Michigan State and Michigan Football Programs Face NCAA Allegations
Both the Michigan State University (MSU) and University of Michigan (UM) football programs are currently under scrutiny by the NCAA for alleged violations, casting a shadow over the schools and raising questions about the integrity of collegiate sports. The separate investigations involve varying degrees of severity and stem from different circumstances, but both have the potential for significant repercussions.
Michigan State's Notice of Allegations
Michigan State University's football program is facing a Notice of Allegations (NOA) from the NCAA, stemming from self-reported recruiting violations that occurred during Mel Tucker's tenure as head coach. The university self-reported the matter in August 2023, but the specific details of the allegations remain unclear.
Matt Larson, MSU’s executive senior associate athletic director for communications, confirmed the university is aware of the NCAA’s notice but has not yet received a copy. Once the university receives the NOA, it will have 90 days to respond, although extensions can be granted.
The NCAA classifies violations into different levels of severity, with Level I violations considered the most serious. According to NCAA bylaws, Level I violations "seriously undermine or threaten the integrity of college sports," "provide or are intended to provide a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage," or "are a substantial or extensive impermissible benefit." Level II violations, while less severe, still represent a "significant breach of conduct." They can "provide or are intended to provide more than a minimal but less than a substantial or extensive recruiting, competitive or other advantage," "include more than a minimal but less than a substantial or extensive impermissible benefit," or "involve conduct that may compromise the integrity of college sports."
The allegations against MSU fall under either Level I or Level II violations, and could include violations of head coach responsibility rules.
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Mel Tucker's Tenure and Termination
Mel Tucker's time as head coach of the Spartans was marked by both success and controversy. Hired in February 2020, he led the team for three-plus seasons, achieving a 20-14 overall record and a 12-13 record in Big Ten play. His most successful season was in 2021, when the Spartans went 11-2 and won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
However, Tucker's tenure was cut short when he was suspended and subsequently fired in September 2023 following allegations of sexual harassment. The university determined that Tucker sexually harassed Brenda Tracy, a violation of school policy, and terminated his contract for cause. Tucker has since filed a wrongful termination suit against MSU, which remains ongoing.
University's Response
Michigan State University has stated that it is cooperating with the NCAA in its review of the potential matter. Kevin Guskiewicz, who became MSU’s president two months after Tucker’s termination, has acknowledged the NCAA’s inquiry. The university has emphasized that it is under new leadership and is committed to upholding the integrity of its athletic programs.
University of Michigan's Sign-Stealing Scandal
The University of Michigan football program has been embroiled in a sign-stealing scandal that has drawn national attention. The investigation centered around an alleged impermissible advanced, in-person scouting operation orchestrated by former Wolverines analyst Connor Stalions.
The Connor Stalions Scheme
Stalions is alleged to have arranged for individuals to attend games of upcoming Wolverines opponents and film the sideline during the game to record the hand signals used by coaches. While sign-stealing itself is not technically against NCAA rules, using technology to scout an opponent in person is outlawed, according to NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1.
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The alleged scheme involved staffers or those working on behalf of them attending games of upcoming Wolverines opponents and filming the sideline during the game to record the hand signals used by coaches.Stalions arranged in-person scouting on at least 58 different occasions from 2021-23, with the operations involving upcoming opponents on the Wolverines’ schedule or schools Michigan may be in line to face in the College Football Playoff.
The advantages Michigan would have received from such an operation were immense. According to a power conference head coach, "That’s huge. There’s no other way to say it… That’s as big as it gets. It’s the biggest advantage in college football, I would say. How does it get any bigger?"
Stalions resigned from his position in November 2023 after refusing to cooperate with internal and external investigations. Linebackers coach Chris Partridge was fired after reportedly destroying evidence related to the investigation, a claim Partridge has disputed.
NCAA Investigation and Penalties
The NCAA launched an investigation into the allegations, and the Big Ten Conference suspended then-Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season for what the league said was a violation of the league’s sportsmanship policy.
In January, the Wolverines accused the NCAA of “grossly overreaching” and “wildly overcharging” the program in response to an August 2024 notice of allegations that cited 11 NCAA infractions, including six Level I violations, the most serious offenses in the NCAA rulebook.
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According to a decision released by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel, the Michigan football program committed violations involving an off-campus, in-person scouting scheme, impermissible recruiting inducements and communications, head coach responsibility rules, individuals' failures to cooperate and Michigan's failure to monitor.
