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Maybe he can get on Bill Bellechick's staff!
Posted on 11/02/2023 7:20:36 AM PDT by FLNittany
A vast majority of the Big Ten coaches expressed their frustrations with the ongoing signal-stealing investigation at Michigan in a video call with commissioner Tony Petitti on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.
The call, which took 90 minutes, included nearly an hour without Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who hung up after the regularly scheduled Big Ten business to allow the conference's coaches 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 -- right now," said a source familiar with the call. "What are we waiting on? We know what happened." Editor's Picks
CMU probes Stalions' potential sideline presence 1dAdam Rittenberg and Pete Thamel Harbaugh denies U-M rescinded extension offer 3dDan Murphy Michigan sign-stealing allegations: Latest on investigation, punishments and more 7dESPN
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 that time, ESPN has reported that Michigan staffer Connor Stalions emerged as a centerpiece of the investigation and has purchased tickets to the games of 12 of 13 Big Ten opponents over the last three years.
Overall, Stalions has purchased tickets to more than 35 games in at least 17 stadiums over the last three years, ESPN reported. Michigan suspended Stalions the same day ESPN reported he was the center of the investigation. A former Division III coach also told ESPN he was paid by Stalions to video games at multiple Big Ten schools.
The coaches in the Big Ten laid out to Petitti, who was hired in April, just how distinct of a schematic advantage Michigan has held the last three years by illegally obtaining the opposition's signals ahead of time, as has been alleged.
Coaches used words like "tainted," "fraudulent" and "unprecedented" on the call to describe Michigan's signal-stealing scheme, as has been alleged. Much of the call, according to sources, was coaches explaining to Petitti both how it worked and how it impacted them and their programs. Both in-person opponent scouting and using electronic equipment to steal signals are not allowed by NCAA rules.
In the three years that Stalions left a paper trail of purchasing tickets to games of Michigan opponents, the Wolverines have gone 33-3 overall and 22-1 in Big Ten play. In the prior three years, they were 21-11 overall and 16-8 in league play.
"People don't understand the seriousness of it," said another source. "How it truly impacted the game plan. To truly know if it's a run or a pass, people don't understand how much of an advantage that was for Michigan."
There was anger interspersed throughout the call, as one source described the sentiment as: "Every game they played is tainted."
The coaches acknowledged the reality on the call that the NCAA enforcement timeline won't impact Michigan this season, as the Wolverines are 8-0 and No. 3 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings. And that's one reason the Big Ten coaches called on action from the Big Ten.
Sources described Petitti as listening carefully to the coaches, but not tipping his hand in what direction he may go. Sources expressed curiosity as to whether the Big Ten is truly interested in taking action or just listening to coaches so they can be heard.
The Big Ten technically has authority under its Sportsmanship Policy to punish Michigan or members of the coaching staff.
That's been considered unlikely in this case in the near future, as it's unusual to have an NCAA case unfolding in real time. While plenty of evidence has emerged in media reports, the league would likely be unable to use those as a fact set to make a decision.
The league could also initiate its own investigation into potential violations of the Big Ten's sportsmanship policy. While Petitti has authority to dictate discipline, if it's beyond a standard level it must be looked at by an executive committee that could approve, deny or lessen that discipline.
League officials did not respond to request for comment late Wednesday.
"I don't think the Big Ten understood how upset everyone was," said another source. "The tenor of the call was asking the Big Ten to show leadership -- the conference and the presidents. An unprecedented violation of the rules would require unprecedented action from the Big Ten."
SIGNAL stealing??? UMMMM this is a game where getting the UPPER HAND is the advantage!
Signal stealing...
God knows how many players may have been harmed by the vaxx mandates their institution instituted.
Then there’s sports betting, game fixing, and not just by players.
I can see why the NCAA is happy to fixate on signal stealing...
I agree, as long as the opponent is breaking into your office or hacking your computer. It’s really your job to conceal your signs.
Pull up your big boy pants! If this is such a heinous situation, why is TCU bragging that they just changed their signs and beat Michigan? Why would any team NOT change their signs week to week? Sounds more like a bunch of whiney coaches with their panties in wads because Michigan is dominating them this year.
