Pete ThamelESPN November 1, 2023, 11:56 PM ET4 Minute Read
Finebaum angers Harbaugh over the sign-stealing allegation
Paul Finebaum is outraged by the sign-stealing allegations against Michigan and regrets giving Jim Harbaugh the benefit of the doubt.
A vast majority of Big Ten coaches expressed frustration with the ongoing signal-stealing investigation at Michigan in a video call with commissioner Tony Petitti on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.
The call, which lasted 90 minutes, included nearly an hour without Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who hung up after regular Big Ten business to give the conference’s coaches a chance to speak freely about the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan .
According to five sources familiar with the call, a chorus of voices encouraged Petitti to take action against Michigan in a call that was described as both intense and emotional.
“Collectively, the coaches want the Big Ten to act — immediately,” said a source familiar with the call. “What are we waiting for? We know what happened.”
The NCAA has been investigating Michigan for nearly two weeks, as the Big Ten confirmed the NCAA’s sign-stealing investigation on Oct. 19. Since then, ESPN has reported that Michigan employee Connor Stalions was at the center of the investigation and bought tickets to games for 12 of 13 Big Ten opponents over the past three years.
In total, Stallions has purchased tickets to more than 35 games in at least 17 stadiums over the past three years, ESPN reported. Michigan suspended Stallions the same day ESPN reported he was the focus of the investigation. A former Division III coach also told ESPN that he was paid by the Stalions to play video games at several Big Ten schools.
Big Ten coaches laid out to Petitti, who was hired in April, what a distinct schematic advantage Michigan has had over the past three years by allegedly illegally getting the opposition’s signals in advance.
Coaches used words like “spoiled,” “fraudulent” and “unprecedented” in the call to describe Michigan’s signal-stealing scheme, it was alleged. Much of the call, sources said, consisted of coaches explaining to Petitti how it worked and the impact it had on them and their programs. Both personal scouting of opponents and the use of electronic devices to steal signals are not permitted under NCAA rules.
In the three years that the Stalions have left a paper trail buying tickets to games from Michigan opponents, the Wolverines have gone 33-3 overall and a 22-1 record in the Big Ten. Over the last three years, they are 21-11 overall and 16-8 in the league.
“People don’t understand how serious it is,” another source said. “How it really affected the game plan. To really know if it’s a run or a pass, people don’t understand how big of an advantage it was for Michigan.”
There was anger throughout the call, with one source describing the mood as: “Every game they’ve played is tainted.”
Coaches on the call acknowledged the reality that the NCAA enforcement schedule will have no impact on Michigan this season, as the Wolverines are 8-0 and ranked No. 3 in the first College Football Playoff rankings. And that’s one of the reasons Big Ten coaches called on the Big Ten to take action.
Sources described Petitti as listening carefully to the coaches but giving no indication of what direction he might go. Sources expressed curiosity about whether the Big Ten is truly interested in taking action or simply listening to the coaches so they can be heard.
The Big Ten technically has the authority to penalize Michigan or members of the coaching staff under its sportsmanship policy.
This is considered unlikely in the near future in this case, as it is unusual for an NCAA case to play out in real time. Although plenty of evidence has emerged in media reports, the league likely would not be able to use it as a factual basis for a decision.
The league could also launch its own investigation into possible violations of Big Ten sports policy. While Petitti has the authority to prescribe discipline, if it goes beyond a standard level, it must be reviewed by an executive committee that can approve, deny, or mitigate that discipline.
League officials did not respond to requests for comment late Wednesday.
“I don’t think the Big Ten understood how upset everyone was,” another source said. “The tenor of the call was to call on the Big Ten to show leadership – the conference and the presidents. An unprecedented violation of the rules would require unprecedented action by the Big Ten.”