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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 19, 2023 12:15:26 GMT -5
By Brendan Quinn 6m ago 1
Save Article The Big Ten Conference approached Michigan State University on Wednesday with what it described as “credible evidence” that the University of Michigan football program has successfully stolen signs called by opposing team’s coaches this season, according to multiple sources briefed on the league’s communications.
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Michigan State was approached by the league as a forewarning ahead of this weekend’s matchup between the rivals in East Lansing. According to a source briefed on those conversations, upon learning of the pending investigation, Michigan State initially warned the Big Ten it might consider not playing Saturday’s game out of concern for health and safety for its players. On Thursday morning, MSU confirmed it will indeed play the game.
Michigan was informed that it’s being investigated, but has yet to be presented with the evidence compiled by the conference. UM athletic director Warde Manuel spoke with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti on Wednesday.
The league claims that Michigan, as one source with knowledge of the allegation said, is using a “vast network” to steal opposing team’s signs. The league told Michigan State it has reviewed film that shows UM clearly knowing what play an opposing team is going to run before the play occurs.
Sign stealing is not prohibited in NCAA football, unless a team intercepts in-game electronic communication.
The Big 10 released a statement addressing the situation Thursday:
“Late Wednesday afternoon, the Big Ten Conference and University of Michigan were notified by the NCAA that the NCAA was investigating allegations of sign stealing by the University of Michigan football program. The Big Ten Conference has notified Michigan State University and future opponents. The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation. The Conference will have no further comment at this time.”
Yahoo reported Thursday that the NCAA is investigating Michigan “over possible rule-breaking around in-person scouting of opponents.”
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Post by bilogle on Oct 19, 2023 12:20:45 GMT -5
cheater-fuckers... give 'em the death penalty...
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 19, 2023 12:21:22 GMT -5
www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38696639/ncaa-investigating-no-2-michigan-amid-sign-stealing-allegationsThe NCAA is investigating the Michigan Wolverines' football program amid allegations of sign stealing, the Big Ten Conference announced Thursday. The University of Michigan and the Big Ten were both notified by the NCAA of the investigation on Wednesday, and the conference said it had notified the Wolverines' future opponents. "The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation," it said in a statement. According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Michigan allegedly had people attending games of future opponents as well as possible College Football Playoff opponents to gather information on signs used to call plays on offense and defense.If true, the No. 2 Wolverines would have violated NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which states: "Off-campus, in-person scouring of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited." U.S. Integrity, a Las Vegas firm that monitors the betting market, sent out an alert to its sportsbook clients regarding the Michigan controversy Thursday, ESPN confirmed. Michigan (6-0) plays Michigan State on Saturday. Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh has already served a university-imposed three-game suspension this season stemming from alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period and not cooperating with NCAA investigators. Michigan still is facing four Level II violations, which are considered less serious, from those alleged violations.
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 19, 2023 12:22:39 GMT -5
Scouting possible future opponents and Playoff Opponents will get them in big trouble. I have little doubt that CJH would do this.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 19, 2023 12:35:12 GMT -5
So Michigan had scouts at East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green, Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota and Indiana to steal their signs? Well, things get tougher this week with Sparty and the Boilermakers before venturing into Happy Valley. This surely won't make Heather Dinich and Desmond Howard happy.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 19, 2023 12:39:48 GMT -5
Gives new meaning to the Beat Georgia practices that the Wolverines conduct.
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 19, 2023 13:15:38 GMT -5
Gives new meaning to the Beat Georgia practices that the Wolverines conduct. I was thinking the same thing.
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Post by erock72 on Oct 19, 2023 14:13:55 GMT -5
I guess I am used to high school where it is common practice to send a scout if possible to a future opponent's game to pick up tendencies and the like. This really happens in basketball. Maybe college is different or what I am talking about is different than what the rule is talking about. I get being pissed about sign stealing, but if I have a guy that I can send to the game to see play calling tendencies in certain situations, or see how kids react to certain situations I think that should be ok. Maybe I am naive.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 19, 2023 14:43:58 GMT -5
I think the concern is that they might have been using electronic means to intercept another school's signals.
