The NCAA is investigating the University of Michigan football program amid allegations of sign-stealing, the Big Ten announced Thursday.
The league approached Michigan State on Wednesday, ahead of this weekend’s matchup between the rivals in East Lansing, with what it described as “credible evidence” that the Wolverines have successfully stolen signs called by opposing teams’ coaches this season.
Yahoo reported Thursday that the NCAA is investigating Michigan “over possible rule-breaking around in-person scouting of opponents.” According to NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.
UM athletic director Warde Manuel spoke with Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti on Wednesday regarding the matter. According to a source with knowledge of the allegation, as of noon Thursday, Michigan has yet to be presented with evidence compiled by the conference. School spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald said Thursday the university is fully cooperating with the Big Ten and NCAA.
The league claims that Michigan, as one source with knowledge of the allegation said, is using a “vast network” to steal opposing teams’ 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 by the NCAA, unless a team intercepts in-game electronic communication.
“The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation,” the league said in a statement Thursday.
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, according to two sources briefed on those conversations. On Thursday morning, MSU confirmed it will play the game.
On-field sign-stealing is not illegal in college football and has a long history with decades of accusations and allegations.
Prominently, in 2020, Clemson was touted as the best sign-stealing program in college football. Prior to the 2020 Sugar Bowl, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables “seems to always know exactly what the other team is doing.”
Arizona State coach Todd Graham was accused by both Washington and Utah of signal-stealing in 2015. At halftime of a 2014 game, Kansas State coach Bill Snyder accused Auburn of sign-stealing. A year prior, Auburn was accused by Florida State of sign-stealing in the BCS championship game. The list goes on.
The question facing Michigan is if these recent allegations go beyond on-field sign-stealing. According to Yahoo’s report, sources claim Michigan may have “used unnamed individuals to attend games of both scheduled opponents and possible College Football Playoff opponents in an effort to gather information on the signs they use to call both offensive and defensive plays.”
Michigan is currently under NCAA investigation for a series of Level II rule violations relating to recruiting during a COVID dead period and statements to NCAA investigators.
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(Photo of Jim Harbaugh: David Berding / Getty)
