Report: Michigan to Fight NCAA Allegations against Jim Harbaugh, Moore, Stalions

The University of Michigan sent a 137-page document to the NCAA in response to the organization's notice of allegations accusing the program of 11 violations in response to a scouting and sign-stealing scheme led by ex-Wolverine staffer Connor Stalions.

Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger obtained a portion of the document and broke the news, noting in particular that the school has no plans to enter a "negotiated resolution" with the NCAA. In addition, Michigan defended ex-head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, other Michigan staffers and even Stalions on the matter.

Per Dellenger:

"In the 137-page document — a portion of which Yahoo Sports obtained — Michigan makes clear that it will not enter into a negotiated resolution with the NCAA over the alleged wrongdoing, vigorously defending its former head coach, current head coach, several staff members and even Stalions, the low-level assistant who orchestrated one of the most elaborate sign-stealing systems in college football history on the way to the school winning the 2023 national championship. The school purports that the sign-stealing system offered 'minimal relevance to competition,' was not credibly proven by NCAA investigators and should be treated as a minor violation."

Six of the NCAA's 11 violations are deemed to be a Level I variety, categorized as a "severe breach of conduct."

Stalions has previously denied stealing signs from future Michigan opponents by in-person scouting (which is illegal) when he interviewed with the NCAA last Apil.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and Mark Schlabach reported that video clips from Stalions' interview with the NCAA appear in the Netflix documentary Sign Stealer.

Stalions also said he didn't "recall directing anyone to go to a game" as well when asked if he had done that. He no longer works for Michigan after resigning from his football analyst position in November 2023. The month before, Michigan suspended Stalions amid the NCAA's investigation into the program.

ESPN's Dan Murphy and Pete Thamel broke news on NCAA's notice of allegation on Aug. 4. The organization stated Stalions was the ringleader of a scheme that led to Michigan illegally scouting at least 13 future opponents for a total of 58 different times from 2021-2023.

Harbaugh, now the Los Angeles Chargers head coach, has fiercely denied knowing about any scheme.

"Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal. I was raised on that lesson," Harbaugh told reporters in at the team's training camp on Aug. 5. "I have raised my family on that lesson. I have preached that lesson to the teams that I've coached.

"No one's perfect. If you stumble, you apologize and you make it right. Today, I do not apologize. I did not participate, was not aware nor complicit in those said allegations. So for me, it's back to work and attacking with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."

The NCAA issued a four-year show-cause order and a one-year suspension last August in response to its investigation. Harbaugh was notably suspended six games in 2023, three for recruiting violations (self-imposed by the school) during the COVID-19 dead period and three more by the Big Ten in response to the aforementioned scheme.

Regarding Harbaugh, Michigan says the NCAA's charge against him is "without merit."

"The NCAA alleges that Harbaugh failed to cooperate between Oct. 20 and Jan. 24, 2024 when he did not produce text and telephone records from his personal cell prior to his departure from the school," Dellenger wrote.

"Imaging of Harbaugh's phones — his personal and work — were part of a large initial collection of data that included imaging of phones and other devices from 10 individuals, the school says, including two computers assigned to Stalions and an external hard drive owned by Stalions.

"However, there were 'legitimate concerns' that the data being imaged contained personal and sensitive information and/or attorney-client communications, so images were withheld. The NCAA did not receive Harbaugh's images by the deadline and deemed him to have failed to comply."

Moore, now Michigan's head coach, was a co-offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022 and the team's offensive coordinator in 2023. He was also the team's interim head coach for four games for Harbaugh in 2023. Moore was also suspended for a game during the 2023 season due to the aforementioned recruiting violations.

Moore is notably accused of deleting 52 text messages with Stalions.

Dellenger spoke more on the matter.

"In its response, Michigan and Moore acknowledge the deleted messages. However, the school contends that the texts were 'innocuous and not material to the investigation' and that Moore cooperated fully with the investigation, even turning over his phone for imaging — a move that revealed the previously deleted messages.

"The coach told school officials that he deleted the messages in anger and frustration shortly after the bombshell news story broke, suggesting that he did not want one person, Stalions, to receive credit for 'all the work that' coaches and players put into the championship run."

Generally speaking, in the document obtained by Dellenger, Michigan claims many of the allegations lack "merit or credible evidence." However, the school does admit in-person scouting took place. Dellenger provided more information.

"In its response, the school acknowledges that some impermissible in-person scouting appears to have occurred — 'though less than the (NCAA) claims'— and that some recruiting violations occurred, as well. All of the wrongdoing, it says, will be addressed in the Committee on Infractions hearing and it will advise committee members of self-imposed penalties."

Ultimately, Michigan is digging its heels in and refusing to back down a year off the team's 15-0 national championship season. Now the fight really begins between Michigan and the NCAA, which won't go away any time soon.