Michigan sign-stealing scandal should leave a mark, even if college sports has bigger problems

New York Times

08-05-2025

Yes, we're all sick of hearing about the Michigan sign-stealing scandal that made a celebrity of Connor Stalions, an NFL coach again (on a show cause) of Jim Harbaugh and a successor trying to pick and choose his future suspension dates in Sherrone Moore.
But see, when cheating is clear and brazen — and it's the kind that actually impacts competition, not the kind that leaves a kid with a bus ticket or too much cream cheese on his bagel — the annoyance of a drawn-out, public saga is a price worth paying. It should result in meaningful punishment, and the final word on that is due soon from the NCAA.
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It should buy some level of deterrence, so we have fewer of these to endure. That's the idea, anyway. It's worth a shot, I say, and would expect all but Wolverines lovers in this instance to agree. This is not nothing, not trivial, not to be dismissed just because the NCAA has bigger issues and a regrettable enforcement history. This is worthwhile.
The NCAA has struggled to enforce its rules. That's obvious.
So … the NCAA should be less concerned with enforcing its rules?
That's like saying the way to fix bad officiating is to get rid of officials altogether. But that's a college sports problem for another day. Whatever twists and turns lie ahead for this industry, rules and rules enforcement will matter. That's why many sports organizations were created in the first place.
This case should not be confused with so many embarrassing ones in the history of the NCAA, attempting to hold schools to account on amateurism rules. Weak premises, no subpoena power, mostly unsatisfying results. And now we look back and wonder why we ever cared in the first place.
But everyone still takes the Astros sign-stealing scandal seriously (other than Astros fans). Same with 'DeflateGate' (other than Patriots fans and/or Tom Brady sycophants). Rogue official Tim Donaghy rocked the NBA. Doping scandals and the Olympics go hand in hand.
These things won't lose gravity over time. They're very different and vary in severity, but all directly affect competition. As did Stalions' operation, which he attempted in a Netflix documentary to minimize but ended up telling on himself in the process.
Now Michigan is basically doing the same — months after a 137-page response to the notice of allegations in which the school claimed the NCAA is 'wildly overcharging' in this case, it is offering up a two-game suspension of Moore in advance of an expected summer hearing in front of the Committee on Infractions.
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This is related to the NCAA accusing Moore of deleting 52 text messages he'd exchanged with Stalions in the early stages of the investigation into Michigan. He hasn't denied the allegations but has said he looks forward to the public release of the texts. Also, Michigan plans to suspend him for the third and fourth weeks of the season, games against Central Michigan and Nebraska, presumably so he can coach in the second week against his alma mater, Oklahoma.
We'll see if the 'grossly overreaching' NCAA — more written words from Michigan in January — goes along with that or has more for Moore in mind.
Bigger things are happening in college athletics. President Trump is forming a commission to study it, while everyone awaits U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilkens' final approval on a $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement that will result in schools sharing revenue directly with athletes. Revenue sharing won't slow the desperate pursuit of top talent or the market forces around that pursuit. Collective bargaining in some form seems increasingly necessary and inevitable.
But people are watching this, too. And not just Michigan lovers and haters (both of whom add nothing to the conversation but excuse-making/accusatory hyperbole that would be exactly reversed if this were, say, an Ohio State scandal).
'I promise you that coaches still care about this,' a Power 4 head coach — not in the Big Ten — said this week. 'This was a major deal, and you can't minimize it. It's bad for college football. (Stealing signals) might be more common than you think, but the extremes they went to? I've never heard of anything like it, and they need to get the hammer.'
Said a Group of 5 assistant coach: 'It's blatant cheating. I mean, even knowing run or pass (before a play) is a huge advantage. So you'd like to see it taken seriously.'
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In the nearly two years since this broke, we've talked to a lot of coaches about this, and some have downplayed its significance. I agree with all of them who said the scandal can't erase the greatness of Harbaugh's 2023 team. All of the Wolverines' biggest wins came after the Stalions operation was outed and he was let go.
Michigan was a worthy national champion. Michigan's coaches, including those who stayed after Harbaugh bolted, deserve significant punishment. Both things can be true, just like these two things: The NCAA struggles to enforce its rules, and the NCAA still should try.
(Photo of Sherrone Moore: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)