Michigan has received a final notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding an investigation into a sign-stealing and in-person scouting operation linked to a football staff member, as confirmed by both the NCAA and the university on Sunday.
The school had previously been given a draft of the Notice of Allegations (NOA), which detailed potential violations involving former head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, former recruiting analyst Connor Stalions, and several other staff members.
In a statement, the NCAA indicated, “A Notice of Allegations has been distributed to the school and involved parties in the Michigan investigation. To maintain the integrity of the infractions process, no further comments will be made on the specifics.”
Following NCAA regulations, Michigan has 90 days to respond to the allegations. The university may then face a hearing before the NCAA’s committee on infractions, although a negotiated resolution remains a possibility.
The investigation into Michigan’s alleged in-person scouting and sign-stealing practices overshadowed the latter part of the 2023 season. Despite these challenges, the Wolverines clinched their first national championship since 1997.
The NCAA prohibits in-person advanced scouting, prompting an inquiry into the operation’s organization and the level of awareness among staff. Evidence from other Big Ten institutions revealed that Stalions purchased tickets to various games involving future opponents, dispatching individuals to record teams as they signaled plays.
Initially placed on leave, Stalions eventually resigned and did not participate in the investigation. He is set to speak publicly for the first time on Tuesday with the release of the Netflix documentary “Sign Stealer.”
Harbaugh, currently coaching the Los Angeles Chargers, has denied any involvement in the alleged scouting activities. However, he could face Level 1 violations alongside Stalions.
The Big Ten Conference suspended Harbaugh for the last three games of the 2023 regular season as a consequence of Michigan’s violations of the conference’s sportsmanship policy linked to the sign-stealing investigation.
Recently, the NCAA also disclosed findings from a separate investigation into recruiting violations under Harbaugh, resulting in a show-cause order that effectively bars him from college coaching for four years.
As Michigan prepares for its first season under Moore, the team will kick off on August 31 at home against Fresno State, aiming to build on its recent success amid ongoing scrutiny.
