The University of Michigan and former head football coach Jim Harbaugh have both learned their fate for the sign-stealing scandal that tainted the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship.
The NCAA infractions committee has sanctioned Harbaugh with a show-cause of 10 years, meaning any member school hoping to hire him as a head coach would need to show cause why he shouldn’t face face his 10-year penalty. He perviously served a three-game suspension in exchange for the Big Ten dropping its investigation into the allegations after the two ended up in court.
Connor Stalions, the defensive analyst accused of handling the sign-stealing scheme, has been sanctioned with a show-cause penalty of eight years.
In a notice sent to the school last year, the NCAA alleged that current Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore violated rules as an assistant under then-coach Harbaugh. Moore was accused of deleting text messages with Stalions before they were recovered and provided to the NCAA.
Harbaugh is now entering his second season as head coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers after winning the 2023 national title at his alma mater.
The NCAA infractions committee sanctioned Harbaugh with a show-cause penalty of 10 years
Connor Stalions is seen celebrating Michigan’s 2021 Big Ten title with the Wolverines
The University of Michigan now plans to suspend football coach Sherrone Moore (pictured) for two games as part of self-imposed sanctions resulting from the 2023 scouting scandal
The NCAA investigation surfaced early in the 2023 season amid allegations that Michigan used a robust in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation conducted by Stalions, a former a low-level staffer. He was suspended by the school and later resigned.
Stalions, who did not participate in the NCAA investigation, recently said he knew almost every signal opponents used in seven games over two seasons.
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti sent a letter to the NCAA Committee on Infractions last month, suggesting that Michigan´s football program should not face more sanctions related to the sign-stealing saga.
The Wolverines open the season on August 30 at home against New Mexico State and then play at Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman, on September 6.
The NCAA does not have rules against stealing signs, but does prohibit schools from sending scouts to the games of future opponents and using electronic equipment to record another team´s signals.
