National expert: ‘Reputational blow’ could be Michigan football’s biggest punishment from NCAA investigation

Michigan analyst Connor Stalions has been suspended for his alleged involvement in stealing signs via an illegal in-person scouting ring, and the program is under the microscope because of it. Head coach Jim Harbaugh had been in the NCAA crosshairs anyway for contact with a recruit during a dead period, adding a layer to the case. 

RELATED: TheWolverine.com chat: Answering your questions on NCAA vs. Michigan allegations

Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel has been on top of the story as well as anyone, noting in one column potential punishment would come down to a few factors. He joined 97.1 FM’s Doug Karsch on the Karsch and Anderson show to give his thoughts on the latest investigation.

“Connor Stallons was not as sneaky as he thought,” Wetzel said. “This is pretty much what we reported last week … that it would be a staffer sending his friends, family, unnamed individuals, parts unknown — we don’t know — to games to scout on the film and take pictures, whatever. I didn’t think he would use his own name on the tickets … not hard to crack this case. 

“The details obviously are interesting, but not really any different than we expected the story would be. Obviously, it’s against the spirit of the rule. Whether it’s against the letter of the rule will be a fight. I don’t really know what the NCAA will do with this or the Big Ten … these things take a long time. But it’s obviously a pretty sloppy job by Connor. What he was trying to accomplish is obviously against the rule or what anybody would have determined the rule is. The problem with the NCAA is their rules are very poorly written. They’re very confusing, Lots of little loopholes.”

Wetzel provided North Carolina basketball as an example. For 20 years, he noted, there were “no show, no paper” classes basketball and football players would take for credit. North Carolina fought it and won, for one reason.

“It’s got to be against the rules, right? It is, except because regular students could take the class and did, it was deemed not an athletic benefit,” Wetzel continued. “It wasn’t against NCAA rules, it was just North Carolina having some ridiculous classes that any kid could take. So, they beat the case. 

“So, some of this stuff, you get into these nuances of like, well, it is against the rules for a staffer, Michigan or anybody, to send somebody to advance scout. Is it technically against the rule to send someone’s buddy to sit in the stands and film it? Like, anybody could film the game this weekend and put it up on YouTube, and anybody could watch the stuff. Fans sometimes do that. What’s the particular rule?

“But in terms of the spirit of the rule, absolutely. There’s not a lot of gray area. You [can’t be] having your friends go do this … everybody would be doing it. But anybody could film the signs, too, and just put them up on YouTube, too. It’s such a weird thing. You’re trying to get the advantage …. it’s a pretty clear-cut case.”

As for repercussions — Wetzel believes the biggest punishment will be the damage to the Michigan reputation. Like the Houston Astros and New England Patriots, some will focus on the pitch stealing and ‘spygate’ elements during their run rather than their success. Michigan could win the national championship this year, for example, and some would believe it to be tainted.

“The reputational damage is the biggest penalty you will get,” Wetzel said. “Michigan will have this; Harbaugh will always have this. Opposing fans will always be able to bark at you. That’s college football. But is it extensive?  How many people in the Michigan football department knew about this?  Was it nobody? Was is just a rogue assistant trying to bolster himself, and he’s cheating at work to make himself look good? Were there other assistants that knew he was up to something and saw it, didn’t say anything? Did it go up to coordinator level, go to Harbaugh level, go beyond that? Who was funding it? 

“How big is it, or is just a guy at work cutting corners trying to get ahead? I suppose that will matter, but it’s not like there’s a silver bullet out there for Michigan and that this didn’t happen. That’s just not going to come true.”

But the rivals’ dream that Michigan is going to get hammers? Not likely, Wetzel said.

“I wouldn’t really worry necessarily about what the NCAA penalty is at this point,” he said. “Most NCAA penalties are obsolete at this point … about limiting scholarship numbers or recruiting visits, things that no longer matter in the NIL world. Michigan can certainly bulldoze right through those by putting out enough money. ‘We can’t afford to pay your way for you and your mom to visit on campus this weekend … if you show up and sign a football for this guy show owns car dealership, give you more than enough to come visit our school. But a postseason ban … I don’t [see it].”

Only time will tell.