Michigan is being investigated by the NCAA over allegations that they illegally stole signals from opponents, but one former Big Ten staffer says schools in the conference banded together to do the same to the Wolverines last season.
A former employee at a Big Ten football program told Larry Lage of The Associated Press that his job with his former team was to steal signs. The ex-staffer, who chose to remain anonymous, said multiple Big Ten programs gave him details about Michigan’s signals that he used to compile a spreadsheet.
The former Big Ten employee said he has documents and screenshots of text messages that show staffers from different programs within the conference shared information about Michigan’s signs to help one another. He said he gave the details to Jim Harbaugh last week in hopes of helping Harbaugh show that sign-stealing is prevalent and that Michigan is being unfairly scrutinized for the actions of Connor Stalions.
Lage reports that Michigan shared the information from the ex-Big Ten staffer with the conference on Friday.
Stalions had been suspended by Michigan after evidence began piling up that he stole signals from opposing teams using illegal means. Stalions then resigned on Friday.
The biggest issue for Michigan is that Stalions allegedly scouted Wolverines opponents in-person, which is a violation of NCAA rules. He also may have used electronic devices (or had others use them for him) to gather information, which is also illegal. Stalions has also been accused of infiltrating one team’s sideline to scout a Michigan opponent from across the field.
It is not uncommon for college programs to help one another out. That is reportedly what happened before TCU played Michigan in the College Football Playoff last year.
If teams did work together to steal Michigan’s signals, the important for the Big Ten will likely be how the information was obtained. The Big Ten might also have concern about competing schools teaming up and sharing information rather than acting independently for the sake of competition.