While the rule is whatever, it has been around since 94. When Mark Richt's son was playing at Clemson, he had to get approval from Tommy Bowden to be able to attend a Kick Off Classic game in Atlanta. Georgia was not playing that week and they were not on Clemson's schedule, but Richt still had to ask approval or it would have been a violation of NCAA rules.
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Post by Elapid on Oct 19, 2023 15:23:15 GMT -5
I would set the keys to the signs right before the game and possibly change it during the game. You could also use the fact that the opposing team has what they think are your signs against them. I would love to play this game with opposing teams.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 20, 2023 6:01:40 GMT -5
Pete Thamel Mark Schlabach Oct 20, 2023, 12:47 AM ET
A low-level staffer with a military background has emerged as one of the linchpins in the NCAA investigation into Michigan's alleged sign-stealing operation, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Connor Stalions, a football analyst with the Wolverines and a retired captain in the United States Marine Corps, is a person of interest in the investigation into whether No. 2-ranked Michigan violated an NCAA rule by scouting future opponents in person at games, sources said. The NCAA prohibited such scouting in 1994.
Sources said the NCAA enforcement staff's level of interest in Stalions is so significant it sought access to his computer as part of its investigation. Sources indicated that the process is underway, although it's uncertain what investigators will find.
Attempts by ESPN to reach Stalions were not returned. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did not return a request seeking comment.
A source told ESPN that the Wolverines have used an "elaborate" scouting system to steal signals from future opponents since at least 2021. With the ongoing NCAA investigation into Michigan recruiting and coach Jim Harbaugh potentially facing additional penalties there, this separate investigation could significantly increase his exposure to additional suspension.
In a statement Thursday, Harbaugh denied any knowledge of or involvement in the alleged scheme to steal opponents' signals through scouting trips to out-of-town games. Harbaugh said he would fully cooperate in any investigations and doesn't "condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules."
"I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment," Harbaugh said in the statement.
If the allegations are proven to be true, Michigan would have violated NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which states: "Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited."
Michigan and the Big Ten were notified by the NCAA of the investigation Wednesday, and the conference said it had notified the Wolverines' future opponents, including Michigan State, which hosts Michigan in East Lansing on Saturday.
"The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation," the conference said in a statement.
Even though Harbaugh said he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme, pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1, a head coach is "presumed to have knowledge of what is occurring in his program and therefore, can be responsible for the actions of his staff and individuals associated with the program."
According to the NCAA, "if an allegation of Bylaw 11.1.2.1 is made against a head coach, then the coach must rebut the presumption that he had knowledge of what was occurring in his program and show that he did in fact set a proper tone of compliance and reasonably monitored the activities of his program."
"I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action," Harbaugh said in his statement. "No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules."
Around Michigan's football building, Stalions is known to technically work in the recruiting department under director of recruiting Albert Karschnia. But a source said it was known in the building that he spent much of his time deciphering opponents' signals, often watching television copies of opponents' games. On Stalions' Instagram page, there are photos of him on the sideline next to two of Michigan's former defensive playcallers, Don Brown and Mike Macdonald.
"He had one role," said a source with knowledge of Michigan's staff.
What is crucial to the NCAA case isn't what Stalions did while breaking down television copies of games to learn and decode opponents' signals. It's whether or not illicit methods were used, which are alleged to include opponent scouting in different venues and was outlawed by the NCAA nearly three decades ago as a cost-cutting measure to bring more equity to the sport.
Sign stealing also violates NCAA rules if a team uses electronic equipment to decipher signals and relay the information to players and coaches. According to the 2023 NCAA football rule book, "any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited."
