Michigan football fired recruiting analyst Connor Stalions on Friday, a source told Yahoo Sports. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) (Michael Hickey via Getty Images)
The University of Michigan fired recruiting analyst Connor Stalions on Friday, a source told Yahoo Sports. The move comes two weeks after he emerged as a central figure in an NCAA investigation into personal scouting. He had previously been suspended with pay.
As Yahoo Sports first reported last month, Stalions is suspected by the NCAA of operating an extensive system of personally scouting future and potential Wolverines opponents in order to steal their game signals.
Stalions has been accused by numerous schools of purchasing tickets to future Michigan opponents’ games in his name in recent years and passing them on to various friends and acquaintances. These individuals were seen on various surveillance cameras around the stadium holding up cell phones during the game, presumably to record assistant coaches’ signals.
Stealing signs is not against NCAA rules, but personal scouting and the use of recording devices are.
Stalions is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and a Navy captain. He grew up in Metro Detroit and was a passionate Wolverines fan before joining the team as a recruiting analyst in 2021. He quickly claimed his ability to decipher opponent signs and was seen in several videos near Michigan coordinator and head coach Jim Harbaugh.
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More than two weeks after the NCAA investigation began, there was no indication that investigators had found evidence that any other member of Michigan’s coaching staff knew that Stalions used personal scouting to support his sign-stealing ability .
Regardless, the scandal – and the suspicion that someone must have known about it – has rocked the sport. Michigan is 8-0 and is ranked No. 3 in the College Football Playoff and is seeking its third straight Big Ten championship.
This week, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti heard from Big Ten coaches and athletic directors calling on the conference to implement some form of discipline for either Harbaugh or the Michigan program.
Additionally, video footage surfaced of someone appearing to be a Stallions on Central Michigan’s sidelines during the Sept. 1 Chippewas game at Michigan State. CMU has opened an investigation into who the person was and how he got there, but has not released any further information.
Petitti met with Michigan President Santa Ono on Friday while the commissioner was in town for a previously scheduled field hockey tournament. No action was taken during the meeting.
The Wolverines football team hosts Purdue on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.