Report: Michigan Sign-Stealing Videos, Scouting Plan, Budget Found in Investigation

The latest report regarding the Michigan sign-stealing scandal suggests it may have extended well beyond the actions of one low-level assistant.

While Michigan has already suspended staffer Connor Stalions amid the NCAA's investigation into sign-stealing allegations, Will Hobson of the Washington Post reported an outside investigative firm presented "documents and videos the firm said it had obtained from computer drives maintained and accessed by multiple Michigan coaches."

Hobson also noted the firm gave the NCAA photographs of Michigan scouts attending games of future Wolverines opponents and recording the sidelines with their cellphones.

"Days later, the outside firm told the NCAA, cellphone videos depicting the coaching staffs from these games were uploaded to a computer drive maintained and accessed by Stalions as well as several other Michigan assistants and coaches," Hobson wrote.

In addition to revelations about the potential involvement of other coaches outside of just Stalions, the report noted the overall operation was expected to cost more than $15,000 with scouts going to more than 40 games featuring 10 opponents. Scouts were expected to attend as many as eight games featuring rival Ohio State, as well as four or five featuring national title contender Georgia.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh has denied any knowledge of the sign-stealing operation, and the report said the outside firm did not have any evidence directly linking him to it.

However, as Hobson pointed out, photographs and videos of Stalions standing near Harbaugh and interacting with the defensive and co-offensive coordinators have emerged:

The center of this controversy is Michigan's alleged use of in-person scouting for future opponents and the video recording of opposing coaches, which the NCAA prohibits even if the practice of sign-stealing is not specifically outlawed.

ESPN's Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach reported Tuesday that records indicated Stalions purchased tickets at 12 of the possible 13 other Big Ten schools and tickets for College Football Playoff contenders outside of the conference, including to the 2021 and 2022 SEC Championship Games.

The situation continues to hover over the current CFP race, as Michigan is 8-0 and No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25.

It looks to be one of the strongest teams in the country and figures to be in the championship race the rest of the season.

NCAA investigations typically take an extended amount of time, meaning the Wolverines could end up winning the national title while this process remains ongoing.

However, ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported the Big Ten could step in before the NCAA investigation ends and impose its own penalties in part because the conference's sportsmanship policy lists "integrity of the competition" as something members must uphold.

The Wolverines are currently on their bye week and host Purdue on Nov. 4 for their next game.