Michigan receives fine upward of $20M for sign-stealing scandal

The NCAA went after Michigan’s wallet.

Michigan received a fine of at least $20 million that could top $25 million — per ESPN estimates — for its alleged 2023 sign-stealing scandal involving staffer Connor Stalions.

The NCAA revealed its sanctions Friday from the investigation of the drama that rocked college football, with the hefty fine stemming from Michigan losing postseason football revenue over the next two seasons.

7 Former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions (r). AP

Former coach Jim Harbaugh, leading the team at the time of the alleged scheme, received a 10-year show-cause penalty beginning Aug. 7, 2028.

Stalions, the alleged mastermind of the sign-stealing scandal, got hit with an eight-year show-cause penalty “restricting him from all athletically related activities” during the period, per the NCAA’s article.

Head coach Sherrone Moore has also been levied with an extra one-game suspension for the 2026 season-opener on top of the self-imposed Weeks 3 and 4 bans for this upcoming season.

7 Michigan coach Sherrone Moore. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

He too received a two-year show-cause order.

“Over the course of three seasons, 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, according to a decision released by a Division I Committee on Infractions panel,” the NCAA said in its release.

“The scouting violations orchestrated by former football staff member Connor Stalions were corroborated by interview testimonies, ticket receipts and transfer data and other evidence. “

Michigan did, though, avoid any type of postseason restriction or scholarship reduction.

“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,” the NCAA stated in its article. “Thus, the panel determined a more appropriate penalty is an offsetting financial penalty instead of a two-year postseason ban.”

The sign-stealing scandal came to light during head coach Harbaugh’s final season in Ann Arbor, which culminated with a national title exit before he left to coach the NFL’s Chargers.

7 Former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Getty Images

The Big Ten school received six Level I violations for purported activities, per ESPN.

Stalions, who served as an analyst for the program, is accused of masterminding the alleged scheme in which he “directed and arranged for individuals to conduct off-camps, in-person scouting.”

He purportedly illegal scouted 13 future Michigan opponents spanning at least 56 instances and 52 games during the 2021-23 seasons, and he is accused of once attending one future opponent’s game.

Stalions is accused of buying tickets for opponents’ game and giving them to staffers, interns and acquaintances, whom he called the “KGB.”

The NCAA stated that Stalions admitted to spending $35,000 on tickets in 2022.

7 Connor Stalions in 2024. AP

Those individuals allegedly then filmed the future opponents’ signals, which Stalions is accused of then deciphering for an in-game advantage.

Michigan suspended Stalions in October 2023 when the story came to light and he later resigned.

“‘Regardless of whether it was Stalions or someone acting on his behalf, their physical presence at the game essentially gave them front-row seats to a key element of opponents’ offensive and defensive strategies,'” the infractions panel said in its assessment, per the NCAA’s article.

7 Connor Stalions celebrating a Michigan win. @CPStalions

The committee also alleged that Harbaugh, Moore, Stalions and ex director of player personnel Denard Robinson “each failed to meet the membership’s expectations of cooperation.”

They are accused of trashing relevant objects and offering “false and misleading” information, with Stalions alleged to have had an intern “clear out” paper trails related to the alleged scheme.

He’s alleged to have said during a hearing that he did not recall doing so.

Moore is accused of deleting a 52-text chain with Stalions from his personal phone after the allegations came to light on Oct. 19, 2023, and allegedly blamed it on storage space.

Harbaugh is alleged to have either not provided required documents or avoiding interviews.

7 Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy won a national tile together. Getty Images

“‘In short, Stalions’ multiple and repeated failures to cooperate are some of the worst the COI has ever seen,'” the panel stated, as relayed by the NCAA.

The Big Ten previously levied a three-game suspension on Harbaugh at the end of the 2023 season, and he returned for the conference title game and the two playoff wins over Alabama and Washington.

Other Michigan staffers at the time who received penalties — Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale — both are no longer in the college ranks and instead on Harbaugh’s NFL staff.

7 Michigan coach Sherrone Moore will miss three games over the next two years. AP

Moore’s 2025 suspension will come against Central Michigan on Sept. 13 and its Sept. 20 Big Ten opener on the road against Nebraska.

The Wolverines went 8-5 last year in Moore’s firsts season and open Aug. 30 against New Mexico.

Other penalties levied against Michigan include being placed on probation for four years and a 25% decrease in official recruiting visits.

Click here to read article