Ex-Michigan staffer Stalions’ show-cause penalty appeal denied

An NCAA committee has denied the appeal from former Michigan football staff member Connor Stalions of the eight-year show-cause penalty he received for his involvement in the Wolverines’ signal-stealing case.

Stalions, an analyst for Michigan under former coach Jim Harbaugh who oversaw the sign-stealing operation, had appealed the August ruling to the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee, arguing that the “irregular and prejudicial way in which the case started” led to errors in implementing penalties against him and that the NCAA’s infractions committee misapplied a bylaw related to prohibited off-campus, in-person scouting.

Although Stalions in his appeal cited all six factors that classified the violations as Level I-Aggravated, he did not elaborate in arguing against them, according to the appeals committee’s report on its ruling.

The denial stemmed from Stalions failing to show that there was no information in the case record to support the infraction committee’s decision and prescribed penalties. In his appeal, Stalions contended that he was never allowed to test the credibility of the confidential sources whose information contributed to the case against him and that information the NCAA’s enforcement staff shared with the Big Ten “irreparably prejudiced Mr. Stalions and negatively influenced the NCAA’s subsequent investigation of this case.”

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He filed his appeal in October, and the appeals committee deliberated his case twice in December before issuing its final decision Wednesday.

The infractions committee found that Stalions was at the center of an operation to collect cellphone videos of signals from Michigan’s opponents during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.

“We find that the record clearly supports that procedures were followed in relation to cases that originated with a confidential source and the hearing panel relied only on corroborating information when making its determinations,” the appeals committee wrote in its report. “Further, Mr. Stalions failed to demonstrate a link between any initial publicity about the allegations and a failure by the enforcement staff to follow their policies and procedures, especially in light of the necessity to limit potential game integrity impacts under the circumstances.”

The appeals committee also found no evidence that the bylaw had been misapplied, even citing that Stalions “agreed to the underlying facts of the scheme.”

The infractions committee’s August ruling included a 10-year show-cause penalty for Harbaugh, a suspension and show-cause order for then-Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, probation for Michigan and fines that could exceed $30 million. Michigan’s penalties did not include a postseason ban.