Penn State coaches knew Michigan was going to run all last year. Every play. Was that an unfair advantage? Yet they could not stop it and got stomped. The delusional belief they knew run/pass/direction is about as true as all of Trump's crimes.
It’s not only a Big 10 rule it’s also an NCAA rule which perfectly clear, sign stealing goes on all the time, but no one is sending coaches to scout future opponents, sitting behind the bench and filming the coach signaling in the plays or in some cases getting sideline pass and doing the same thing
It’s blatantly against the rules, even in the NFL this type of thing is forbidden
I suspect the knowledge of the Sign Stealing goes higher up in the Michigan University Management than they want to admit.
If Sign Stealing is against the NAACF Rules then remove Michigan for the rest of the Season!
People act like changing signals every week is possible. Sure you can put in wrinkles, but to change everything would take up a good portion of your allotted practice time.
Why should any team have to do that just because an opponent illegally scouted them?
I am of two minds on this...
1. If it is against the rules, it is against the rules. If they willfully broke the rules, they need to be punished. Now.
2. It is just laziness that a team would use the same signals every game and with technology the way it is, radios would seem to be a better alternative. In lieu of radios, switch to visual cues that change from week to week - one week it is hand signals, the next week it is color squares, the next week it is geometric shapes. They have five solid days of practice, at a minimum, to acclimate to the new signals.
Suppress conservative thought, fine. Harass Christians, fine. Engage in anti-Semitic violence, fine. OMG!! someone stole football signals! The horror of it all!
I think it does. Because the whole rule is stupid. If you’re whole rule is stupid, don’t enforce it, change it.
And the NFL wisely (well too late to be wise, but eventually) switched to giving the defense a radio set. Best way to keep signs from being stolen is use radios.
True, this akin to the Astros stealing the catcher’s signal and hitting a trash can once for a fastball and twice for a curve, Lose Altuve wore a buzzer device under his uniform to give him the pitch before it thrown
The Patriots lost a 1st round pick and paid a large fine for sneaking around and filming practice sessions of opponents
All the coaches know this is cheating and Harbaugh did it anyway, he should face some serious consequences
The problem w/ radio headsets is the implementation - all the way down to D3 and JC levels (and eventually HS).
I think the NFL radios are cut off at some point post huddle? Not sure. I am sure that the NFL spends a shit-ton of money making sure the radio rules and communication security/privacy are well in place and policed.
How do you do that in some D3 program where the radio is probably patched through a press box the size of my patio? How long would it take for techie fans in the stands to know the coming plays as well?
By NCAA rule, schools are prohibited from IN-PERSON scouting of future opponents. Coaches and staff cannot video tape sidelines of opponents.
By agreement, all schools send game film to each other so each school get equal opportunity to study their opponent on film.
This is a big deal. Michigan was sending coaches to film the signals on the sidelines. BIG no-no. Harbaugh is already on the record that he knew nothing about it. However, the evidence is becoming overwhelming that he knew and used the illegal scouting.
You are more right than you know, I posted an article (link) here weeks ago about Harbaugh being targeted. It is reminding of how Trump was and is targeted, often using arcane laws to twist what is really going on. Only an idiot would think that a person goes to games exclusively “to steal signs” and then report back. Perhaps an overzealous fan/alumni has contributed to the exaggeration. Harbaugh had a great career as a starting QB for the Wolverines, went on to be a great in the NFL, then in coaching and took his team to the Super Bowl and is now coaching UM to possible trip to the championship.
Michigan into three centuries has the most wins, to this day has the highest winning percentage and attendance and none of these records will be broken in all likelihood for decades at best. THEY DO NOT NEED TO CHEAT. My wife has met Harbaugh (fundraisers) several times and he is nothing but a class act. Indeed he goes against the left on issues they detest. Charlie Kirk on one of his recent podcasts talked about this too, just one of the left’s recent targets.
And now the NFL allows defense to use radio sets. And the MLB uses the PitchCom to communicate between the pitcher and catcher.
It’s the 21st century, if your sport is using hand signals you should fix that. Hand signals exist to be stolen. If you have to outlaw scouting to protect them scouting isn’t the problem.
“They don’t like Harbaugh for the same reasons they don’t like Trump.”
I was ranting this exact sentiment weeks ago about the Trump analogy, I first saw this topic on a couple sports blogs and here we are.
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