Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions is at the center of an investigation into an off-campus scouting and sign-stealing operation. He was suspended by the school in October and resigned from his position with the football program the following month. Despite this, Stalions has found a new opportunity as the defensive coordinator at Detroit Mumford High School. Earlier this month, Michigan received a draft of the NCAA’s notice of allegations (NOA) which accused Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore and other members of the national championship team of violating NCAA rules.
Moore was promoted to head coach after Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL and handled head coaching duties on an interim basis during Harbaugh’s suspensions last season. The NOA draft accuses Moore of potentially facing suspensions and show-cause penalties for allegedly deleting text messages between himself and Stalions on the day news of the alleged sign-stealing scheme broke. The recovered messages from “device imaging” are believed to contain incriminating evidence. The NCAA’s notice also implicates Stalions of wearing Central Michigan gear and obtaining a sideline pass at a 2023 game against Michigan State, potentially leading to Level I violations for both Stalions and Harbaugh.
In a separate case, the NCAA has handed down a four-year show-cause order for Harbaugh for impermissible contact with recruits and players during the COVID-19 restricted period. The organization determined that Harbaugh engaged in unethical conduct, failed to promote compliance, and violated head coach responsibility obligations. Harbaugh was also found to have been untruthful with investigators about meeting with recruits during the moratorium. Michigan had previously been placed on probation for three years, fined, and faced recruiting limits as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA.
Stalions is set to break his silence on August 27 in the Netflix documentary “Untold: Sign Stealer”, which will provide further insight into the scandal surrounding the sign-stealing operation. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Stalions has found a new coaching opportunity at Detroit Mumford High School, where he will serve as the defensive coordinator. The NOA draft has put Moore and several members of the Michigan football program under scrutiny for potential violations of NCAA rules, with consequences that could include suspensions and show-cause penalties.
Harbaugh’s involvement in impermissible contact with recruits and players during a restricted period led to a four-year show-cause order being issued against him. The NCAA found Harbaugh guilty of unethical conduct, failure to promote compliance, and violation of head coach responsibilities. Michigan had already been penalized with probation, fines, and recruiting limits as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA. Stalions and Harbaugh both face Level I violations in connection to the sign-stealing scandal. The documentary “Untold: Sign Stealer” is set to shed light on the situation when it premieres on Netflix.
