Report: Michigan plans to fight allegations in Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal

Michigan is gearing up for a showdown with the NCAA. The school plans to fight the allegations in the sign-stealing scandal centered on former analyst Connor Stalions, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported.

According to the 137-page document obtained by Yahoo Sports, Michigan pushed back on many of the allegations. The school also accused the NCAA of “grossly overreaching” and “wildly overcharging” the program with a lack of credible evidence about the alleged sign-stealing scheme run by Stalions. The person who tipped off the NCAA to the situation came from UM’s campus and, at one point, worked for the school, the document said.

Michigan received an official Notice of Allegations from the NCAA in August, but the school said it made “numerous factually unsupported infractions, exaggerates aggravating factors and ignores mitigating facts,” according to the document. UM also asked the NCAA to treat the case as a “Level II standard case” instead of a Level I infraction – which is the most severe NCAA violation – and apply “common sense and [a] commitment to fairness.”

Stalions’ alleged sign-stealing scheme involved people attending games with tickets he purchased. However, Michigan argued games attended by friends or family of Stalions don’t violate NCAA rules and the only evidence of in-person scouting – another violation of bylaws – is that he “purchased a game ticket.”

The document obtained by Yahoo Sports also showed Michigan said Connor Stalions traded opponents’ signs plans with other schools. That includes receiving plans from staffers at Rutgers and Nebraska for Michigan State and UNLV’s signals, and they were listed as “potential alliances” in the document.

Former coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten for the final four games of the 2023 regular season as a result of the investigation, but returned for the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff as Michigan won the national championship. Stalions also resigned as the inquiry continued and later latched on at multiple Detroit-area high schools in coaching roles.

Sherrone Moore explains deleted texts with Connor Stalions

Sherrone Moore – who took over for Harbaugh as head coach – found some of his text messages at the center of the investigation. He allegedly deleted 52 texts with Stalions after news broke of the inquiry. Moore and UM acknowledged the deleted texts, but Moore said he deleted the texts out of anger and frustration. He also turned his phone over to investigators.

“So, (I) deleted all the information — all Connor, on my personal phone,” Moore said in Michigan’s response, via Yahoo Sports. “And it wasn’t to hide anything, it was just that — I was just extremely angry of, you know, the type of person that would do that to this program and these kids.”

According to the document, texts between Moore and Stalions included “a juicy report” about Colorado State in August 2022 ahead of the season opener, which Michigan won 51-7. Stalions then told Moore Michigan State “never changed its signals” against Michigan when telling him about the Spartans’ blitzing signals, tendencies and rules.

But in 2023, a notable text from Stalions to Moore said Jake Kostner – an assistant at Central Michigan – was planning to visit Michigan’s facility to talk with Moore. Kostner was fired last year amid an NCAA investigation into Stalions’ alleged appearance on Central Michigan’s sideline while the Chippewas took on Michigan State.