Michigan Gets NCAA Allegations Notice in Sign-Stealing Investigation

Michigan has officially received the final version of the notice of allegations (NOA) from the NCAA regarding an investigation into an in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation reportedly run by a member of the football staff. The NCAA and the university confirmed this development on Sunday.

Previously, the university had received a draft of the NOA which detailed several allegations involving former head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, former recruiting analyst Connor Stalions, and other staff members.

The NCAA stated, “The NCAA can confirm that a Notice of Allegations has been distributed to the school and involved parties in the Michigan investigation. To protect the integrity of the infractions process as the case progresses forward, the NCAA will not provide any further comment on the specifics included.”

As per NCAA protocols, Michigan has a 90-day window to respond to the allegations outlined in the notice. After this response, the university could potentially face a hearing before the NCAA’s committee on infractions. However, there is also the possibility of a negotiated resolution being reached before that stage.

This investigation into Michigan’s scouting practices loomed over the second half of the Wolverines’ unbeaten 2023 season but did not prevent them from clinching their first national championship since 1997.

Under NCAA regulations, in-person advanced scouting is prohibited. The investigation aimed to clarify the extent of the operation and determine who within the program was aware of it. Evidence from other Big Ten institutions indicated that Stalions had purchased tickets to multiple games involving future opponents, sending individuals to covertly record those teams as they signaled plays.

Stalions was initially placed on administrative leave by the university before ultimately resigning from his position. Notably, he did not participate in the investigation itself. On Tuesday, he is expected to address these issues publicly for the first time in a Netflix documentary titled “Sign Stealer.”

Harbaugh, who is now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has consistently denied any involvement or knowledge of the impermissible scouting practices during his tenure at Michigan. However, he could be facing Level 1 violations alongside Stalions.

The Big Ten conference had previously imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh towards the end of the 2023 regular season as a result of violations pertaining to the conference’s sportsmanship policy linked to the ongoing investigation.

Just recently, the NCAA concluded its investigation into recruiting violations concerning Michigan under Harbaugh’s leadership. The culmination of this inquiry resulted in a show-cause order for Harbaugh, which effectively bans him from collegiate coaching for a period of four years.

Looking ahead, No. 9 Michigan is set to begin its first season under the leadership of Moore on August 31 when the team hosts Fresno State to kick off their campaign.