The allegations against Michigan appear to transcend the normal coach griping about opposing coaches stealing signals, as the depth of the allegations -- and the Big Ten's on-record affirmation of an investigation -- hint at something much more significant.
The allegations have rattled coaches and administrators around the Big Ten.
"This is worse than both the Astros and the Patriots -- it's both use of technology for a competitive advantage and there's allegations that they are filming prior games, not just in-game," a Big Ten source said. "If it was just an in-game situation, that's different. Going and filming somewhere you're not supposed to be. It's illegal. It's too much of an advantage."
Stalions, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, was hired as an off-field analyst at Michigan in May 2022, according to a bio on his LinkedIn account. In the bio, Stalions wrote that he attempts to "employ Marine Corps philosophies and tactics into the sport of football regarding strategies in staffing, recruiting, scouting, intelligence, planning and more."
Among the skills Stalions wrote about on LinkedIn were "identifying the opponent's most likely course of action and most dangerous course of action" and "identifying and exploiting critical vulnerabilities and centers of gravity in the opponent scouting process."
The son of two Michigan alumni, Stalions enrolled at the Naval Academy and was a student assistant for the Midshipmen from 2013 to 2016. After being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 2017, Stalions worked as a graduate assistant at Navy before beginning his military training, according to his LinkedIn account.
While he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, Stalions wrote, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan from May 2015 to May 2022.
"On top of my daily duties as a Logistics Officer leading [40-plus] at a time, I volunteered for the Michigan football staff, flying back [and] forth on my own dime, assisting the defensive staff," Stalions wrote.
In a profile of Stalions on the website Soldiers to Sidelines in January 2022, he said he purchased a house and rented each of the bedrooms on Airbnb, while sleeping on the couch, to help pay for his travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Stalions retired as a captain in the Marine Corps in May 2022 and joined Michigan's staff as an off-field analyst.
Harbaugh already faces NCAA charges of failure to cooperate and head coach responsibility related to alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period. A violation by a member of his coaching staff could trigger another charge of head coach responsibility, which could be a Level I violation.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions rejected a four-game negotiated suspension for Harbaugh in the recruiting case, and Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension. With that case still needing to be resolved, an additional head coach responsibility charge based on alleged signal stealing would significantly increase his exposure to additional punishment, including a longer suspension.
Michigan still is facing four Level II violations, which are considered less serious, from those alleged violations. The NCAA is not expected to announce a ruling in that case until 2024.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 20, 2023 6:14:19 GMT -5
What really caught my eye was this guy's career. He was commissioned in 2017 from the Naval Academy. He "retired" from the Navy in 2022. How does one do that without being medically boarded? Maybe he served in Afghanistan or Iraq and was wounded, but there is nothing mentioned about that. I suspect that he has been telling people that he is retired when he actually completed his Navy committment. Also, if he was a Midshipman until 2017, how in the hell did he have time to be an assistant with Michigan? I mean, we all see what an academy's student schedule is like, how do you do that? And then while at Pendelton, he flew back and forth to Ann Arbor to assist in coaching/recruiting/cheating or whatever? What type of job in the Marine Corps would allow that much time for a Captain?
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 20, 2023 7:43:09 GMT -5
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 20, 2023 7:49:59 GMT -5
It's hard to imagine a situation where Harbaugh didn't know about this. This was an elaborate scheme, not just some rogue assistant coach or staffer doing this on the side. They have been doing this since 2021 and from what I've read most of the Big 10 knew the Wolverines were stealing signs because they knew of plays their opponent did that were out of tendency both on offense and defense, again and again against multiple opponents and had a counter play.
The shame in all of this is that Harbaugh will probably bolt to the NFL and leave this mess and punishment on a new coach, players, and the school.
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Post by NCBulldawg on Oct 20, 2023 9:49:03 GMT -5
It just means more!
