Tag: Connor Stalions

Jim Harbaugh’s lawyer seemingly plagiarized his response to the Big Ten from a message board and fans have so many theories

Coincidence or conspiracy? The Stalions scandal takes another weird turn.

Just when you think the Michigan football-Connor Stalions-alleged sign-stealing scandal can’t get any more ridiculously absurd, college football fans are here to remind you it absolutely can and will.

Take yesterday’s response to the Big Ten from Jim Harbaugh’s lawyer Tom Mars.

The letter is 10 pages long and full of all the legal theories you’d expect. But there is no official document college fans won’t peruse in its entirety and those who did discovered quite the coincidence: One of the arguments made by Mars was previously posted, word-for-word, on a Wolverines message board two days earlier from someone claiming to be a lawyer and Michigan alum.

Take a look for yourself.

From the MGoBlog post:

That provision is unambiguous and lists no exceptions. There is no rule in the conference handbook that would allow the Commissioner to bypass the NCAA (and the Big Ten’s Compliance and Reinstatement Subcommittee) because the Commissioner feels peer-pressured to act quickly.

And from the Mars letter:

Rule 32.2.2(C) is unambiguous and has no exceptions. There is no rule in the Big Ten Handbook that would allow the Commissioner to bypass the NCAA (and the Big Ten’s Compliance and Reinstatement Subcommittee) only because the Commissioner feels pressured to act quickly. Nor is there any precedent in the history of the Big Ten for imposing penalties without a reasonable investigation first being completed of the incident in question.

Huh. Weird! Surely college fans will just let this go.

Just kidding, of course they didn’t. The theories began running wild almost immediately over the similarities. My personal favorite is that Mars was testing out his talking points on MGoBlog before officially responding to the Big Ten.

Of course, there’s no evidence any of that is true. It just didn’t stop the conspiracy theories from taking off.

National outlet finally presents reasoned, level-headed analysis on Michigan football sign-stealing case

Very well done. #GoBlue

For the past two-plus weeks, all we’ve heard in the national media is screeching about how Michigan football went above and beyond and that the harshest punishment of the law should come down on the Wolverines.

One outlet even noted Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti viewed the maize and blue’s transgressions as “the worst scandal in Big Ten history.”

Talk about hyperbole.

It was revealed this week, initially via Associated Press, and then by John U. Bacon (followed by numerous outlets) that Rutgers and Ohio State allegedly conspired to give Purdue all of the Wolverines’ signals. With the two different scenarios — Michigan vs. Rutgers and Ohio State — it’s a crime without a distinction, except maybe the letter of the law.

Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel delved into the mess on both sides in his newsletter. Though he did not absolve Michigan, he noted that what the other schools did is perhaps worse, even if it’s not against the letter of the law.

The Michigan sign-stealing controversy has taken a new turn, and now three other Big Ten schools have found themselves in the spotlight alongside the Wolverines.

At Michigan, Connor Stalions allegedly ran a smash-and-grab sign-stealing operation. Ohio State, Rutgers and Purdue, meanwhile, were reportedly operating the equivalent of a criminal conspiracy. It was pure white-collar stuff.

In the end, they both stole, or participated in the stealing of, the same thing — information on opponents’ play signals in an effort to secure an advantage.

It’s just that one was a ski mask bank robbery. The other was an inside job, cleanly wiring the money to the Caribbean.

Forget all the noise. Forget the grandstanding coaches screaming for Jim Harbaugh’s head. Forget if Michigan deserves all the scorn.

Forget even what or when the punishments should be.

Whatever it is, just make it even, because the actions of Connor Stalions and the actions that Ohio State, Rutgers and Purdue allegedly engaged in are the exact same thing.

Yes, the exact same thing.

Wetzel continued, really hammering home his point.

Which would you rather have? Raw cell phone footage that still needs to be broken down, or highly experienced coaches just handing over their work?

Everyone would choose the Purdue option.

Even if Ohio State and Rutgers acquired Michigan signs via NCAA-legal game film or during game action, it doesn’t matter. Purdue didn’t do that work. The Boilermakers received stolen signs from advanced scouting. They cheated as much as Michigan.

Additionally, the Purdue person receiving the advanced scouting work was almost assuredly, at the very least, an assistant coach. The NCAA investigation, sources say, hasn’t found any proof anyone in Ann Arbor knew how Stalions became so good at deciphering signs. He apparently hid his act.

