Report: Michigan Analyst Connor Stalions Suspended amid Sign Stealing Investigation
The NCAA's investigation into allegations that Michigan's football team stole signs is focused on analyst Connor Stalions, who was suspended by the school on Friday with pay.
Per ESPN's Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach, Stalions is considered a "significant" person of interest, and the NCAA's enforcement staff has "sought access to his computer as part of its investigation."
Stalions was hired as an off-field analyst by the Wolverines in May 2022. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a retired captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dan Wetzel and Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported Thursday that Michigan was the subject of an NCAA investigation for allegedly using unnamed individuals to attend games of "both scheduled opponents and possible College Football Playoff opponents in an effort to gather information on the signs they use to call both offensive and defensive plays."
Stalions technically works in the recruiting department under director of recruiting Albert Karschnia, but Thamel and Schlabach noted it's known within the Wolverines' building he spends "much of his time deciphering opponents' signals, often watching television copies of opponents' games."
"He had one role," one source with knowledge of Michigan's staff told Thamel and Schlabach.
Dellenger also reported that Big Ten coaches have known about the operation for a year and that one coach confronted Stalions, saying, "We know what kind of s--t you are doing and it's f--ked up."
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh issued a statement on Thursday in which he denied having any knowledge of the allegations and said he didn't direct any member of his staff or others to participate in off-campus scouting assignments.
It's not unusual for teams to keep an eye on what signals teams use during the course of a game in order to get an edge on what play might be coming.
Dellenger and Wetzel noted the NCAA prohibited teams from scouting future opponents in person in 1994. Their report also mentioned it's unknown if Harbaugh is involved.
Per Thamel and Schlabach, Michigan has used an "elaborate" scouting system to steal signs from future opponents dating back to the 2021 season.
As part of the NCAA's investigation, it also informed Michigan's future opponents about the situation.
One Big Ten source told ESPN these allegations are "worse" than cheating allegations in other sports involving the Houston Astros and New England Patriots because "it's both use of technology for a competitive advantage and there's allegations that they are filming prior games, not just in-game."
The Astros were found to have used a sign-stealing method during the 2017 MLB season that involved a camera positioned in the outfield to detect signs from an opposing team. The call would be relayed to the hitter by having someone in an area between the dugout and clubhouse banging on a trash can to let them know what pitch was coming.
Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were suspended for the entire 2020 season for their involvement. The organization subsequently fired both men. The Astros were also fined $5 million and forfeited their first-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021.
The Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick were fined by the NFL when it was discovered a video assistant was filming the New York Jets' sideline during a 2007 regular-season game. The league's investigation also determined the Patriots had handwritten diagrams of the Pittsburgh Steelers' signals dating back to the 2001 AFC Championship Game.
New England also forfeited its first-round draft pick in 2008 as part of the NFL's discipline.
This sign-stealing investigation into Michigan comes as the football program and Harbaugh were already being investigated by the NCAA for alleged recruiting violations during a dead period in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michigan issued a self-imposed three-game suspension for Harbaugh to start this season due to the recruiting investigation with the hope it would help soften any potential discipline imposed by the NCAA.
Harbaugh's discipline came after the NCAA rejected a previously agreed-upon four-game suspension after determining Michigan's head coach made false statements to investigators.
The Wolverines (7-0) are currently ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. They will play Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
