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The man behind the Michigan football sign-stealing controversy has been identified.
According to a report from Yahoo Sports, the man who is in the crosshairs of the NCAA is Connor Stalions, a retired captain in the United States Marine Corps and a football analyst for the Wolverines.
Stalions is described as a “low-level staffer” for No. 2 Michigan, according to ESPN.
This week, the Big Ten announced that the program was under investigation by the NCAA for allegedly visiting future opponents’ games in person to scout them and decipher signals on the sidelines.
That is prohibited by NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which reads: “Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.”
The NCAA reportedly asked for Stalions’ computer in relation to the investigation.
Seems like Connor Stallions had all the access in the world. pic.twitter.com/O2Zn1BBd6j
— Will (@SpartanWilliam) October 20, 2023
“He spearheads the operation,” the coach told Yahoo. “I once told (Stalions), ‘We know what kind of s–t you are doing and it’s f–ked up.'”
Another Big Ten coach said, “We were told to be careful because they had a guy who could pick plays. It was too late in the week to change our signals, but another staff did tell us about (Stalions).”
Social media accounts belonging to Stalions have been deleted since his name became attached to the NCAA investigation, though his LinedIn profile reportedly hinted towards using military “philosophies and tactics” to identify “the opponent’s most likely course of action and most dangerous course of action.”
ESPN says that Stalions works in the recruiting department and was known to spend his time analyzing and breaking down opponents’ signals.
Jim Harbaugh denied all of the allegations against his program.
“I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action,” Harbaugh said a statement. “No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules.”
Michigan is also still under investigation for four Level II violations for alleged recruiting violations during COVID-19 dead period and not cooperating with NCAA investigators.
Harbaugh served a university-imposed three-game suspension stemming from those allegations.
Up next for the Wolverines is a trip to East Lansing for a meeting with the rival Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, October 21.
Kickoff at Spartan Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
