By Austin Meek, Chris Vannini and Sam Khan Jr.
Attorneys for Connor Stalions, a former Michigan employee who is at the center of an NCAA investigation into allegations of improper scouting, fired back at the NCAA in response to a formal notice of the allegations, calling the investigation “one-sided, biased and dishonest.”
“This investigation has been a witch hunt from day one aimed at smearing Michigan and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh,” attorneys Brad Beckworth and Nathan Hall wrote in a statement to The athlete“Connor is a scapegoat in the NCAA’s ongoing effort to demonstrate that it has a purpose in today’s sports world.”
Michigan confirmed Sunday that it had received a formal notice of allegations from the NCAA. The school did not comment on the contents of the NOA, but a source familiar with the investigation said the formal allegations were essentially unchanged from the draft notice Michigan received earlier this month.
Harbaugh faces a Level I charge, the most serious in the NCAA’s penal systemand Michigan Coach Sherrone Moore is facing a Level II charge for allegedly deleting text messages with the Stallions. Michigan as an institution is also facing a Level I charge. The NCAA confirmed that it had sent notice of the allegations to Michigan and said in a statement It will not to comment on the details “in order to protect the integrity of the infringement settlement process as the case progresses.”
GO DEEPER
Emails reveal rejected hiring of Connor Stalions, former Michigan employee accused of sign stealing
Stalions, a former Michigan employee who resigned in November, is accused of violating an NCAA rule prohibiting in-person scouting by taking cellphone video of opposing teams’ signals made by people with tickets purchased in Stalions’ name. His lawyers contend Stalions did not violate the in-person scouting rule because he was not physically present in the stands.
“The NOA says Connor’s friends and family sent him film of games they attended with tickets that Connor purchased,” Stalions’ lawyers wrote. “But there is no rule against it.” The lawyers said further “The only ‘reconnaissance’ that took place in this case occurred on the Michigan campus behind Connor’s computer.”
The statement does not address the allegation that the Stalions appeared in costume on Central Michigan’s sideline during a 2023 game against Michigan State, which would constitute another violation of the in-person scouting rule.
The parties have 90 days to respond to the NOA. Stallions intends to contest the allegations an NCAA violation hearing, his lawyers said, and the source briefed on the investigation said Michigan is expected to do the same. Two other parties named in the NOA, former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and former assistant director of personnel Denard Robinson, are expected to seek a negotiated settlement.
The full NOA came days before the release of a Netflix documentary called “Sign Stealer” on Tuesday, which presents Stalion’s version of events. In her statement to The athleteStalions’ attorneys disputed the NCAA’s claim that Stalions did not cooperate with the investigation, pointing to documents he provided and an interview he conducted with NCAA investigators. Stalions’ attorneys suggested that the evidence compiled by an independent investigative firm investigating Michigan’s sign theft was obtained through a computer hack.although They have not provided any evidence to support this claim.
Stallions recently accepted a volunteer position as defensive coordinator at Mumford High School in Detroit.
“Connor has suffered enough,” his lawyers wrote. “It’s time for everyone to move on.”
Moore, who will coach his first game as Michigan’s full-time head coach on Saturday against Fresno State, said the school cooperates fully acquiesced in the NCAA investigation. Earlier this month, following his text messages with StallionsMoore said: “I’ll just say one thing: I look forward to her release.”
Moore was suspended for one game last season in connection with a separate investigation into violations of the recruiting law. that happened during the COVID-19 dead period. That investigation resulted in a four-year hearing order for Harbaugh, now coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season for athletic rule violations related to the Stallions Investigation.
Parties involved in Stallions Repeated violations of NCAA rules may result in harsher penaltiesalthough Penalties will not be imposed until the proceedings are completed. That could take up to a year, Stalion’s lawyers said.
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(Photo: Kiyoshi Mio / USA Today)
