Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for the rest of the regular season on Nov 10, 2023, after allegations arose about the Wolverines stealing play signs from opponents.
The allegations pertained to Michigan sending representatives to scout teams and steal their play signs, which has been prohibited by the NCAA since 1994.
Despite the allegations, Michigan attempted to fight back in court, receiving a temporary restraining order to allow Harbaugh to coach the team in their upcoming game against Maryland; however, the day before the hearing, the school settled the matter and ensured Harbaugh would not be on the sideline for the game.
“I think that [sign stealing] makes them look like an unprofessional team and gives off a bad image,” senior Carlos Gil said.
The Michigan football team’s allegations originally arose after a 7-0 start to their season. The allegations pertained to the Wolverines stealing play signs to gain an advantage over teams. On Oct. 19, the team agreed to an investigation by the NCAA to investigate the ongoing issue.
“I think that winning was one of the main reasons; it was something people said and noticed, so they started looking more into the team,” Gil said.
On Oct. 23, Connor Stallions, the Michigan team’s analyst, had information leaked to the public about him purchasing more than 30 tickets under his name to 11 Big Ten teams over the past three seasons, further digging a hole for the team.
Furthermore, a former Division III player and assistant coach stepped forward on Oct. 27, stating that they were paid a couple of hundred dollars by Stallions to go to the Michigan Wolverines’ home game to record future opponents, hurting the team’s trustworthiness and reputation.
“[The sign-stealing situation] is definitely gonna hurt their football reputation and trust in their program,” senior Elijah Schill said.
On Nov. 3, Stallions resigned from his position, stating, “I love the University of Michigan and its football program. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to work with the incredible student-athletes, coach Harbaugh and the other coaches that have been a part of the Michigan football family during my tenure. I do not want to be a distraction from what I hope to be a championship run for the team, and I will continue to cheer them on.”
On Nov. 6, the Big Ten formally notified Michigan that they could be facing disciplinary action from the league.
“[Sign stealing] is definitely gonna hurt the [governing body’s reputation] since a lot of people are against it and think it is cheating; it’s gonna make them feel like governing bodies support cheating,” Schill said.
On Nov. 10, the Big Ten cracked down on Jim Harbaugh, stating that he would be suspended for the remainder of the regular season for violating the league’s sportsmanship policy. The possible penalties for sign-stealing are suspensions, fines, postseason bans, and a loss of scholarships.
“The penalties for sign stealing are already pretty bad, but since some people are still doing it, they should make it even worse,” senior Efrain Esquivel said.
Additionally, on Nov. 17, Michigan football fired linebackers coach Chris Partridge for his alleged participation in destroying evidence.
“Obviously this is a very bad look for Michigan. If I was a fan of a team that went against Michigan and we lost, I would just hate to see that,” Esquivel said.
