{"id":114023,"date":"2025-06-08T16:30:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-08T16:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/114023\/"},"modified":"2025-06-08T16:30:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-08T16:30:15","slug":"michigan-footballs-ncaa-hearing-over-sign-stealing-scandal-underway-buckle-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/114023\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan football’s NCAA hearing over sign-stealing scandal underway. Buckle up"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Michigan football<\/a> program may be in the midst of its most important weekend of the year \u2014 and it has nothing to do with a football game.<\/p>\n

At least, none on the current calendar.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Wolverines\u2019 sign stealing scandal<\/a>, orchestrated by disgraced former staffer Connor Stalions<\/a>, has reached its climax with final pitches from both the prosecutor, the NCAA, and the defense \u2014 Michigan \u2014 set for an Indianapolis courtroom over a two day span on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7.<\/p>\n

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The who\u2019s who of Michigan is expected to be there including athletic director Warde Manuel, interim president Domenico Grasso (his first big assignment after taking over for Santa Ono, who announced he was leaving for Florida<\/a> earlier this spring, only to be rebuffed by the university\u2019s Board of Governors earlier this week<\/a>) and of course the university\u2019s legal council.<\/p>\n

\"Michigan<\/p>\n

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore uses a hand signal to celebrate the Wolverines’ fourth straight win over Ohio State at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.<\/p>\n

The investigation surrounds Stalions, who allegedly sent tickets to people he knew around the country to attend games of future and potential future U-M opponents, where they would then use technology to record the signals being given on the sidelines and then send them to Stalions to later dissect and decode.<\/p>\n

In one most egregious case, Stalions appeared to have dressed up as an undercover staffer on Central Michigan<\/a> to gain access to the sidelines in the 2023 season-opener against rival Michigan State.<\/p>\n

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LET’S REVIEW: Michigan football scandals: Recruiting, Connor Stalions, Sherrone Moore suspension<\/a><\/p>\n

While sign stealing itself is not against college football rules, advanced scouting is, per NCAA bylaw 11.6.1 <\/a>which was instituted in 1994 to ensure a level playing field.<\/p>\n

The whistle was blown once and for all on Staltions\u2019 operation in October 2023, yet the Wolverines didn\u2019t let that distraction slow them down on their march to a 15-0 season and a national championship.<\/a><\/p>\n

Former coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the final three regular season games by the Big Ten \u2014 which came after he served a university-imposed three-game ban in the nonconference slate to open the year after U-M was found to have committed separate recruiting violations by being in contact with players during a COVID-19 dead period<\/a> ahead of the 2021 season \u2014 and then promptly left following the season for the NFL.<\/p>\n

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In the reported draft notice of allegations the NCAA sent to Michigan last summer it did not claim to have any evidence that Harbaugh knew directly about the sign stealing, however it did say that he did not cooperate with the governing body\u2019s investigators.<\/p>\n

Harbaugh has since been hit with a four-year show cause and a one-year suspension should he want to return to the NCAA ranks \u2014 more could be coming after this committee on investigation hearing is all said and done \u2014 but many believe that ship has sailed.<\/p>\n

As for the matter at hand, the Michigan football program and its staffers are facing 11 separate NCAA violations, more than half of which (6) are currently Level I charges, which is the most serious variety. Of these, there are number which are pertinent.<\/p>\n

\"Michigan<\/p>\n

Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions on the sideline during the Wolverines’ 31-7 win over Rutgers, Sept. 23, 2023 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.<\/p>\n

Perhaps first and foremost is that according to the NCAA, Michigan \u201cfailed to monitor\u201d its staff appropriately given the alleged sign stealing went on for a span of three years at reportedly more than 50 various games.<\/p>\n

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Next, the \u201crepeat violator\u201d offense. This goes not only for Michigan, which is already on probation through April 9, 2027 after it agreed to its various recruiting violations that have since seen former coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale (both on staff with Harbaugh in L.A) hit with show causes as well, but current head coach Sherrone Moore.<\/p>\n

Michigan has already handed Moore a self-imposed two-game suspension<\/a> to try and get out and in front of the news, but was met with backlash for making Moore’s suspension for games in Weeks 3 and 4 <\/a>instead of the first two games to avoid him missing a key matchup with Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

Moore was also suspended for one game to open the 2023 season as part of the recruiting sanctions when he was offensive coordinator, but now finds himself in hot water for having deleted a string of 52 text messages with Stalions on the day his name made national headlines \u2014 one of the five Level II violations.<\/p>\n

MORE ON MOORE: Michigan football got it half-right with self-imposed suspension of coach Sherrone Moore<\/a><\/p>\n

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The NCAA recovered the messages via device imaging once Moore turned his phone over and U-M\u2019s head coach has since said he \u201clooks forward\u201d to the messages being released.<\/p>\n

After nearly two years of both sides throwing jabs at one another, this weekend should finally bring an end to the matter. Now the resolution won\u2019t come this weekend \u2014 typically they take between eight and 12 weeks to be fully sorted out \u2014 but both sides will get to make their final cases and lay out their best arguments before the committee on investigation, which will then make its determination.<\/p>\n

Outside fan bases will likely think Michigan got off easy if wins aren\u2019t vacated, or titles stripped \u2014 results that feel unlikely.<\/p>\n

The Michigan supporters will likely continue their line of \u201cthe NCAA is out to get us\u201d and be upset with any resolution that punishes the Wolverines.<\/p>\n

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Either way, by summer\u2019s end, this should all finally be over.<\/p>\n

That is, unless Michigan doesn\u2019t like the punishments which is laid before them. That could start yet another appeals process. Let\u2019s cross that bridge if we get to it.<\/p>\n

Tony Garcia<\/a>\u00a0is the\u00a0Michigan\u00a0Wolverines<\/a>\u00a0beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at\u00a0@RealTonyGarcia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football’s NCAA hearing over sign-stealing scandal underway<\/a><\/p>\n