The NCAA has issued a formal Notice of Allegations against Michigan for its investigation into an alleged illegal scouting/sign-stealing scheme, the university confirmed Sunday.
“We have received a Notice of Allegations from the NCAA,” Michigan football program spokesperson Dave Ablauf told The Detroit News.
The issuing of the NOA was first reported by Yahoo Sports. The Detroit News has filed an open-records request with the university for the NOA.
According to the NCAA process, Michigan has 90 days to respond in writing to the NOA and then the NCAA has 60 days to reply. If there’s a hearing before the Committee on Infractions, that’s scheduled, typically, about two months after the reply has been filed. It’s usually another two or three months before the public infractions report is released.
The NCAA recently resolved another investigation into Michigan football involving impermissible recruiting during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period in 2021. Former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh received a four-year show-cause order and a one-year suspension for a violation of head-coach responsibility obligations, “unethical conduct” and a failure to promote “an atmosphere of compliance.” Michigan and five staff members in April reached an agreement with the NCAA enforcement staff and was given three years probation, a fine and recruiting limitations.
On Oct. 19, 2023, the NCAA opened an investigation into an alleged illegal scouting/sign-stealing scheme that surfaced on Oct. 19 that was orchestrated by former football analyst Connor Stalions. Stalions would eventually resign. There is no NCAA rule against in-game sign stealing, but programs are not allowed to scout games of future opponents and also can’t use electronic equipment to record another team’s signals. Stalions reportedly purchased tickets to multiple games and stadiums around the country involving Michigan opponents in the Big Ten and potential College Football Playoff opponents.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti suspended Harbaugh the final three regular-season games last fall for a violation of the Sportsmanship Policy relating to the NCAA investigation.
A draft of the NOA was leaked earlier this month. Harbaugh, former linebackers coach Chris Partridge and Denard Robinson, formerly assistant director of personnel, are all accused of Level I violations, the NCAA’s most severe.
Current Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, according to the draft NOA, deleted a thread of 52 text messages to Stalions last October when news of the NCAA investigation into the sign stealing broke. The NCAA enforcement staff alleges that on Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2023, after it was announced on Oct. 19 an investigation had begun, that Moore allegedly deleted the texts. The messages were recovered by the NCAA through device imaging and Moore also produced them to the staff. Moore, who served a one-game suspension as part of a negotiated resolution for the first investigation, is facing a possible Level II sanction and could possibly be considered a repeat offender by the NCAA.
“I’ll just say this, I look forward to them being released. That’s it,” Moore recently told reporters when asked about the deleted texts.
Moore also said the program is fully cooperating with the NCAA.
“Have in the past, will in the future, and we’ll continue to do that,” Moore said. “Really, right now, it’s an ongoing case and we need to preserve the confidentiality of the proceedings. We hope you guys understand that.
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