As expected, the NCAA released its findings regarding violations levied against the Michigan football program on Thursday.

While the NCAA initially charged Michigan with five major violations - the majority of which had to do with an overage in practice hours - the NCAA agreed with Michigan officials that Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez did not fail in creating an environment of compliance.

But rather than dropping the charge, which was reported my multiple media organizations Wednesday, the charge was essentially lessened.

The NCAA went along with university recommendations on most of its suggested sanctions, but added a third year of probation in addition to countable athletically related activity (CARA) hours by 130 hours..

On Thursday afternoon, NCAA officials discussed the governing body's findings with reporters. Michigan officials - including university President Mary Sue Coleman, athletic director Dave Brandon and Rodriguez - will meet with reporters at approximately 3:45 p.m.

In its report, the NCAA found that "both the institution and the head football coach failed to monitor the football program." The committee on violations was concerned, the report said, that even after Rodriguez and members of his staff were "specifically educated on multiple occasions, violations continued.

Paul Dee, the chair of Committee of Infractions, said the committee determined Michigan coaches did not stay within NCAA time limits and required players to participate in "voluntary" summer workouts as punishment.

The committee found that the program exceeded allowable hours by 65 hours.

The committee found that Michigan exceeded the number of allowable coaches as well. Quality control coaches were on the sidelines for practices and games, traveled with the team and also wore the same game day clothing as coaches. That, NCAA officials determined, allowed players to become confused with who was on the football coaching staff and who was on the support staff.

When it came to the specific charge that Rodriguez failed to create an environment of compliance, Dee said the committee reviewed the information before it and determined that evidence did not meet the language for that specific by-law of NCAA rules. He said that led NCAA officials to in essence lessen the charge levied against him.

Dee said he believes while Rodriguez should be held ultimately responsible, the committee determined he was not always aware of what was was going on with his program at all times.

"I think sometimes, it's best to go with the captain of the ship theory," Dee said.

In her opening remarks to reporters, Coleman said Thursday marks the end of a cooperative effort between the university and the NCAA. Coleman said although the charges "aren't as sensational" as other NCAA cases, they are considered serious by the university. Coleman said the university makes no excuses for the violations that were committed.

Athletic director Dave Brandon said the university won't appeal the NCAA decision because there "there is nothing to appeal." Brandon said the football program was wrong as far the way it understood what is considered countable hours. Brandon said 57 of the 62 hours Michigan exceeded the limit by were hours spent stretching and exercising.

Despite the overages, Brandon there was nothing found that players safety and well-being was ever put in jeopardy. He also said what the NCAA found did not come close to accusations laid out in a Detroit Free Press report last summer.

As far as the length of the program's probation goes, Brandon said in many discussions, university officials discussed suggesting three years probation rather than the two it sent to the NCAA. The third year of probation was the only additional punishment the NCAA tacked onto what Michigan officials suggested when they self-reported the sanctions.

Brandon said the harshest charge was the one levied against Rodriguez. He said university officials felt it was unjust that Rodriguez be charged with such an offense, which in essence, suggested he did not look out for the well-being of his players.

Brandon said university officials "all know and recognize we made mistakes" but he said officials have not engaged in finger-pointing, have not been whiny about dealing with the NCAA and was always transparent.

Asked if even with the lesser charge, if the five violations were grounds for Rodriguez to be fired. Brandon said he said before the process started that he did not believe there was anything charged by the NCAA that would change Rodriguez's status.

He said after Thursday's findings, he looks at Rodriguez's job security "in a more positive light." He said like with all of Michigan's coaches, he will sit down with Rodriguez at the end of the year and look at a large list of issues - all which will go into any decisions regarding Rodriguez's future.

Rodriguez said everyone -including himself - accepted responsibility. He said the important important aspect of the process was fixing it. He said the areas that were problematic have been corrected. Out of the 130 hours that needed to be reduced over the next two years, 32 have been sacrificed. Rodriguez said he believes the 130 hours should be covered within the next 18 months.

Rodriguez said the Michigan case and the investigation on-going at West Virginia are separate entities. He said he has not started to address the West Virginia charges, which are similar to those levied against Michigan.

The NCAA could have considered Michigan a repeat offender considering it was still on probation for violations committed by the university's men's basketball team. Coleman said she does not consider the violations the football program was hit with to be in the same category that the basketball issue.

Brandon said the basketball issue went to the "corruption of young people" and that these violations were not on the same level.