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 20, 2023 10:51:05 GMT -5
Report: Big Ten coaches knew of sign-stealing scheme, Michigan assistant in focus www.on3.com/college/michigan-wolverines/news/report-big-ten-coaches-knew-of-sign-stealing-scheme-michigan-assistant-connor-stalions-in-focus/While public scrutiny has only been on Michigan football for the better part of day after news broke on Thursday that the Wolverines may have violated NCAA rules in efforts to learn opponents’ signals, opponents have known far longer. And the staffer at the center of it — Connor Stalions — was not an unknown, either. A new report from Yahoo! Sports outlined how several coaching staffs, including Ohio State ahead of the 2022 edition of The Game, were aware their signs might be known on the opposite sideline. ‘He spearheads the operation. I once told (Stalions), ‘We know what kind of sh** you are doing and it’s f***** up,'” a Big Ten coach said to Yahoo! Sports. Stalions has scrubbed his social media accounts since the story broke on Thursday, at which point they were still active. ESPN first reported that Stalions, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, was at the center of the investigation and that investigators intend to search his computer. And according to the Yahoo! Sports report, a number of Big Ten coaches were aware of the sign-stealing operation well before the Wolverines were under the specter of NCAA investigation. “We were told to be careful because they had a guy who could pick plays,” a Big Ten head coach said to Yahoo! Sports. “It was too late in the week to change our signals, but another staff did tell us about (Stalions).” This included the Ohio State staff ahead of a major rivalry matchup in 2022. “We heard they had a guy pick plays pretty good and had all this information from not your typical ways of getting the signals,” an Ohio State staff member said. “We get into the game and it’s the second quarter. I see him across the field and he’s checking his 11×17 sheet.” Sign stealing in and of itself is not prohibited. Where Michigan and Stalions allegedly ran afoul of the rules is by scouting opponents in person and/or using electronic equipment to record or capture signals. Different bylaws apply to govern in-person scouting versus the use of recording equipment. And some coaches weren’t entirely upset at the proposition that another staff had deciphered their signals. “If you don’t like it, stop it,” one staff member said to Yahoo! Sports. Others held different opinions. “Some things are so obvious you don’t do it. It doesn’t need to be written down,” said another person to Yahoo! Sports.
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Post by dawgggystyle on Oct 20, 2023 12:43:54 GMT -5
cue The Fall Guy intro?
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Post by ghost on Oct 20, 2023 13:08:47 GMT -5
i thought this was done by everyone? game films, etc.... didn't think it was illegal.... now if you were taping a practice or something that would ne illegal of course.... but during a nationally televised game? hard to regulate that.
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Post by NCBulldawg on Oct 20, 2023 13:10:56 GMT -5
i thought this was done by everyone? game films, etc.... didn't think it was illegal.... now if you were taping a practice or something that would ne illegal of course.... but during a nationally televised game? hard to regulate that. Your answer is in the posted article above.
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Post by MtnTiger on Oct 20, 2023 13:12:41 GMT -5
i thought this was done by everyone? game films, etc.... didn't think it was illegal.... now if you were taping a practice or something that would ne illegal of course.... but during a nationally televised game? hard to regulate that. Tell me you have never seen an all 22 game film without telling me you never seen an all 22 game film!
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 23, 2023 21:31:41 GMT -5
Damning evidence against Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions has come to light over the past couple of weeks and much has been made of the news that Michigan has been allegedly caught stealing opponent’s signs.
Now, On3’s Andy Staples has the latest, reporting on the recent evidence put together by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach on Monday.
“Connor Stalions, the staffer at Michigan who has been suspended in this case, was found to have purchased tickets to 30 games and 11 Big Ten schools,” Staples said. “Thamel cited sources from 11 different Big Ten schools that this happened. The NCAA is expected to get evidence that someone using tickets purchased by Stalions was filming one of the sidelines for the entire game. They used the surveillance cameras from the stadium to show someone using their phone to film a sideline for the entire game. This is not an isolated incident — this apparently goes back for quite some time.
