We're learning more about the sprawling Michigan scandal by the hour, and it still feels like we're at the tip of the iceberg.
Since the scandal first broke last Thursday, we've since learned the identity of Connor Stalions, the Michigan recruiting analyst-turned-alleged spy. We now have an idea of Statlions's modus operandi, purchasing tickets at stadiums up and down the Big Ten roster, with a network of operatives working alongside him.
And as I type this, rivals are publishing how Michigan implemented the intelligence Stalions allegedly obtained through illegal means.
In this clip of the 2022 Michigan vs Ohio State game, you can watch Connor Stalions talk to Jesse Minter, then Jesse Minter talks into his headset, and then you can see someone next to Jesse hold up a sign. It happens again on the next play. https://t.co/D0wd7fla9n pic.twitter.com/LmBVsdkCCv
— Bella Edwards (@Bella_Cosmos) October 24, 2023
Video from last year's OSU vs Michigan game appears to show Connor Stalions who is at the center of the alleged sign stealing operation standing next to the UM defensive coordinator.
— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) October 24, 2023
See their pre-snap interaction:
Here is better quality video and story https://t.co/aOX1HCRdmN: pic.twitter.com/Q6nNYt2t9x
Even still, we have far more questions than answers.
-- Once Stalions obtained his information, how did Michigan process it into their game plan? What was the method for getting the information to the players in real time? Exactly how much of a head start did Michigan have here?
-- Who paid for this whole thing? Stalions purchased (good, and thus expensive) tickets to multiple games... on a $55,000 salary? This operation could easily clear five figures per year, so how did he get reimbursed? Was he paid out of someone's pocket, through a slush fund, or by Michigan athletics department funds directly?
-- What's the tipping point for the Big Ten to intervene in Michigan's ongoing season? The conference has a duty to protect the other 13 schools here, so who makes that decision, and how much information do they need to say, declare Michigan ineligible for the Big Ten championship and void wins that happened this very season?
-- What's the fallout for Jim Harbaugh specifically? Despite his denial, it seems incredibly unlikely he wouldn't have approved, or at least known about, this 3-year operation. Does Michigan still move forward with its plan to make him the Big Ten's highest-paid coach? Does it fire him for cause? Does Harbaugh leave on his own volition for the NFL?
That rolls into perhaps the biggest unanswered question here: How are Michigan fans supposed to feel about all this?
For a decade and a half, they were Ohio State's little brother. They finally turn the tables in 2021, win back-to-back Big Ten titles, reach the Playoff both years, and this year they have perhaps the best team in a wide-open year. And now what? We've already seen rival fans attempt to invalidate all their hard-won, long-awaited progress over the past two years. What happens if they're deemed ineligible for championships that, as of now, they're favored to win?
Come Jan. 8, 2024, Michigan could be in the clear and favored to win the CFP National Championship, or it could be at home, its starters preparing for the NFL draft, many of its backups in the Portal, and a new coach looking to hit 'reset' with an NCAA investigation looming.
On the latest episode of the FootballScoop Podcast, we delved into all that and more.
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