The NCAA announced a four-year show-cause order for former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Wednesday for impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively banning him from college athletics until August 2028.

The NCAA said Harbaugh, who left his alma mater to coach the Chargers after last season’s undefeated national championship, “failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach responsibility obligations.”

“Harbaugh engaged in unethical conduct and failed to cooperate when he denied any involvement in impermissible recruiting contacts despite substantial information to the contrary,” the NCAA said in a 48-page decision that several times suggested the coach was not truthful with investigators.

Harbaugh will only face the punishment if he makes an unexpected return to college football within the next four years.

The recruiting case is unrelated to the NCAA’s investigation into impermissible in-person scouting and sign-stealing allegations that roiled Michigan’s championship season in 2023 and resulted in a three-game suspension of Harbaugh by the Big Ten Conference.

Multiple infractions cases in such a short time period could prompt the NCAA to treat Michigan as a repeat offender, opening the school up to harsher penalties in the sign-stealing case.

The NCAA had already put Michigan on three years of probation along with a fine and recruiting limits after reaching a negotiated resolution in the case. Harbaugh did not go along with the agreement, contesting allegations he failed to cooperate with investigators, and his case was handled separately.

The committee on infractions noted that Harbaugh’s “intentional disregard” for NCAA rules amplified the severity of the case and prompted the panel to classify Harbaugh’s case as Level I-aggravated, leading to a one-year suspension as part of the show-cause order.

Nacua should be ready for Rams’ season opener

Rams receiver Puka Nacua was not at practice on Tuesday as the Rams moved training camp back to Cal Lutheran, but there was good news on his injury front.

Nacua is considered week-to-week with a knee injury, head coach Sean McVay said, but the expectation is that the Pro Bowl receiver will be ready to practice ahead of and play in the Rams’ season opener against the Detroit Lions.

Nacua landed on the knee while going up for a touchdown catch during the Rams’ joint practice with the Chargers on Sunday, and McVay said that’s when Nacua initially felt pain. The knee bothered him again while running a route later in practice, and the Rams shut him down and put ice on the knee.

“He had a bursa sac that kind of burst and it’s going to be week to week with him,” McVay said. “Nothing serious, nothing structurally, he’ll be in good shape. ... I don’t anticipate him being affected in even prep for that opener.”

Nacua set NFL rookie records in 2023 with 105 receptions and 1,486 yards receiving after being a fifth-round pick out of BYU.

— Adam Grosbard

• San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey will miss about two weeks of practice after straining his calf, the team said.

• The Washington Commanders’ first unofficial depth chart released Tuesday listed rookie Jayden Daniels as the starting quarterback ahead of their preseason opener this weekend at the New York Jets.

“He’s earned that right to do that,” coach Dan Quinn said of Daniels, out of Cajon High in San Bernardino. “I had high expectations for him coming in, but I’d say he’s definitely surpassed even my expectations.”

• The debate about whether the NFL will expand the regular season once again seems to have been resolved and now it’s a matter of how soon the league adds an 18th game.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has talked openly about it, union chief Lloyd Howell recently told the Washington Post that the NFLPA is open to doing it before the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2030 season. The league expanded to 17 games beginning in 2021.

ACFC’s Summer Cup run ends in semifinals

Angel City Football Club’s run in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup ended Tuesday.

Gotham FC’s Delanie Sheehan scored in the 48th minute and the goal stood up as the winner, handing Angel City a 1-0 defeat at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, in the first semifinal.

Gotham had won the two regular-season meetings with ACFC, both by 2-1 scores.

“We created momentum, we had the ball for a lot of the game, which is something that doesn’t happen normally against a Gotham team against anybody in this league,” Angel City coach Becki Tweed said. “To dominate the ball was important ... when they put numbers behind the ball, we have to find different ways to break them down and create opportunities.

“I think our final pass was off today, being able to get the ball in behind their back line before they got organized. When we did do it, we were successful in the sense that we did get behind, but we didn’t enough.”

After a scoreless first half, Sheehan gave Gotham the lead.

“The first half wasn’t our best and we wanted to come out strong in the second half and we did,” Sheehan said. “I saw it (the opening) and took the opportunity.”

Gotham, which has allowed just 13 goals in the regular season, didn’t allow one in the group stage.

“Defensive work is a big part of our identity,” Sheehan said. “We take pride in having 11 players behind the ball and we showed that again.”

It’s the second game in a row in which Angel City has failed to score.

— Damian Calhoun