Weeks after a request from FootballScoop, Central Michigan officials have now provided their official list of issued "team area" sideline passes for Jim McElwain's squad's season-opening game Sept. 1 at Michigan State.
Per the document submitted to and reviewed by FootballScoop, Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain and CMU athletics director Amy Folan "signed" the document electronically in connection with their game at Michigan State.
Connor Stalions, alleged mastermind of an illegal scheme that has shelved Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for his second three-game suspension of this season, is not listed. The question remains, how did Stalions obtain a credential?
Other than providing the Credential form to FootballScoop, CMU has provided no update on its internal investigation into the apparent presence of Stalions. Stalions has not spoken publicly about his alleged appearance on the CMU sideline at Michigan State.
As FootballScoop previously reported, the matter of Stalions' alleged presence on the sideline prompted third-party investigative involvement from the NCAA.
Thus far, Folan's only official comment on the Stalions matter has been an issued statement.
"Central Michigan continues its review of the matter in cooperation with the NCAA," Folan said in the release. "As this is an ongoing NCAA enforcement matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time."
Central Michigan has now been investigating this matter for over three weeks. Currently 5-6 on the season, CMU concludes their regular season Friday at home vs Toledo. A loss would end Central Michigan's season.
Sources have indicated to FootballScoop that it would not be a surprise to see significant personnel changes within the CMU program stemming from this investigation
McElwain addressed the alleged presence of Stalions on his team's sideline in the immediate aftermath on a midweek Mid-America Conference (MAC) game earlier this month. He did not deny that the person in question was Stalions.
"Before we go any farther, we're obviously aware of a picture floating around of the sign-stealer guy," McElwain said after that early-November game. "Our people are doing everything they can get to get to the bottom of it.
"We were unaware, totally unaware of it [the alleged presence of Stalions], and I certainly don't condone [coordinated, illegal in-person scouting and possible sign-stealing] in any way, shape or form," McElwain added. "I do know that his name was on none of the passes. Now we just keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out."
Stalions was forced to resign his post at Michigan Nov. 3, and later reporting by first The Detroit News revealed per Stalions' official Michigan personnel file that he had been uncooperative into the school's investigation into Stalions' illicit sign-stealing, in-person scouting scheme that combined illegal attendance at rivals' games and also utilized video technology to steal those foes' signals.
The scandal has dominated the college football headlines throughout this month and resulted in the second three-pack suspension of this season for Harbaugh.
The self-ascribed "Michigan Man," a former Wolverines quarterback and the school's near-decade-long head coach has enjoyed his most success since Stalions obtained an increased role in the program and became a full-time Michigan football staff member in spring 2022.