Did “the hammer” drop on Michigan?
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions released last Friday its decision related to the “orchestration” led by former Michigan football staff member Connor Stalions of an impermissible scouting scheme. Additionally, “underlying scouting and recruiting violations” were found during the NCAA investigation and revealed “that Michigan failed to monitor its football program,” per an NCAA release.
A 74-page “Aug. 2025 Michigan Public Infractions Decision” file released by the NCAA is available for download detailing the NCAA Division I Committee on Infraction’s investigation. You can also find the file below.
In October 2023, Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti released a statement in response to being notified that the NCAA was investigating Michigan for alleged sign stealing.
The Big Ten later conducted its own investigation into Michigan’s football program related to a sign-stealing scandal, and then-Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended the remainder of the 2023 regular season. Eventual College Football Playoff National Champion Michigan went without Harbaugh on the road at Maryland and at home against Ohio State, scoring wins under Sherrone Moore who is now the head coach of the program.
Some of this information has been found dating back to 2023, and has been confirmed by the NCAA last Friday, that:
- Stalions led a network of individuals known as the “KGB” in “off-campus, in-person scouting of Michigan’s future regular-season opponents” during the 2021-23 seasons.
- Instances of “off-campus, in-person scouting of 13 future regular- season opponents occurred across 52 contests.”
- Stalions admitted to spending “nearly $35,000 on tickets in 2022 alone” and “expended significant resources and effort to plan the scheme.”
- “Harbaugh’s program lacked compliance” and “football staff members failed to cooperate.”
The penalties, plural, following the NCAA’s investigation come after anticipation and hype. It’s time for the so-called “hammer,” so to speak, to come down.
Here is some of the information included in the NCAA release about Michigan’s penalties:
- The NCAA gathered “interview testimonies, ticket receipts and transfer data and other evidence.”
- The Stalions-led scouting scheme “along with former head football coach Jim Harbaugh’s head coach responsibility violation and most of the failure to cooperate violations” are Level I violations.
- “Michigan’s repeat violator status, coupled with its Level I-Aggravated case classification, is sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban. However, the panel determined that a postseason ban would unfairly penalize student-athletes for the actions of coaches and staff who are no longer associated with the Michigan football program. Thus, the panel determined a more appropriate penalty is an offsetting financial penalty instead of a two-year postseason ban.”
Here’s the NCAA’s list of penalties per release:
- “Four years of probation.”
- “Financial penalties:
- “$50,000 fine, plus 10% of the budget for the football program.
- “A fine equivalent to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing associated with the 2025 and 2026 football seasons.
- “A fine equivalent to the cost of 10% of the scholarships awarded in Michigan’s football program for the 2025-26 academic year.”
- “A 25% reduction in football official visits during the 2025-26 season.”
- “A 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications in the football program during the probation period.”
I think it’s critical to understand the fine included in Michigan’s penalties.
Michigan announced its “revenues and expenses for the year are expected to be $266.3 million” in a June 12 release. The Wolverines will have to pay 10% of “the budget for the football program” in addition to $50,000.
So, Michigan will owe the NCAA at least about $26,680,000, if my math and speculation is correct.
In addition, Michigan is fined “equivalent to the anticipated loss of all postseason competition revenue sharing associated with the 2025 and 2026 football seasons” and “equivalent to the cost of 10% of the scholarships awarded in Michigan’s football program for the 2025-26 academic year.”
According to Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel of ESPN, Michigan could pay upwards of $30 million in fines.
So what does this mean?
Michigan isn’t banned from the postseason. The Wolverines’ 2023 national championship will not be vacated.
Harbaugh seemingly won’t coach college football again. He has a show-cause order beginning in 2028 lasting for 10 years, “restricting him from all athletically related activities.”
Stalions received an eight-year show-cause order.
Former Michigan director of player personnel Denard Robinson received a three-year show-cause order.
Moore received a three-year show-cause order and will be suspended three games, two of which are self-imposed by Michigan for the 2025 season and the final one being the 2026 season opener determined by the Division I Committee on Infractions panel.
Some may say the fine makes up for a national championship. After all, Michigan having to be on the hook for around $30 million for a scandal that took place on its run to the program’s 12th national title is what is happening.
The fine will hurt. I believe current student-athletes will have to deal with loss of resources as a result of the fines and reductions.
The stain left behind, though, on everything. Ouch.
So much can be made of this entire Michigan sign stealing scandal. Have you seen the documentary Untold: Sign Stealer on Netflix?
I don’t have much to say about the scandal overall. To look back and know I covered Michigan games that included Stalions’ sign-stealing orchestration is historic when reflecting.
My final thought? The NCAA brought a new meaning to the phrase, “Buck Michigan.”
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