Newsstand: Michigan State AD Alan Haller makes bizarre argument to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti
Tweets Of The Day
According to numerous reports, Big Ten coaches and athletic directors — Michigan’s competitors — have put pressure on commissioner Tony Petitti to act immediately with punishment against U-M, which is under NCAA investigation for alleged illegal off-campus scouting of future opponents in the same season.
Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller, on a call with Petitti and other conference ADs, apparently conflated MSU players being suspended after attacking U-M athletes following a 29-7 beatdown last fall and the Big Ten handing out punishment before the investigation was complete, with this situation. It’s important to note that Haller’s athletes were caught on video tape committing assault. In Michigan’s case, evidence is still being gathered, and it’s completely unclear if any, or how many, NCAA violations occurred.
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Here’s more from ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel:
The most powerful message, according to sources familiar with the call, came from Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller. He mentioned the alterations Michigan State needed to undergo in order to prepare for its Oct. 21 game against Michigan after receiving a call Wednesday of that game week about Michigan having Michigan State’s signals.
Haller worried about players potentially getting hurt because Michigan players, in theory, knew where they’d be going on plays.
He also referenced last year, when he said the Big Ten forced Michigan State to suspend numerous players after the tunnel incident in Ann Arbor before the league finished investigating the incident. He pointed out that it was hypocritical that this year, with Michigan under investigation, the league is now waiting for an investigation to unfold.
Haller is not typically one of the more vocal athletic directors on calls, so both his voice and the passion with which he spoke resonated with the athletic directors and Big Ten officials on the call, sources said.
Purdue head coach Ryan Walters made interesting comments ahead of Saturday’s game at Michigan.
FOX analyst Joel Klatt weighs in with his take about the Big Ten potentially caving to pressure from outraged opponents that stand to gain if Michigan is punished.
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Top 100 2025 defensive lineman Ethan Utley on Michigan
Headlines Of The Day
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Top 100 DL Ethan Utley gearing up to make return visit to Michigan this month
• Clayton Sayfie, The Wolverine: Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti to meet with University of Michigan president Santa Ono Friday
• Anthony Broome, The Wolverine: Report: Jim Harbaugh suspension discussed by Big Ten ADs, commissioner
• EJ Holland, The Wolverine: Blue Chips: Michigan a top school for four-star QB, other key 2025 recruiting targets
• Clayton Sayfie, Chris Balas and Anthony Broome, The Wolverine: Wolverine TV podcast: Big Ten coaches whine, Jim Harbaugh contract extension, Michigan vs. Purdue preview
