Urban Meyer on show-cause for Jim Harbaugh: 'Bullshit, that's nonsense'

Former head coach Urban Meyer isn’t a fan of the show-cause penalty, especially in the case of Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan sign stealing scandal. When the punishments and fines finally came down, Harbaugh was given a 10-year show-cause penalty, on top of the four-year one already instituted.

So basically, Harbaugh can’t come back to college football, if he wanted to, for well over a decade. Unless the hiring program explains to the NCAA why he should be allowed and then if he violates rules again, then said school gets punished.

Got all that? Well, Meyer explained it out loud and couldn’t believe that was it and now the saga is over. 

“So show cause, what does that mean,” Meyer said on The Triple Option. “I looked it up. I’ve asked, I’ve done some research. So a show cause means that if the university for the next 14 years, which Jim Harbaugh is a great coach, he’s gonna win the NFL and he’s not coming back to college. If he wanted to, for some reason, the university would have to meet with the NCAA and show cause why they want to hire the guy, and also make a stand saying we realize if he does commit another violation, we will be penalized, which, to me, is bullshit. It’s nonsense. 

“You’re wasting people’s time talking about that. You have a current head coach, Sherrone Moore, that’s operating on a two-year show cause right now. What does that mean? That means he has to go to a couple rules meetings … He’s gonna have to go to a couple rules meetings. I looked it up … and that’s after being suspended one (game) a couple years ago.”

Current head coach Sherrone Moore is suspended for two games this year, as well as one next season. Harbaugh is getting ready for Week 1 in the NFL in a couple of weeks as he enters Year 2 with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The NCAA placed Michigan on four years of probation and added an additional game suspension for coach Sherrone Moore in 2026. He is already serving a self-imposed two-game suspension this year. In addition to Connor Stalions and Harbaugh’s eight- and 10-year show causes, respectively, Denard Robinson also received a three-year show-cause order. Moore also has a two-year show cause. Michigan later announced it plans to appeal the ruling.

There was a notable fine for the Wolverines program, especially when it comes to postseason revenue. But, there is no postseason ban for the football team.