Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to be absent from the Wolverines' first four games of the 2023 college football season. While nothing is set in stone at the moment in that regard, that's the conclusion both Harbaugh and the NCAA are working on, as both sides look to settle the exact nature of the mentor's punishment for lying to investigators, per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports.

“The agreement is an initial version of the negotiated resolution and is not yet finalized. The resolution must now be approved by the NCAA Committee on Infractions, which could take several days if not weeks. The committee has authority to adjust penalties.”

An investigation launched by the NCAA to dig up any illegal recruiting violations by Jim Harbaugh and Michigan football apparently got even more controversial when Harbaugh was alleged to have lied while speaking with investigators. Harbaugh has also maintained that he did not lie in the said meeting and that he merely did not have the perfect memory to recall everything related to the events being investigated.

Michigan football, which is coming off a 13-1 season and an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl, is scheduled to play the East Carolina Pirates in Ann Arbor to kick off the Wolverines' 2023 campaign on Sep. 2. The Wolverines will play the next three games on their schedule also at Michigan Stadium against the UNLV Rebels, Bowling Green Falcons, and Rutgers Scarlet Knights — teams the Wolverines should be able to manhandle, with or without Jim Harbaugh roaming the sidelines.

Harbaugh was hired by Michigan to coach its football program in 2014.