REPORT: NCAA has evidence Connor Stalions was on sideline for CMU, Michigan State game

It appears one of the wackiest parts of the Connor Stalions saga has been proven by NCAA investigators...

A new ESPN report regarding a draft of the NCAA's notice of allegations to Michigan football indicates the governing body of college athletics has evidence that former U-M staffer Connor Stalions was on Central Michigan's sideline during the Chippewas' season-opener at Michigan State in 2023. /

A new ESPN report regarding a draft of the NCAA's notice of allegations to Michigan football indicates the governing body of college athletics has evidence that former U-M staffer Connor Stalions was on Central Michigan's sideline during the Chippewas' season-opener at Michigan State in 2023.

Via ESPN:

"The draft also states the NCAA gathered evidence that shows Stalions was on the sideline at Michigan State's season-opening against Central Michigan in 2023. Stalions was wearing a bench pass, Central Michigan coaching gear and a disguise, according to the draft, which states that Stalions' conduct 'seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model.' The draft does not say how Stalions obtained a bench pass for the Chippewas' sideline."

Just five days ago, a report from FootballScoop.com revealed that Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain was making changes to his coaching staff just four weeks before the start of the 2024 season. One of those changes was the removal of CMU quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, who was a former four-year, student-assistant for Michigan's program under Jim Harbaugh from 2015-18. During that same time period, Stalions was a volunteer assistant for the program.

Hired as a full-time staffer in May 2022, Stalions resigned his position in Novemeber 2023 in the wake of the sign-stealing scandal which clouded the Wolverines' program for the second half of last season. ESPN's report provided more detail into how Stalions went about scouting future Michigan opponents between 2021 and 2023.

"The NCAA's draft obtained by ESPN states that investigators used ticket information, film, photographs and interviews to determined that Stalions had impermissibly scouted at least 13 future Michigan opponents on at least 58 occasions between 2021 and 2023. He directed others to scout some opponents multiple times -- including one team that they scouted seven different times in 2022, according to the draft."

Also, for the first time, it appears the NCAA has evidence that others within Michigan's football program were aware of Stalions' operation, through the NOA draft indicates those with knowledge of the situation were not aware that it violated NCAA rules. Furthermore, neither former head coach Jim Harbaugh, nor any of Michigan's 10 on-field assistant coaches, were named as personnel aware of Stalions' actions.

"The investigators also allege that multiple team interns and at least one other full-time team employee knew about the scheme and participated in it. The draft says that Stalions led those individuals to believe that what they were doing was not against the rules."

According to ESPN, the NCAA's draft of the notice of allegation says Stalions "failed to cooperate with its investigation". Furthermore, the draft states Stalions removed hard drives from Michigan football offices, and gave a football player a sheet containing playcalling signals of a future opponent to be retrieved later. According to the draft, Stalions did not cooperate with the University of Michigan either, refusing to allow the school to review his phone.

Stalions is expected to reveal more information into his sign-stealing operation and share his side of the story in an upcoming Netflix documentary scheduled for release on Aug. 27, four days before Michigan football's 2024 season-opener against Fresno State.

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