Michigan Staffer Under Investigation for Alleged Scouting Scheme
Michigan staffer Connor Stalions is at the center of an NCAA investigation into the program’s alleged in-person scouting scheme. According to school sources confirmed by The Athletic, Stalions purchased tickets to watch at least five Big Ten schools play before their games against the Wolverines. These ticket purchases spanned the past three seasons, including the current 2023 season.
Last week, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh denied any knowledge of illegal sign-stealing within his program or by his staff. Although the NCAA investigation is in its early stages, it has been primarily focused on Stalions, a low-level recruiting analyst who was suspended with pay by Michigan on Friday. Sources within the Big Ten have expressed frustration with Stalions’ alleged behavior and the elaborate nature of his efforts, which coaches believe go beyond acceptable in-game sign-stealing and fair play.
According to The Athletic, one of the Wolverines’ Big Ten opponents claims to have in-stadium surveillance footage showing someone filming their team’s sideline from a seat purchased by Stalions. The filming was reportedly done on the individual’s smartphone. Another school source revealed that Stalions purchased tickets under his name five times in the past three seasons, with seats located near the 50-yard line and occasionally on both sides of the stadium.
ESPN reported on Monday that Stalions has purchased tickets in his own name for over 30 games at 11 different Big Ten schools. This includes tickets for both sides of the field for Saturday’s game between Penn State and Ohio State, two teams that Michigan will face later this year. However, ESPN noted that Stalions did not use those seats on Saturday.
Sources have disclosed to The Athletic that Stalions spent “hundreds and hundreds of dollars” on tickets bought on the secondary market over the past three years. Some tickets were also reportedly purchased under the name of one of Stalions’ family members. Attempts to reach Stalions for comment were unsuccessful.
The NCAA is currently gathering information from opposing schools that may have useful details regarding the investigation. It appears that two NCAA rules may have been potentially breached by Michigan with this alleged scheme. Firstly, the NCAA prohibits in-person, off-campus scouting of future opponents, a rule implemented in 1994 to reduce costs. The second rule states that any attempt to record signals from an opposing player, coach, or team personnel is strictly prohibited.
Industry experts remain uncertain about the potential penalties that Michigan could face as there is no prior precedent for an NCAA investigation of this nature into an alleged illegal scouting scheme. While the NCAA has moved away from penalties that unfairly impact innocent athletes in recent years, it still possesses the ability to issue postseason bans for serious violations or repeat offenders. Michigan is already under NCAA investigation for alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period. Regardless of Harbaugh’s knowledge or lack thereof regarding Stalions’ actions, he can be held accountable under the NCAA’s head coach responsibility rules. These rules hold head coaches responsible for violations committed by their staff, regardless of their awareness.
It remains unclear how the second NCAA case involving the alleged scouting scheme will impact the first investigation, or if the cases will be combined into one. Regardless, the process is expected to be lengthy, as is typical for the NCAA’s infractions procedures. The first investigation into Michigan focused on violations that allegedly occurred years ago, with a resolution not expected until at least 2024.
In the meantime, Michigan and the NCAA will continue their investigation into the alleged scouting scheme, aiming to determine the extent of Stalions’ actions and the potential implications for the program.