Michigan Football Faces Multimillion-Dollar Fine in Sign-Stealing Scandal

The Michigan Wolverines football program has been penalized with a multimillion-dollar fine, and head coach Sherrone Moore received an additional suspension following a sign-stealing scandal involving former staffer Connor Stalions, according to a statement released by the NCAA on March 1, 2024. The penalties stem from an “impermissible scouting scheme” that Stalions orchestrated while he was on the staff of then-head coach Jim Harbaugh.

As part of the NCAA’s ruling, Stalions has been issued an eight-year show-cause order, which prohibits him from any athletically related activities during that time. Harbaugh faces a ten-year show-cause order, set to begin on August 7, 2028, after a separate four-year show-cause order related to previous recruiting violations concludes. The NCAA detailed that the violations committed under Harbaugh’s leadership included an off-campus, in-person scouting scheme, impermissible recruiting inducements, and failures to cooperate with the investigation.

Reports indicate that the financial penalty could exceed $20 million when evaluated against past revenues and projections from the Big Ten Conference. Stalions was found to have directed individuals to conduct off-campus scouting of 13 future opponents over three seasons. This effort, referred to as the “KGB,” involved Stalions purchasing tickets and distributing them to individuals who filmed opposing teams’ signal callers, providing him with valuable insights into their strategies.

The investigation uncovered that Stalions spent nearly $35,000 on tickets in 2022 alone. The NCAA indicated that there were 56 instances of this off-campus scouting and stated that the full extent of the scheme might never be known due to intentional destruction of evidence by individuals involved.

Moore, who was an assistant coach at the time, has received a two-year show-cause order along with a three-game suspension. The NCAA has mandated that this suspension will include an additional game that will be served during the first game of the 2026-27 season. Moore’s penalties were issued due to violations related to his failure to cooperate, including deleting text messages that were part of communications with Stalions.

Stalions’ lack of cooperation was highlighted during the investigation, as he instructed an intern to “clear out” all evidence related to the scheme and even disposed of a phone in a pond. The NCAA’s infractions panel noted that Stalions’ behavior represented some of the most egregious failures to cooperate they have encountered.

The ruling also emphasized Harbaugh’s failure to provide necessary records when requested, along with missing an interview with NCAA staff, contributing to his punishment. Sign-stealing, while a common practice in college football, is only prohibited when it involves the interception of electronic communication during games. Off-campus scouting, however, is explicitly banned by NCAA bylaw 11.6.1.

In 2023, Harbaugh had already faced a suspension for the team’s initial three games of the season due to self-imposed sanctions amid earlier allegations of recruiting violations. Following these developments, the NCAA launched a second investigation into the Wolverines in October 2023, resulting in Stalions’ resignation and the firing of linebackers coach Chris Partridge. In a statement, Partridge denied any knowledge of illegal activities and asserted that he had not destroyed any evidence related to the investigation.

Harbaugh has consistently denied any involvement in schemes to steal opponents’ signals. Despite the controversy, the Wolverines celebrated a national championship win against the Washington Huskies on January 8, 2024, marking their first title since the 1997 season. Shortly after, Harbaugh departed to take the head coaching position with the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers.

Looking ahead, the Wolverines are set to begin their season on August 30 at home against New Mexico State. As the situation evolves, further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.