Big Ten Suggests to NCAA That Michigan Has Been Punished Enough for Sign Stealing

Big Ten Asks NCAA to End Punishments for Michigan’s Sign-Stealing Incident

Published Jul. 21, 2025, 10:53 p.m. ET

Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti has reached out to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, suggesting that the Michigan Wolverines football program should not face further penalties related to their sign-stealing controversy. Two sources familiar with the matter spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, as they are not authorized to discuss the ongoing NCAA investigation. jl3 slot download apk

According to Big Ten Deputy Commissioner Diane Dietz, Petitti’s letter was presented during a hearing last month betso88.com philippines. He was unable to attend personally due to recovery from hip surgery. ESPN was the first outlet to report specifics regarding Petitti’s correspondence.

The NCAA previously claimed in a notification linked to its investigation into sign-stealing that Michigan’s current head coach, Sherrone Moore, breached regulations while serving as an assistant under former coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh received a three-game suspension in exchange for the conference halting its own inquiry into the allegations, which arose after both parties ended up in court. jili90

After guiding Michigan to victory in the 2023 national championship, Harbaugh transitioned to the NFL, taking the helm of the Los Angeles Chargers. Moore faced accusations of deleting text messages with alleged sign-stealer Connor Stalions before they were retrieved and submitted to the NCAA. He has publicly stated his willingness to cooperate fully with the NCAA investigation.

This investigation into Michigan surfaced early in the 2023 season amidst claims of a comprehensive in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation run by Stalions, a former low-level staff member. 8k8.com 777 He was later suspended by the university and subsequently resigned. Stalions, who chose not to participate in the NCAA investigation, recently disclosed that he recognized nearly all signals used by opponents in seven games across two seasons.

Michigan is prepared to impose a two-game suspension on Moore during the upcoming season. The NCAA will evaluate whether this self-imposed sanction sufficiently addresses claims that Moore did not cooperate in the investigation. Typically, it takes the NCAA three months to reach a conclusive decision on contested cases.

The Wolverines’ season opener is scheduled for August 30 at home against New Mexico State, followed by a matchup at Oklahoma on September 6, where Moore previously played as an offensive lineman.

Harbaugh’s Big Ten suspension came three weeks after the NCAA initiated its investigation into the allegations. Shortly thereafter, Michigan sought a court injunction and a temporary restraining order, narrowly avoiding a court hearing. Harbaugh has consistently denied any connection to Stalions’ alleged operations.

While the NCAA does not impose penalties for dealing with sign-stealing itself, it explicitly bans colleges from sending scouts to observe games of future adversaries and from utilizing electronic devices to capture signals from other teams.

Several institutions within the Big Ten reportedly possess records showing ticket purchases made under Stalions’ name and video footage of individuals seated in those areas directing cell phones toward the field.

Prior to the conclusion of the NCAA’s investigation, various Big Ten coaches and athletic directors had urged Petitti to take action against Harbaugh. When the Big Ten eventually suspended him, Michigan contended that the commissioner had exceeded his authority and violated conference bylaws.

Before Michigan’s game at Penn State—where they triumphed 24-15 without Harbaugh—Athletic Director Warde Manuel released a scathing statement. He emphasized that personal biases against individuals or institutions cannot justify removing someone from their position before a thorough NCAA investigative process has been completed.

The NCAA had already placed Michigan on three years of probation, levied fines, imposed recruiting limits, and banned Harbaugh from coaching college football for four years following a negotiated resolution regarding a recruiting case spin pba.

Reporting by The Associated Press. Do you think the Big Ten’s intervention will have a lasting impact on NCAA investigations in college football?