The scouting violations orchestrated by former football staff member Connor Stalions were corroborated by interview testimonies, ticket receipts and transfer data and other evidence. Those violations, along with former head football coach Jim Harbaugh's head coach responsibility violation and most of the failure to cooperate violations, are Level I. The majority of the violations in this case relate to Stalions' orchestration of an impermissible scouting scheme. During the 2021, 2022 and 2023 football seasons, Stalions directed and arranged for individuals to conduct off-campus, in-person scouting of Michigan's future regular-season opponents. In doing so, Stalions purchased game tickets and transferred them to those individuals, who included another staff member, interns and acquaintances of Stalions. The network of individuals was referred to as the "KGB." While in attendance, they filmed the signal callers on the future opponents' sidelines and then provided that film to Stalions. Using the footage they collected - which Stalions referred to as "dirty film" - Stalions then deciphered opponents' signals. Stalions and other individuals involved in the scheme acknowledged or corroborated this process. Additionally, on one occasion, Stalions personally attended a future opponent's contest. In total, 56 instances of off-campus, in-person scouting of 13 future regular- season opponents occurred across 52 contests. By his own admission, Stalions expended significant resources and effort to plan the scheme, spending nearly $35,000 on tickets in 2022 alone. Through the scheme, Stalions collected, deciphered and documented thousands of signals for use by other staff members. Record materials demonstrated that Stalions had access to prominent coaching staff members, who he stood next to during football games. Once information became public, Stalions also went to significant lengths to attempt to conceal his efforts. Those actions are accounted for by his failure to cooperate violations. Throughout the investigation, Stalions, Harbaugh, Moore and former director of player personnel Denard Robinson each failed to meet the membership's expectations of cooperation. The intern complied and then instructed a friend, who attended and recorded three games as part of the scheme, to do the same. Stalions also admitted during the hearing that he disposed of his phone in a pond. In a recorded phone call, Stalions said his film was also at the bottom of a pond. Additionally, throughout the investigation, Stalions violated confidentiality requirements, disclosing information related to the investigation to the public. Additionally, following Oct. 19, 2023, media reports of Stalions' scheme, Moore deleted his entire 52-message text thread with Stalions off his personal phone. The following day, Moore deleted from his school-issued phone a single text that was part of a broader thread that referenced Stalions standing by Moore during a game. In addition to the scouting scheme, the investigation also uncovered recruiting violations in the football program, conducted by multiple football staff members and centered around four prospects. In the spring and summer of 2023, Clinkscale and Robinson provided limited inducements to a prospect and his family. Clinkscale provided additional inducements to two other prospects. The scouting scheme and recruiting violations in the football program demonstrate that Harbaugh violated the principles of head coach responsibility. For the scouting violations that occurred during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Harbaugh failed to demonstrate that he adequately promoted compliance or monitored his program. Harbaugh is also automatically responsible for the scouting and recruiting violations that occurred after Jan. Lastly, the underlying scouting and recruiting violations demonstrate that Michigan failed to monitor its football program. Based on interview testimonies, the education and monitoring efforts of the chief compliance officer and her staff were not welcomed by the football program. Instead, they were rebuked, dismissed and disregarded by Harbaugh and his staff. As a result, Michigan failed to create a culture of compliance in the football program.
Michigan self-imposed a two-game suspension for Moore during the upcoming 2025-26 football season. The panel determined that a suspension for one additional game was appropriate. Therefore, Moore also will be suspended for the first game of the 2026-27 season.
Sherrone Moore's Suspension
The university has tried to be proactive in dealing with the potential fallout of the case, suspending head coach Sherrone Moore for two games during the upcoming 2025 season (Weeks 3 and 4 vs Central Michigan and Nebraska, respectively). Moore was Michigan’s offensive coordinator during the sign-stealing saga and was alleged to have deleted 52 text messages from Stalions.
Implications and Future
The NCAA’s Committee on Infractions will make a recommendation for a punishment, which Michigan will have the chance to appeal.
As a result of Michigan's most recent infractions case, three parties - Michigan, Harbaugh and Moore - fall within the legislated window to trigger repeat violator status. Michigan's repeat violator status, coupled with its Level I-Aggravated case classification, is sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban. However, the panel determined that a postseason ban would unfairly penalize student-athletes for the actions of coaches and staff who are no longer associated with the Michigan football program. Similarly, the NCAA membership has shifted from scholarship limits to roster spots. The NCAA membership has not yet determined whether roster reductions will replace scholarship reductions as a core penalty, and the panel did not want to prematurely make that decision on behalf of the membership. A 10-year show-cause order, restricting him from all athletically related activities during the show-cause period, which will begin on Aug. A two-year show-cause order, during which he is suspended from a total of three games.
The long, winding and often weird saga surrounding Michigan football and its sign-stealing scandal appears to finally be drawing to a close. The NCAA has notified relevant parties in the Wolverines’ infractions case that an announcement on the investigation’s findings and punishments will be released on Aug. 15.
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