh was making a scheduled appearance at the game and didn’t realize his seats were premium until compliance inquired about the recruit.

The fourth violation related to electronic materials created and sent to a recruit.

According to MLive.com, which obtained the report through a Freedom of Information request, the school explained all of the violations as a case of naivety of NCAA rules regarding recruiting and donations. Again, Michigan likely won’t be penalized, but the staff will need to get up to speed on NCAA minutiae.

For more Michigan news, visit TheWolverine.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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