Michigan receives notice of allegations from NCAA related to sign-stealing investigation

Michigan has received the final version of a notice of allegations from the NCAA related to an investigation into an in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation being run by a football staffer, the NCAA and the school said Sunday.

Michigan previously received a draft of the NOA that included allegations of violations by former head coach Jim Harbaugh, current head coach Sherrone Moore, former recruiting analyst Connor Stalions and several other members of the staff.

“The NCAA can confirm that a Notice of Allegations has been distributed to the school and involved parties in the Michigan investigation,” the NCAA said in a statement. “To protect the integrity of the infractions process as the case progresses forward, the NCAA will not provide any further comment on the specifics included.”

According to NCAA rules, Michigan will have 90 days to respond. The school could then be assigned a hearing in front of the NCAA's committee on infractions, though a negotiated resolution is still possible.

The NCAA investigation into impermissible in-person scouting and sign stealing by Michigan hung over the second half of the team's unbeaten season in 2023 but did not stop the Wolverines from winning their first national title since 1997.

In-person advanced scouting is banned by the NCAA, which investigated to determine how organized it was and who knew about it. Records from other Big Ten schools show Stalions bought tickets to numerous games involving future opponents, sending people to digitally record teams when they signaled plays.

Stalions initially was placed on leave by the school and later resigned. He did not participate in the investigation. Stalions is expected to break his silence Tuesday on Netflix when the documentary “Sign Stealer” makes its debut on the streaming service.

Harbaugh, now coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has denied any knowledge of impermissible scouting while he was with the program, though he could face Level 1 violations along with Stalions.

The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season to punish Michigan for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy after its investigation of the sign-stealing scheme.

The NCAA recently released the results of a recruiting violations investigation into Michigan under Harbaugh. The coach was given a show-cause order that effectively bans him from coaching in college for four years.

No. 9 Michigan begins its first season under Moore on Aug. 31 at home against Fresno State.

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

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