Report: Connor Stalions Paid Person to Film Penn State-UMass Game

Stalions, the suspended Michigan staffer, paid a former Division III coach to film games involving Penn State, ESPN reports.

Connor Stalions, the suspended Michigan football staff member at the center of an alleged sign-stealing operation, paid a person to film games involving Penn State, according to an ESPN report. The person told ESPN that he attended multiple games involving Michigan's opponents, including the Nittany Lions' recent win over Massachusetts.

"I only did a half because it was pouring rain and they were playing UMass," the person told ESPN. "It didn't pay well enough so I was like, 'Yeah, I'm not staying here.'"

The ESPN report appeared Oct. 27, one day before the Nittany Lions host Indiana at Beaver Stadium. The person also told ESPN that Stalions "provided him a ticket" to the Penn State-Indiana game before the investigation became public. The person "does not plan to attend," the game, according to the story.

The person, who identified himself as a former Division III football coach, told ESPN that he attended three Big Ten games involving Michigan opponents during the past two seasons. He recorded the teams' sidelines and uploaded the video to a "shared iPhone photo album." The person also told ESPN that he "received roughly $1,000" for his time and expenses.

Michigan suspended Stalions from his position after details emerged regarding his alleged plan to scout opponents in person and film their signals. Among the games for which Stalions bought tickets, according to ESPN, was last week's Penn State-Ohio State game. The NCAA is investigating to determine whether the scheme used in-person scouting to film opposing teams' signals, which is against the rules.

Sports Illustrated reported last week that Stalions claimed to have compiled a lengthy document about his plans for Michigan's football future. He referred to the document as the "Michigan Manifesto."

ESPN also reported that Central Michigan is investigating whether Stalions was on its sideline game for a Sept. 1 game against Michigan State. Photos emerged online showing a person resembling Stalions wearing Central Michigan gear and a credential to be on the sideline.

Last week, Penn State coach James Franklin was asked whether the situation at Michigan had affected his coaching strategies. Franklin said he would not "get into what's going on at that other school" but did note that his team "made some changes" during the bye week. Penn State played UMass following its bye week.

"I think in general, we're always aware of how we signal, are we disguising it?" Franklin said. "What happens is, you get to after games, and you feel like you called a very unpredictable call in a certain situation, and they're in the perfect defense for it. You are sitting there saying, well, how is that? What would ever make you play cover-two on fourth-and-one, and we're in the heavy personnel group? But they're in it, and you have a shot called there.

"Those things kind of make you second guess, and you kind of go back and look at those things and what you need to do to disguise it. If it happens once, that's one thing, but if it happens over and over, then you're aware of it. For us that's something that we always are looking at, but obviously with some of the things that are going on right now, it magnifies it."

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Report: Connor Stalions paid person to film Penn State-UMass game

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.