Tag: sign stealing

Connor Stalions says Michigan State football did not cheat

Connor Stalions singled out MSU as a program that did not participate in any sign stealing activities

One of the biggest stories in college football over the past three seasons has been the infamous sign stealing cheating scandal that had happened with Connor Stalions and the University of Michigan.

On a recent podcast, Stalions sat down with Taylor Lewan and Will Compton on Bussin With The Boys and spoke on all things Michigan and his tenure with the program.

Of note to Spartan fans, other than the fact that Stalions gave the Spartans signals to Ohio State in 2021, is that Stalions noted that MSU was singled out as a team that does not participate in any of the sign stealing practices.

Watch the clip via X:

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1843656453972004906

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 Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner

Report: College football to approve three significant rule changes for 2024 season

Agree with these rule changes?

College football is set to approve three significant rule changes for the 2024 season, according to a report from Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger.

The three changes are expected to come after meetings this week regarding the future of the sport. The news coincides with speculation about the future of the College Football Playoff and the general structure of the sport.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

One notable recent change to the game is the elimination of stopping the clock while the chains are reset on first downs. That, plus some of the reported upcoming changes reflects a longer trend of the college game working to be more like the NFL product.

Again, that’s what’s happening again this offseason. Here are the rule changes expected to be approved by college football leaders for the 2024 season:

Alabama WR explains what’s being done to combat threat of sign stealing

What’s being done to combat the threat of Michigan stealing signs and how are Alabama players responding? One Tide WR explains it all.

Earlier in the 2023 season, some massive allegations arose against the Michigan football team relating to sign stealing and gaining what many would consider an unfair competitive advantage. Alabama’s preparation for the Rose Bowl against the Wolverines has included some changes to protect against the threat of sign stealing.

During media availability leading up to the College Football Playoff semifinal, Crimson Tide wide receiver Isaiah Bond explained what’s being done to combat this threat and shared his thoughts on it all.

Bond mentioned that they are only allowed to watch film as a group, not individually. “We don’t want any stuff like that happening again,” said Bond.

Overall, the mentality and approach remain the same, as the sophomore wide receiver explains.

“We’re still going to watch film. We’re going to get the hours in. We’re still going to look over the defense,” says Bond. “Do everything we would in a regular game.”

How does he feel, as a player, about the threat of sign stealing? Well, he doesn’t seem all too concerned.

“I mean, it honestly doesn’t matter to me because at the end of the day, they still have to go on the field and play us. So, all of them stealing signs- I mean, you can know my route, but you still have to guard me at the end of the day. That’s my input.”

Roll Tide wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the team prepares to take on Michigan in the College Football Playoff Rose Bowl semifinal.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Finebaum: Michigan sign-stealing’disgusting,’ ‘inexcusable’ Big Ten hasn’t punished Harbaugh

Finebaum: Michigan sign-stealing’disgusting,’ ‘inexcusable’ Big Ten hasn’t punished Harbaugh

If you’re like me, you’ve gotten some comedic relief watching the Michigan sign-stealing saga play out from afar. The Wisconsin Badgers are 5-3 (3-2 Big Ten) and don’t appear good enough to win the Big Ten West in its final year.

So what’s left to do? Watch Michigan, Ohio State and Big Ten fans alike battle over the ethics of Jim Harbaugh employing ex-United States Marine Connor Stalions to orchestrate a terribly planned sign-stealing operation. There’s battling over the facts of what has happened, battling over the ethics and then terrific twists and turns like Stalions showing up in Central Michigan gear on the sideline while they played Michigan State in Week 1.

I’ve tried explaining the entire thing to family members, but it’s hard to do a full justice.

While we await the next bombshell, or maybe action from the Big Ten or NCAA, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum had some strong words on Get Up this morning:

“Two weeks ago I sat here with you and made the biggest mistake of my professional career: I gave Jim Harbaugh the benefit of the doubt. Never again,” Finebaum said. “This is a disgusting story with every revelation…The fact the Big Ten has not done anything yet is inexcusable.”

Very strong words, which some may have expected from an SEC guy. Anyway, Wisconsin fans should continue to enjoy this saga and use it as a mild escape from what has been an up-and-down season in Madison.

College Football Playoff chair says Michigan’s sign-stealing allegations are ‘not a CFP issue’

Michigan debuted at No. 3 in the 2023 College Football Playoff rankings.

The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2023 debuted Tuesday, and the top-4 teams if the playoff committee decided in Week 10 are: Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Florida State.

All four teams are undefeated and have strong arguments for being among the top four at this point.

However, the NCAA is investigating elaborate sign-stealing allegations, which have plagued Michigan this season while raising an abundance of questions — along with some wild conspiracy theories — about what happened, when and who knew about it. The NCAA’s investigation is ongoing, but it’s valid to wonder if it could or should impact the playoff rankings.

After the top-25 teams dropped, ESPN’s Rece Davis interviewed College Football Playoff committee chairman and N.C. State athletics director Boo Corrigan and asked about the allegations against Michigan playing any role.

Davis asked: “What is the committee’s position on that aspect as it pertains to evaluating Michigan’s place in the College Football Playoff ring?” And Corrigan responded:

“You know, our job — as we look at — is to rank the teams, to follow our protocols. And as we went through it, that really wasn’t part of any of the discussions that occurred during our time together.”

Davis followed up, asking if there were any directives for committee members in terms of their personal evaluation of Michigan — whose athletics director, Warde Manuel, is on the committee — amid the sign-stealing scandal. Corrigan said:

“Yeah, we really view it, Rece — it’s an NCAA issue. It’s not a CFP issue. At this point in time, you know, as we’re looking at this, we want to make sure that we get not only the top-4 teams, but the top-25 teams right.”

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College football rankings: Joel Klatt’s top 10 as we enter Week 9

Who are your top 4 entering Week 9?

Temperatures might be cooling across the nation as fall is well upon us and winter isn’t far away.

For college football that means that we’re nearing the end of October and the race for the College Football Playoff is very much on.

This is a unique year as we sit entering the final weekend of October with six different Power Five programs still undefeated.

What happens is five of those remain unbeaten – who will get left out of the playoff (Michigan and Ohio State will automatically lose at least a combined one game)?

Joel Klatt of Fox Sports released his updated top 10.  Here’s how he sees things currently as we enter Week 9 of the college football season.

Deion Sanders explained why he doesn’t think Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal is a huge deal

Coach Prime knows.

The Michigan Wolverines and Jim Harbaugh have come under major scrutiny this past week when the NCAA revealed that it was investigating sign-stealing allegations.

While the college sports world is still in the early stages of learning the details, college football coaches are almost collectively shrugging off the Michigan story. That includes Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

Now, if you’ve watched a college football game, you’ve probably noticed sidelines full of poster boards, curtains and actual signs with random images. Every team tries to steal signs, and every team is equally paranoid about having signs stolen. But as Sanders said during his Tuesday press conference, knowing the game plan in football does not automatically mean your team will be able to stop the opponent.

Sanders — who played in the NFL and MLB — made the point that it’s far more beneficial to know what pitch is coming in baseball than it is to know what play is coming in football. In football, multiple players still have to execute assignments each play, and the more athletic or talented team could overcome even the most prepared opponent. In baseball, you’ll win the 2017 World Series by knowing what pitch is coming.

Plus, the NCAA could easily avoid such sign-stealing scandals by putting mics in helmets like the NFL has done for three decades.

That’s why you’re not seeing many coaches speak out against Michigan here.

College football fans also thought that Sanders made an excellent point.

Around the Big Ten: Paul Finebaum believes that Michigan football’s Jim Harbaugh ‘will go back to the NFL’

Sign stealing allegations could send Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh back to the NFL.

