Michigan planning to fight NCAA in sign-stealing allegations

The battle between Michigan and the NCAA regarding the sign-stealing allegations appears to be nowhere near over. The alleged scheme led by former Michigan football staff member Connor Stalions came to light during a 2023 season that ended in a national championship. The university sent a 137-page response to the NCAA earlier this month, and Yahoo Sports secured a portion of it Tuesday. 

Report: Michigan prepares to battle NCAA

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Per Yahoo Sports: “In the 137-page document — a portion of which Yahoo Sports obtained — Michigan makes clear that it will not enter into a negotiated resolution with the NCAA over the alleged wrongdoing, vigorously defending its former head coach, current head coach, several staff members and even Stalions, the low-level assistant who orchestrated one of the most elaborate sign-stealing systems in college football history on the way to the school winning the 2023 national championship. 

“The school purports that the sign-stealing system offered “minimal relevance to competition,” was not credibly proven by NCAA investigators and should be treated as a minor violation.”

Michigan is asking the NCAA to use “common sense and commitment to fairness” and to treat the case less seriously. Additionally, the university appears to be backing everyone on its side – even Stalions – and is taking the situation head-on.

“Moore, then an assistant, deleted 52 text messages with Stalions on the very day (Oct. 19, 2023) that Yahoo Sports broke the story of the NCAA’s investigation into the school.

“In its response, Michigan and Moore acknowledge the deleted messages. However, the school contends that the texts were “innocuous and not material to the investigation” and that Moore cooperated fully with the investigation, even turning over his phone for imaging — a move that revealed the previously deleted messages.”

It seems Michigan is standing firm in its opinion of there being little to no evidence of wrongdoing. 

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