Michigan was "aware of it from day one," Barry Henthorn told The Detroit News for a story Sunday. Henthorn said he believed his relationship with Crawford did not violate NCAA rules.

It was announced Friday that Crawford's eligibility will be reinstated, but the guard will still have to sit out five more games following an NCAA ruling. Michigan held Crawford out in an 82-62 loss to Michigan State on Tuesday while awaiting an NCAA ruling.

The NCAA ruled that support provided to Crawford by Henthorn violated its rules concerning amateurism.

NCAA officials said Crawford, with permission of his mother, lived with Henthorn, who wasn't his legal guardian, for the three years he attended Rainier Beach High School in Seattle. Henthorn is the president of Innovative Communication Technologies Inc.

The NCAA has said the living arrangement could be similar to an athlete having a sponsor, and an amateur can't have a sponsor.

Michigan has described Henthorn as "a close family friend and mentor with whom (Crawford) lived when he was in high school" in Seattle.

Henthorn told the News that he furnished Crawford with a room in his house, clothes, spending money and a Jeep Grand Cherokee during his final year in high school.

Crawford is Michigan's leading scorer with a 16.6 points per game average.

"There is nothing improper about my relationship with Jamal," Henthorn, 33, said. "It just tears me up to think that anything I ever did to try to help him could be hurting him now."

Henthorn, who said he has no relationship with the university, was interviewed by Michigan officials who flew out to interview him in January after the NCAA expressed its concerns.

Crawford will be able to practice with the team and attend classes, but will be unable to play until Feb. 24, when the Wolverines take on Purdue.

The university says it plans to ask the NCAA to reconsider its decision. The appeal won't be heard until after Sunday's game with fifth-ranked Ohio State.

The Henthorn-Crawford issue comes amid newspaper reports Saturday that the resignation of Michigan athletic director Tom Goss is imminent. Goss says he has no plans to step down.