The Big Ten has been given the NCAA’s findings of its sign-stealing investigation into Michigan as the conference mulls a potential suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh.
That is the latest twist in the ongoing saga that has rocked the college football world and raised questions about Michigan’s football program, according to Yahoo Sports.
Information passed to the Big Ten by college sports’ governing body did not find evidence that Harbaugh had any connection to the in-person scouting and sign-stealing scheme allegedly set into motion by former Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions.
Evidence collected by an independent investigative firm that was sent to the NCAA and kickstarted the probe into Michigan also did not find any evidence that showed Harbaugh knew what was going on.
All of it comes as Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti is reportedly pursuing potential penalties against Michigan, according to the report, after facing internal pressure from member schools and coaches to take action against the Wolverines’ football program.
Stallions allegedly orchestrated one of the most in-depth sign-stealing schemes in college sports history.
The former low-level staffer allegedly purchased tickets in his own name and distributed them to various people across the country in order for them to scout Michigan opponents and record their signals.
Stallions utilized as many as 65 associates as part of the scheme, according to Yahoo Sports, and images of a person looking similar to Stallions on the Central Michigan sideline during their opener against Michigan State appeared last week.
The former analyst did not cooperate with NCAA investigators last week and was dismissed by the school, according to Yahoo Sports.
However, the school said Stallions had resigned.
An expectation is that a resolution will be handed down by the Big Ten this week, potentially as early as Wednesday.
That will likely trigger the next phase of the saga, which is the expected lawsuits from both Harbaugh and Michigan in response to any penalties handed down.
Petitti had already proposed a multi-game suspension for Harbaugh during a meeting with Michigan officials on Friday and school president Santa Ono pushed back on the idea.
Any authority the Big Ten will have to impose a penalty on Michigan’s football program conference’s sportsmanship policy, which allows Petitti to act against schools that violate the “integrity of competition” in the “competitive arena.”
But that is expected to be challenged in court if or when it is handed down because there has been no evidence to support the idea that Harbaugh had any idea of what Stallions was doing.
NCAA policy places responsibility for all members of a coach’s staff on the head coach, but the Big Ten’s does not, which will be raised in any legal challenges.
The NCAA probe likely will take months, if not longer to complete, and any penalties levied wouldn’t come until after the season is over.
The NCAA, which is in its third week of its investigation, has accelerated the process and has been sharing information with the conference, which isn’t something it has done in the past.
Michigan is 9-0 this season and ranked third in the College Football Playoff poll.
It is set to face one of its toughest matchups of the season in Happy Valley against No. 9 Penn State on Saturday.
To add even more intrigue to the already juicy saga, a former college football staffer told The Associated Press that he was instructed to compile a spreadsheet of play-calling signals used by Michigan last year while employed by a Big Ten football program.
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