NCAA hands down punishment in Michigan sign-stealing scheme
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The NCAA on Friday revealed the punishment Michigan's football program will receive for its sign-stealing scandal, including a multi-million dollar fine and a suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore.
The NCAA investigation found "overwhelming evidence" of an "impermissible scouting scheme" over a three-year period from 2021 to 2023 -- the year the team won a national championship.
Michigan is classified as a "repeat violator," according to the NCAA, which said there was enough grounds for a multi-year postseason ban. However, the organization said it didn't wish to punish any student-athletes for the actions of the coaches and staff.
"Thus, the panel determined a more appropriate penalty is an offsetting financial penalty instead of a two-year postseason ban," the NCAA said.
Financial penalties are expected to exceed $20 million and include a $50,000 fine, a 10% fine on the football program’s budget, a 10% fine on Michigan’s 2025-26 scholarships and a fine equivalent to the anticipated loss of postseason revenue for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Michigan also faces a 25% reduction in official visits during the upcoming season and a 14-week prohibition on football recruiting communications during the probation period.
Connor Stalions, a former a low-level staffer who conducted the scouting and sign-stealing operation, was issued an eight-year show-cause order. Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh faces a 10-year show-cause order following the conclusion of his previous four-year order effective Aug. 7, 2028. Harbaugh and Stalions will be prohibited from engaging in all athletically related activities.
A show-cause penalty makes it harder for schools to hire them during those respective timeframes, according to ESPN.
In the scheme, Stalions purchased tickets for games of upcoming opponents and transferred them to individuals who would attend the games. They would film the signal callers of their future opponents, which violates rules surrounding in-person scouting. The individuals included another staff member, interns and acquaintances, according to the NCAA. The group was referred to as the "KGB."
One of the games Stalions reportedly purchased tickets to was the 2023 Ohio State game against Penn State. The NCAA said Stalions spent about $35,000 on tickets during the 2022 season.
Stalions, Harbaugh, and Moore all failed to cooperate with the investigation, according to the NCAA. Stalions admitted to throwing a phone and film into a pond. He also told an intern to "clear out" emails, texts and videos, which he said he didn't remember asking them to do.
Moore deleted a 52-message text thread with Stalions after media reports of the scheme surfaced in October 2023, according to the NCAA. A day later, he deleted a single text from a school-issued phone -- something he attributed to a lack of storage but later admitted it was because of the news.
Harbaugh refused to provide records or be interviewed for the investigation.
The Wolverines open the season on Aug. 30 at home against New Mexico and then play at Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman, on Sept. 6.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.