FILE – Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of Michigan, watches from the sidelines as his team plays Minnesota in the first half of an NCAA college football game. Oct. 7, 2023, on a Saturday in Minneapolis. Because not every school could afford it, the NCAA outlawed in-person advanced scouting in 1994. The NCAA is currently looking into Michigan for a sign-stealing plot that reportedly involves sending individuals undercover to record opponents’ games. No. 2 On Thursday, October 19, 2023, Michigan and the Big Ten acknowledged the probe. (AP Photo/File: Abbie Parr)
No. 2 A day after revealing it was under NCAA investigation for allegedly stealing the play-calling signals used by Wolverines opponents, Michigan revealed on Friday that it had suspended a low-level football programme staffer.
In a one-sentence statement, athletic director Warde Manuel said that analytics assistant Connor Stallion had been suspended with pay awaiting the outcome of the inquiry. Stallion was not previously mentioned by the school, but he was mentioned in an ESPN story that said he is a significant player in the investigation.
According to a person who has been informed on the charges against Michigan, the inquiry is concentrated on Stallion and if he was engaged in sending individuals to Michigan’s opponents’ games to record teams utilising sideline signals. Due to the fact that nobody had the right to publicly discuss the NCAA inquiry, the speaker talked on the condition of anonymity.
According to ESPN, Stallion is a former Marine Corps captain and a Naval Academy graduate. According to a now-deleted bio on his LinkedIn account, he was employed by Michigan in May 2022 as an off-field analyst.
The Wolverines (7-0), who began the year with coach Jim Harbaugh serving a three-game suspension imposed by the university due to an ongoing NCAA violations case, take on Michigan State on Saturday. Harbaugh denies any role in the scheme to steal signs or knowledge of it.
“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football programme illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff members or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” Harbaugh stated on Thursday. “I am not aware of anyone on our staff who has done that or ordered that action,” the employee said.
Theft of signage is not expressly forbidden by NCAA regulations. While it is forbidden to use technological devices to record an opponent’s signals, Michigan is primarily in conflict with NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which states: “Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.” Additionally, there are bylaws that forbid coaches from engaging in dishonest or unethical behaviour, and NCAA regulations hold the head coach accountable for any breaches that take place while he is in charge.
All of Michigan’s remaining rivals were informed of the inquiry by the Big Ten.