From the signs that Paul Finebaum is getting, this could well be the last year as head coach of Michigan football for head coach Jim Harbaugh. The ESPN analyst believes that Harbaugh, one of the best coaches in the Big Ten, is NFL-bound at the end of this season.

Speaking on ESPN on Friday, Finebaum said that the recent allegations that Michigan had been stealing the play call signs of opponents are likely to propel Harbaugh back to the NFL. Harbaugh currently has Michigan as the consensus second-ranked team in the nation (including the USA TODAY Coaches US LBM poll) and coming off consecutive College Football Playoff appearances.

The ongoing investigation centers on a Michigan assistant stealing the signs of opponents. The whole situation and allegations against Harbaugh appears sketchy at best. But it might be enough to drive Harbaugh from the Big Ten back to the NFL.

Finebaum called it a “grey area” in football’s rules but admitted that it might be a tipping point for the Wolverines head coach this offseason.

“Considering that Jim Harbaugh has really proven all of the critics and skeptics wrong by the run to the playoffs the last couple of years and possibly again this year, I think he’s going to leave college football and go back to the NFL,” Finebaum told Mike Greenberg on Friday.

“I think he’s had enough of what the sport is really all about the way it’s operated. And the sin line that the NCAA uses to go after people clearly he is in their crosshairs. And I think he’s going to look around like he has the last two seasons. And if he gets the offer he wants, he is going to depart college football at the end of the season.”

Michigan is currently 7-0 (4-0 Big Ten) and faces rival Michigan State on Saturday.

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Harbaugh missed the first three games of the season for a self-imposed sanction stemming from minor recruiting violations. He returned in the fourth week of the season in-time for the start of the Big Ten football schedule.

There is no word on a timetable for the NCAA’s investigation into these allegations.

Baseball fans had mixed thoughts on Vanderbilt’s electronic wristband system for calling pitches

Welcome to the future.

Sign stealing didn’t start with the Houston Astros scandal. Teams have looked to get a read on an opponent’s signs for as long as baseball has been played. But the NCAA is going to extra lengths to curb that practice, and it’s already a lot to handle for the baseball traditionalists out there.

New for the 2022 college baseball season, teams are allowed to utilize one-way electronic communication to signal pitches. We saw that in action this weekend with college baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt using electronic wristbands that showed a pitch call entered in from the dugout.

The whole idea behind the new tech was to keep the game on a level playing ground. You can’t have a runner on second base relaying the catcher’s signs to the batter if the catcher no longer has to show a sign at all.

Notre Dame preparing against signal stealing with Clemson

It happens in football as well whether we like to admit it or not and Brian Kelly on Thursday addressed what has to be done to prevent No. 1 Clemson from being able to pull that off against Notre Dame’s offense on Saturday.

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When you hear about signal stealing in sports you probably first think of baseball. It used to be as simple as a runner on second signaling to a batter what pitch is coming or where a catcher is setting up but in recent years the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox have gone well beyond that.

It happens in football as well whether we like to admit it or not and Brian Kelly on Thursday addressed what has to be done to prevent No. 1 Clemson from being able to pull that off against Notre Dame’s offense on Saturday.

“We’ve lived it, we’re prepared for it” Kelly said, “we’ve got to do a great job that we don’t tip anything off.”

Before some of you get all caught up in this and turn it into the next great sports controversy know that it’s happened for as long as signals have been used on a football field.

For instance, when Notre Dame played at Northwestern in 2018 the host Wildcats chose to operate from their non-traditional sideline for fear of having signals stolen from Tommy Rees who had previously worked on the Northwestern coaching staff.

It’s hard to know if Kelly is stating that Notre Dame has already “lived it” in regards to Clemson stealing their offensive signals or if he’s referencing someone else pulling it off.

In regards to it however, just like a pitcher and catcher need to change up their signs and be ahead of potential stealing of them, the same goes for Notre Dame, Clemson or any other offensive or defensive unit at any level of football.