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NCAA Investigates University of Michigan Football Program for Sign-Stealing

The University of Michigan football program is currently under investigation by the NCAA following allegations of sign-stealing, according to an announcement made by the Big Ten on Thursday.

In response to the allegations, athletic director Warde Manuel expressed the university’s willingness to cooperate fully with the NCAA in their investigation. Manuel emphasized the university’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity for all members of the community, including coaches, staff, and student-athletes.

Earlier this week, the Big Ten informed Michigan State about the presence of “credible evidence” pointing towards the Wolverines’ successful theft of signs called by opposing coaches throughout the season. The evidence reportedly relates to potential rule violations associated with in-person scouting of opponents, which is prohibited under NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1.

Manuel had a discussion with conference commissioner Tony Petitti, but as of noon on Thursday, Michigan had not yet been presented with the evidence compiled by the conference, according to a source familiar with the allegations.

The Big Ten claims that Michigan has been utilizing a “vast network” to steal signs from opposing teams. The league has reviewed game films that allegedly demonstrate Michigan’s knowledge of the opposing team’s intended play before it is executed.

Ensuring fair competition and maintaining the integrity of the sport are of utmost importance to the Big Ten, and the conference stated that it will continue to monitor the ongoing investigation.

Upon learning about the investigation, Michigan State initially expressed concerns for the health and safety of its players and hinted that it may consider not playing the upcoming game against Michigan. However, on Thursday morning, MSU confirmed that the game would proceed as scheduled. The university has notified Michigan’s future opponents regarding the allegations, and the games are expected to take place as planned.

While sign-stealing is not explicitly prohibited by the NCAA, except when involving in-game electronic communication interception, it has a long history within college football. In recent years, several programs have faced accusations and allegations related to this practice.

The specific focus of the investigation into Michigan is whether these recent allegations extend beyond on-field sign-stealing activities.

It is worth noting that Michigan is already under NCAA investigation for Level II rule violations, which pertain to recruiting during a COVID dead period and statements made to NCAA investigators. As a result, head coach Jim Harbaugh served a three-game suspension imposed by the university.

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Required Reading

(Photo of Jim Harbaugh: David Berding / Getty)

This report draws contributions from Nicole Auerbach and Austin Meek at The Athletic.

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