A new report claims that suspended Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions purchased tickets to over two dozen games for future Wolverines opponents and was caught on camera stealing signals.
The Michigan football team is on a bye this week, but they are on a high after they crushed rivals Michigan State 49-0 this past weekend. It moved the team’s record to 8-0 and has them among the top five teams in our current college football rankings. However, the program has a whole has a dark cloud hovering over it once again.
After dealing with an NCAA investigation earlier this year due to recruiting violations, the Wolverines are now at the center of a new inquiry for breaking rules on advance scouting. Almost 30 years ago the NCAA brought an end to scouting future opponents to help member schools save money. However, it seems the Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions did not get that memo.
Stalions was suspended last week after he was found to be at the heart of allegations of illegal advance scouting. However, on Monday ESPN revealed all-new details that do not make the program or his boss Jim Harbaugh look very good.
The outlet claims the staffer purchased tickets in his own name for over 30 games in the last three seasons, and 11 different schools in the Big Ten were able to confirm the purchases.
Michigan Football schedule: Next game vs. Purdue on Nov. 4
“The scope of the University of Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation includes both video evidence of electronics prohibited by the NCAA to steal signs and a significant paper trail,” sources told ESPN. “Stalions forwarded the tickets he bought to at least three different people in different areas of the country, sources say, which hints at the breadth of the operation.”
The NCAA is reportedly expected to get video proof of the Michigan staffer being at the games and using video technology to record future opponent sidelines. He also allegedly purchased tickets on both sides of the field for this past weekend’s Penn State vs. Ohio State matchup.
“The ticket purchases fall into a seat location pattern — somewhere around the 45-yard line and raised up enough for a clear view of the opposite sideline. One source told ESPN that Stalions bought tickets to five different games at that school over the past three years. Another said it was four games over the past two years.”
– ESPN report
This seems like a slamdunk situation and will likely lead to Stalions being the fired scapegoat for Harbaugh and the Michigan football program. However, the powerful coach having no idea about such a sophisticated scouting strategy seems highly unlikely. Furthering an ugly narrative he has developed for himself in recent seasons.