So why is the NCAA aggressively investigating Michigan but not Purdue and the others? Why is the Big Ten threatening to suspend Harbaugh indefinitely but doesn’t seem to care about anyone else?

The whole story is worth a read.

Yahoo: NCAA finds no connection between Jim Harbaugh and illegal sign stealing

Well, this certainly changes things. #GoBlue

As the Big Ten pursues disciplinary action on Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh due to alleged illegal sign-stealing, the NCAA’s investigation has, thus far, found the head coach was, indeed, divorced from former staffer Connor Stalions’ actions.

In a report on Monday from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger and Dan Wetzel, the NCAA provided its findings in the early goings of its investigation and found no connection between the Wolverines’ head coach and Stalions’ operation.

MORE:

The NCAA has revealed its findings in the Michigan sign-stealing investigation to the Big Ten, and the conference continues to consider a multi-game suspension of coach Jim Harbaugh as the school gears up for legal action, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

The NCAA’s findings do not connect the in-person scouting and recording of opponents’ sidelines to Harbaugh, sources say, an absence of evidence essential to a potential lawsuit from the school and coach against the league.

The Big Ten has issued Michigan a notice of an intent to penalize the Wolverines regardless, according to multiple reports, but with new information of other schools trading Michigan’s signs, it’s unclear if those actions will be affected.

REPORT: NCAA joining investigation for man who was on sideline during CMU vs. Michigan State football game

NCAA joining investigation for man who was on sideline during CMU vs. Michigan State football game

Internet detectives have had a great time this past month, as more pictures, theories, and investigations open up around the now infamous Connor Stalions, a staffer at Michigan football who is embroiled in an alleged sign-stealing conspiracy.

The latest plot twist is around the appearance of a still unidentified man in glasses and a hat on the Central Michigan sideline during the CMU vs. Michigan State football game this year.

Central Michigan has already said that they are investigating who that man was and what he was doing on the sidelines during the game, and now, the NCAA will join that investigation.

While nothing is confirmed yet, the insinuation here would be that Michigan staffer Connor Stalions was present on the CMU sideline with an intent to record the MSU sideline signals during the game.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Connor Stalions, Michigan football analyst at center of NCAA investigation, releases statement

The main character of college football finally speaks! #GoBlue

It’s a story full of twists, turns and, if you wait two minutes, changes on a dime.

Former Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions has been at the center of the college football world for the past two weeks as the NCAA is investigating allegations of illegal sign-stealing. Stalions had been suspended, with pay, by Michigan since Oct. 20, a day after the initial allegations broke, and he resigned from his post on Friday.

Later on Friday, Stalions made his first public statement since he became a household name in college football — echoing Jim Harbaugh’s original statement that the Wolverines head coach had no knowledge of Stalions’ actions.

More on this story as it develops.

Report: Michigan staffer Connor Stalions no longer employed by university

Welp … #GoBucks

The Michigan staffer at the center of the sign-stealing allegations has is no longer employed by the university according to several reports. Yahoo Sports was the first to report the news of a firing, but that was followed by a statement from Michigan surrounding a resignation.

Connor Stalions resigned his position with Michigan Athletics this afternoon,” the school said in a statement. “We are unable to comment further regarding this personnel matter.”

Though they are still allegations, Stalions has been the key figure in what seems to be a mounting pile of evidence that an elaborate scheme was in place to steal opposing opponents signs by way of advanced in-person scouting and video surveillance. Working to decipher an opponent’s signs in-game while on the playing field against them is not illegal, but doing so with intent ahead of time in person and with the use of recording equipment is. It’s been that way since 1994.

The alleged scheme has been reportedly in place for a couple of years, with Stalions, a former Marine captain, being someone with a penchant and knack for deciphering signs opponents play signals.

Just recently, according to reports, Big Ten coaches and athletic directors have put the pressure on new commissioner Tony Petitti to do something to punish Michigan for violating the competitive integrity of the game. Pettite was scheduled to visit with Michigan’s president on Friday, but no further information has come out yet on how that meeting went, or what the next steps are.

As it’s been for a couple of weeks now, there’s sure to be more come out on this. As reputable information is available, we’ll be here to pass it along.

*** This story was updated to reflect a resignation from the original reporting of a firing by original outlets.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions resigns

As expected.

