We have now reached the whatboutism point of the Michigan sign-staling scandal.
On Tuesday, ESPN reported that sources at Michigan claim the school has sent evidence to the Big 10 purporting to show that three schools – Ohio State, Rutgers, and Purdue – shared communications about Michigan’s signs and signals in 2022.
Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes on the sidelines during a 48-45 win over the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl on January 01, 2022, in Pasadena, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
According to ESPN:
Purdue, which faced Michigan in the 2022 Big Ten championship game, received offensive signals from Ohio State and defensive signals from Rutgers, according to sources. Michigan beat Rutgers 52-17 on Nov. 5 and beat Ohio State 45-23 on Nov. 26, a game that clinched the East Division for the Wolverines.
A Big Ten source said the league has forwarded any information to the NCAA for possible follow-up. It’s unknown whether the signal sharing between league teams violates the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy or any NCAA rules. The information passed along is not expected to impact the Big Ten’s potential discipline for Michigan under the sportsmanship policy, a source said. NCAA rules do not prohibit in-game signal stealing but bar schools from off-campus scouting in advance of games.
The sign-stealing scandal involving the Wolverines began weeks ago after reports that former Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions had purchased tickets to as many as 30 off-campus games over the last three years. Stalions has even been accused of appearing on the sidelines himself in disguise to steal signs in person. While it is not illegal to travel to scout opponents on the schedule for the following year. Traveling to conduct in-person scouting of opponents on the schedule for the current year is strictly forbidden by the NCAA.
Stalions resigned from his position as a football analyst at Michigan last Friday.