More Michigan scandal: Video appears to show coaches' choreography with Connor Stalions

Trying to decipher -- steal -- an opponent's signals is an long-running element in college football -- and, notably, at the professional level and in Major League Baseball as well.

It happens every autumn Saturday in college stadiums throughout the United States, and it has happened -- very visibly, very illegally -- at the professional level with MLB's Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox and the NFL's New England Patriots in the 'Spygate' scandal.

It's when gamesmanship -- trying to discern which signals matter and what they mean -- is overtaken by illicit means such as video taping an opponent's walk-through that things take a different turn.

Which is what is happening at Michigan, and more evidence is emerging to seemingly indicate alleged Wolverines sign-stealing mastermind Connor Stalions' work not only isn't an unknown to Michigan coaches, but rather very much part of their game day sideline procedures.

It carries with it the specter of being potentially damning to the Wolverines after Harbaugh was forced to open this 2023 season on a self-imposed three-game suspension -- only after the NCAA, which already had launched a separate probe into the program for Harbaugh's alleged recruiting misdeeds during the COVID-19 pandemic, refused to accept Michigan's plea of a self-imposed four-game suspension for Harbaugh, a former star quarterback at the school. 

A dynamic new video from 10TV WBNS Columbus (Ohio) from last season's Michigan-Ohio State game inside Ohio Stadium appears to show Stalions very involved with Michigan's coaching staff -- particularly its defensive coaches -- during the game.

As Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud claps in a shotgun-stance and then turns to the OSU sideline for further instruction, Michigan staff in the background, including Stalions and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter watch for the Buckeyes' offensive signals being relayed to Stroud and then respond in kind with an entire set of instructions for the Wolverines defense.

Now, again, coaches at all levels routinely see if they can pick out tendencies or the "live" signal within a game in order to help their teams adjust on offense and defense. 

Done at the field level, multiple programs confirm to FootballScoop that this is a regular occurrence on sidelines each Saturday.

What Michigan is alleged to have done, however, violates NCAA rule against in-person scouting for future opponents and also brings in an entirely added layer of illegal technological spycraft.

It's enough that the Big Ten Conference has been forced to issue a statement regarding Harbaugh's Wolverines program.

"The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation," the league said in its initial statement. "The Conference will have no further comment at this time.”

With as many as 11 Big Ten schools coming forward to say they believed they possessed evidence of Stalions's wrongdoing on behalf of Michigan, the widespread nature of the alleged scheme has widened.

Moreover, the latest video elements emerging also have further clouded Harbaugh's original statement:

"I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter," Harbaugh said in Michigan's statement.

"I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.

"I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules.

"No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules.