Michigan Receives Final Notice of Allegations from NCAA in Sign-Stealing Investigation

The NCAA has delivered the final version of the Notice of Allegations (NOA) to the University of Michigan, detailing allegations of impermissible in-person scouting and sign-stealing by a football staffer. The school has 90 days to respond, with potential consequences including a hearing before the NCAA's committee on infractions.

The NCAA has transmitted the final Notice of Allegations (NOA) to the University of Michigan, outlining accusations of illicit in-person scouting and sign-stealing practices by a football staff member. The university had previously received a draft of the NOA, which implicated former head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, former recruiting analyst Connor Stalions, and other staff members.

Michigan Receives Final Notice of Allegations from NCAA in Sign-Stealing Investigation

In a statement, the NCAA confirmed the distribution of the NOA to the university and involved parties. To preserve the integrity of the infractions process, the NCAA declined to provide further details.

According to NCAA regulations, Michigan has 90 days to respond. The school could subsequently be scheduled for a hearing before the NCAA's committee on infractions, although a negotiated resolution remains a possibility.

The ongoing NCAA investigation has cast a shadow over Michigan's historic 2023 season, in which the team secured an undefeated record and won its first national title since 1997. However, it did not prevent the Wolverines from achieving their elusive triumph.

The inquiry centers on the prohibited practice of in-person advanced scouting, investigating the extent of its organization and the individuals aware of it. Records from other Big Ten schools indicate that Stalions purchased tickets to numerous games involving prospective opponents, dispatching personnel to digitally record teams when they signaled plays.

Stalions was initially placed on administrative leave by the university and later resigned. He chose not to participate in the investigation. On Tuesday, Netflix's documentary "Sign Stealer" is expected to showcase Stalions breaking his silence on the matter.

Harbaugh, now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has denied any knowledge of illicit scouting while with the program. Yet he faces potential Level 1 violations alongside Stalions.

In response to the sign-stealing scheme, the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the season's final three regular-season games for violating the conference's sportsmanship policy. The NCAA recently released the results of a separate investigation into Michigan's recruiting violations under Harbaugh. The coach received a show-cause order, effectively suspending him from coaching in college for four years.

As Michigan embarks on its first season under Moore on August 31 against Fresno State, it remains ranked No. 9. The outcome of the NCAA's investigation will likely impact the program's trajectory moving forward.