“If they get that video, they’ve pretty much got them dead to rights. What that means is that Michigan will be in trouble, Jim Harbaugh will be in trouble for this.”
Of course, Harbaugh was quoted as saying that he had no knowledge of this incident last week. As more comes out, Harbaugh’s statement is becoming less and less believable, Staples says. Even if Harbaugh had no knowledge of the incident, the NCAA will likely deem Harbaugh at fault due to the fact that he’s the head coach and directly oversees Stalions’ duties.
It should also be noted that Harbaugh is also under another investigation by the NCAA, which stems from the COVID-19 pandemic. The alleged story where Harbaugh bought a hamburger for recruits saw him face a three-game self-imposed suspension in hopes of getting out ahead of the NCAA’s final ruling. Add this sign-stealing debacle to the mix and Harbaugh all of a sudden has a lot on his plate.
“I still think that this is one of those instances where the NCAA could act quickly, or if the Big Ten could act in a disciplinary capacity,” Staples continued. “Thamel reported that Stalions bought tickets on both sidelines for this past week’s Penn State–Ohio State game. So, if there was a plan to do something at that game, the plan would have already been in place.
“It’s a competitive equity issue, it moves betting lines — something probably needs to move quickly on this. Then again, it’s the NCAA and they aren’t known to move that fast. … They will be able to get Jim Harbaugh on this, as long as they have that evidence. If they get that surveillance video that shows someone using Connor Stalions seats, filming an upcoming opponent — they got it. That’s pretty much it.”
How long will this ultimately take? Staples isn’t sure. But at the same time, Staples believes there’s enough evidence to prove Harbaugh’s guilt right now. Only time will tell if the NCAA hands down its ruling before the end of the season. For now, all Michigan can do is try to stay out of the spotlight during its bye week and prepare for Purdue during Week 10.
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Post by dawgggystyle on Oct 24, 2023 7:00:31 GMT -5
Anyone seen the pics of him on the sidelines during the game with a laminated sheet with signals printed on it?
and, oh, harbaugh is a liar. thats all he does
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2023 7:21:40 GMT -5
Were they banging on trashcans?
I eagerly await finding out if the NCAA has more balls than the pathetic individuals in charge of MLB.
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Post by dawgggystyle on Oct 24, 2023 7:27:49 GMT -5
Were they banging on trashcans? I eagerly await finding out if the NCAA has more balls than the pathetic individuals in charge of MLB. Theres a Venmo payment to/from someone named Chase Evans and Stalions the day before the UGA/OSU game entitled "GA". That guy says on LInkedIn he is a "recruiting intern" for Michigan Athletics. Maybe they were scouting UGA? They should have concentrated on TCU it seems That Chase Evans Linked In and pretty much all social media has been changed/scrubbed in the last week
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Post by dawgggystyle on Oct 24, 2023 7:31:59 GMT -5
Stalions is a former captain in the United States Marine Corps who boasted on LinkedIn of his knack for "identifying and exploiting critical vulnerabilities and centers of gravity in the opponent scouting process."
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Post by 75tranzam on Oct 24, 2023 9:30:20 GMT -5
Were they banging on trashcans? I eagerly await finding out if the NCAA has more balls than the pathetic individuals in charge of MLB. First thing I thought of was the cheating Astros.
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 24, 2023 9:46:46 GMT -5
First thing I thought about is where in the hell did this guy get all the time to be sorta working for Michigan while still a Midshipman and later as a Marine Corps Captain stationed in California. I never had a job that offered that sort of time on a weekly basis.
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Post by athens on Oct 24, 2023 10:01:09 GMT -5
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Post by ghost on Oct 24, 2023 10:24:44 GMT -5
Were they banging on trashcans? I eagerly await finding out if the NCAA has more balls than the pathetic individuals in charge of MLB. First thing I thought of was the cheating Astros. felt so nice beating their ass last night
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Post by bigdawgs on Oct 24, 2023 11:39:38 GMT -5
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