Report: NCAA Enforcement Staff Visited Michigan amid Sign-Stealing Investigation

NCAA enforcement staff visited the University of Michigan this week as the football program remains under investigation for allegedly stealing signs from opposing teams.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported the investigation has taken a high level of priority within the NCAA, as evidenced by staffers coming to the university just one week after an investigation was formally launched.

The probe centers on the actions of suspended Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions, who reportedly bought tickets to 12 different Big Ten schools and then sent proxies to the games to film defensive signals.

Teams are prohibited from scouting opposing teams in person, and the use of video equipment to record signals is also prohibited. In-game signal stealing is not against the rules.

Michigan suspended Stalions with pay last week. The 28-year-old has been pictured next to Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines during games

"The Big Ten conference considers the integrity of competition to be of the utmost importance. Due to the ongoing nature of the NCAA investigation, the conference has no comment at this time," the Big Ten said in a statement.

Harbaugh served a suspension earlier this season for violating COVID-19 practice rules.

If the allegations against Stalions are corroborated, it's possible Harbaugh will be dismissed by the university. Even if he did not know of the alleged scheme, Harbaugh and Michigan would almost certainly face investigations into a lack of institutional control.

The Wolverines have re-emerged as one of the premier programs in college football over the last three seasons. Michigan has reached the College Football Playoff in each of the last two years and looks like a strong bet for a threepeat, sitting at 8-0. Harbaugh has fewer losses over his last 36 games (three) than he had in the COVID-shortened 2020 season (four).

That return to prominence happens to coincide with the seasons where Stalions is alleged to have taped opposing signals. This scandal has the potential to have far-reaching consequences that will call into question the integrity of Michigan's recent run of success.