The University of Michigan football program is under investigation for allegedly violating NCAA rules pertaining to in-person scouting and sign stealing, according to multiple reports.
The program allegedly violated an NCAA bylaw that reads “off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited,” according to Yahoo Sports.
After being alerted to the investigation into the alleged sign stealing on Wednesday, a conference spokesperson said the Big Ten has “notified Michigan State University and future opponents,” according to Yahoo’s report.
The No. 2 Wolverines take on the Spartans in East Lansing Saturday night.
“The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation. The Conference will have no further comment at this time,” the spokesperson said.
While sign stealing is not technically prohibited under NCAA rules, the issue at question is whether Michigan “used unnamed individuals to attend games of both scheduled opponents and possible College Football Playoff opponents in an effort to gather information on the signs they use to call both offensive and defensive plays,” according to the Yahoo report.
Yahoo reported it is not known whether NCAA investigators believe Michigan used staffers or “others who may be loyal to the program” as it pertains to the investigation.
It’s also not clear whether head coach Jim Harbaugh – who was suspended earlier this season for violating NCAA rules – was involved in the alleged sign stealing scheme.
Big Ten officials claim Michigan is using a “vast network” to steal opposing teams’ signs. League officials told MSU they have “reviewed film that shows UM clearly knowing what play an opposing team is going to run before the play occurs,” The Athletic reported.
When MSU first learned of the investigation and allegations, school officials initially “warned” the Big Ten the team may consider not playing Saturday’s game “out of a concern for health and safety for its players,” but has since confirmed the game will go on as scheduled, according to The Athletic.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel said Michigan “will offer its complete cooperation to the NCAA in this matter.”
“At the University of Michigan, all of us are committed to the highest standards of ethics and integrity for all members of the community,” Manuel’s statement said, according to MLive’s Aaron McCann. “This is the same expectation I have of all coaches, staff and student-athletes.”
The Michigan program is also currently under NCAA investigation for a number of rules violations pertaining to recruiting during a dead period in the midst of the pandemic and allegedly lying to NCAA investigators.