The organization handed show-cause penalties to Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale, both now working in the NFL.
The NCAA is back in the headlines after issuing show-cause penalties to two former Michigan football coaches for relatively minor recruiting infractions. Jesse Minter, the team’s former defensive coordinator, and Steve Clinkscale, the former defensive backs coach, now both part of Jim Harbaugh’s staff with the Los Angeles Chargers, were penalized for actions that, while technically violations, are widely seen in the industry as routine.
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Minter received a one-year show-cause penalty, while Clinkscale was hit with a two-year term. The problem? Neither coach is currently in college football, and neither is expected to return anytime soon. That makes the penalties more symbolic than impactful, leading many to question the NCAA’s motive and effectiveness.
According to the NCAA, Minter made multiple impermissible contacts with recruits during designated non-contact periods. It’s a rule that has long been difficult to enforce in the digital era, where messages can be sent across a range of apps and platforms with little trace.
Clinkscale’s infraction involved providing recruits with what the NCAA calls “impermissible benefits,” which could be as harmless as delivering snacks or meals to a recruit’s hotel room. The details of both cases have now been sealed as part of a negotiated resolution, preventing further public discussion.
This latest round of sanctions comes as the NCAA continues its more controversial probe into Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation, a case that has dominated headlines but yielded little clarity. For critics, these new show-cause penalties feel like a consolation prize for an organization desperate to reassert its relevance in a rapidly evolving sports landscape.
With the college football world shifting toward NIL deals, conference realignments, and increased athlete autonomy, enforcement actions like these seem outdated. In fact, many see them as performative gestures that do little to preserve competitive integrity and instead highlight the NCAA’s struggles to adapt.
Ultimately, the sanctions won’t affect the careers of Minter or Clinkscale, unless either unexpectedly returns to the college ranks within the next year or two. In that unlikely event, the show-cause would trigger additional scrutiny. Until then, these penalties exist more on paper than in practice, further underlining the growing disconnect between the NCAA’s rules and the modern reality of college sports.