The Michigan football alleged sign-stealing scandal has continued to take turn after turn, with seemingly something occurring every single day.

On Friday, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was in Ann Arbor (initially for the conference’s field hockey tournament) and met with University of Michigan president Santa J. Ono. While there has been no news about any potential punishment for head coach Jim Harbaugh, there has been a casualty.

Michigan football recruiting analyst Connor Stalions, who has been at the center of the investigation for the past two weeks, has resigned. The news was first reported that he had been fired according to Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel.

Stalions had been suspended with pay since the eve of the Wolverines’ last game, Oct. 21 at Michigan State.

For more on the Stalions saga, click here. More on this story as it develops.

An incomplete list of college football side characters I’ve learned about against my will

Running through college football’s main characters every day but game day.

It’s Week 10 of the 2023 college football season and only a few days removed from the first playoff ranking reveal of the year.

Are we talking about Ohio State jumping Georgia for the No. 1 spot? No.

Are we talking about Oregon and Washington somehow sitting outside the top four despite playoff-worthy resumes? No.

Are we talking about Alabama clawing its way back from quarterback hell to haunt the teams ranked above it? No.

We’re talking about Connor Stalions maybe doing some weird stuff on the sidelines and/or all across human history. If you had asked me three weeks ago who this man is, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. Now he’s as well-known to fans as any Heisman Trophy contender. Which puts Stalions in some very rare company when it comes to this bizarre sport. He’s a main character every day of the week except game day. He’s the type of person who, if you only paid attention to college football on Saturdays during the season, you might still not know existed at all. But if you follow along each and every day, you could probably recite his horoscope by now.

Which is also to say I’ve learned far too much about this man. More than I ever cared to learn, really. And that puts him on probably the weirdest (most incomplete) list in this sport. I’m sure I’m forgetting many others, but these people have lived rent free in my head for far too long.

CMU coach Jim McElwain sure seemed to think Connor Stalions was on the team’s sidelines

How did he get on the sidelines?!

The Michigan sign-stealing scandal was already shaping up to be one of the weirder college football stories in years, but this week took it to a new level. And even Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain seems perplexed by the entire situation.

On Monday, photos started floating around of someone on the CMU sidelines from the Sept. 1 matchup with Michigan State, and many believed that the unknown person was indeed now-suspended Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions. The guy looked out of place wearing sunglasses in a night game and held a strong resemblance to Stalions — who is at the center of the Michigan scandal.

Come Tuesday, McElwain spoke to reporters about the photos and he came awfully close to confirming that it was indeed Stalions. He referred to the photo subject as the “sign stealer guy.”

McElwain went on to say that Stalions’ name was not on the pass list for the game. But at the very least, CMU is admitting that it doesn’t know who that person was. He was very clearly trying to blend in as a member of the CMU staff, holding a clipboard and standing near other coaches. That CMU couldn’t immediately come out and say who it was is telling.

The entire press conference had college football fans in disbelief.

WATCH: CMU head coach Jim McElwain responds to Connor Stalions sidelines investigation

Jim McElwain responds to investigation of Connor Stalions potentially being on sidelines for MSU-CMU game earlier this year

A wild potential cheating scandal got even more interesting on Tuesday, with Michigan State now in the middle of the latest investigation.

On Tuesday, images and videos surfaced of what could be Michigan staff member Connor Stalions in disguise on the Central Michigan sidelines for the season-opening matchup against Michigan State. Stalions is the subject of a potential sign-stealing scandal to benefit the Wolverines that has dominated the college football headlines for the past two weeks.

Below are a few photos that have gotten the most attention with many speculating this to be Stalions on the sidelines:

Whether or not you believe it’s him is up to you, but this got enough traction to where Central Michigan announced on Tuesday that they will open an investigation into this potential illegal sideline presence of Stalions. This also resulted in Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain being forced to address the matter after his team’s victory over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night.

Here’s what McElwain had to say — courtesy of Kennedy Broadwell:

I’m not going to personally weigh-in on this situation since it’s so complex and like all of us, I don’t truly know if that was Stalions or not on the sidelines. But hearing McElwain essentially say he has no idea who this person was on his sidelines for the Michigan State game is certainly notable.

This is an on-going investigation so we will all have to stay tuned to see how this plays out in the coming days or weeks.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.