Michigan makes precautionary change to Rose Bowl prep after Alabama alters own preparations

News broke earlier this week revealing Alabama altered their Rose Bowl preparation due to Michigan’s sign-stealing allegations, but it turns out the Crimson Tide aren’t unique.

Alabama players haven’t been watching film on their tablets as they get ready to face the Wolverines in a College Football Playoff semifinal game after being instructed not to by the team’s coaching staff, according to receiver Isaiah Bond. Instead, film study is only taking place as a group.

“The app we record film off… I guess they were looking at other peoples’ play calls, hand signals, stuff like that,” Isaiah Bond said, according to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press.

Of course, the quote made its rounds, as Michigan has been linked with some shady business over the last couple of months. However, it turns out the Wolverines are following the same procedure, ironically enough.

Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson relayed to the media, “(Michigan) is no longer using iPads to watch film. … Turned them off yesterday he said. Shut the iPads down. They’re watching film with the coaches and the team,” Nick Kelly of the Tuscaloosa News and USA Today reported.

“It’s just a precaution thing,” Wilson said, per Kelly. “Coach Harbaugh turned our iPads off too. It’s just a feeling. Coach is trying to protect our players and things like that.

“When you first see it, you kind of laugh a little bit. It’s kind of outrageous that things like that are going on. But you can’t really blame them with the things going on in college football these days.”

According to famed Michigan assistant Sherrone Moore, the lack of iPad usage is something Michigan has been doing since November, as the Wolverines “caught wind of things that could be going on” and had players stop watching film outside Schembechler Hall, per Austin Meek of The Athletic.

Moore added that it might actually be helping Michigan’s focus, “because the next thing they would do is play Call of Duty” when the team had the devices.

Alas, Michigan is an easy target, and it makes some sense for Alabama to be cautious, but it’s fascinating the Wolverines have turned around and followed the same strategy. One has to wonder if it’ll pay dividends for either side.

Nevertheless, it all stems from when news first broke in October that Michigan was being investigated for in-person sign-stealing by the NCAA and the Big Ten. At the time, Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh released a statement after the allegations.

“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter,” Harbaugh said. “I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action. I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules.

“No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.”

Of course, Harbaugh ended up being suspended for the final four games of the regular season, and there is no evidence that Michigan is still doing anything against the rules after the suspension. Still, Alabama isn’t taking their chance, and now neither are the Wolverines.

On3’s Barkley Truax contributed to this article.