Sign-Stealing Spies?
Another Michigan investigation
The NCAA is investigating the Michigan program amid allegations of sign-stealing,
it was announced yesterday. Here’s a breakdown:
- Sign-stealing itself isn’t against the rules. Bruce Feldman wrote a behind-the-scenes look at the sleuthing act in 2018. The coaches Feldman spoke with estimated that 80-90 percent of college teams do some form of it. Sign-stealing means what it sounds like: It’s identifying opposing teams’ signals to recognize what play they will run before it happens.
- The rule in question is NCAA bylaw 11.6.1, which states: “Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.” The NCAA claims Michigan is using a “vast network” to steal opposing teams’ signs, as one source with knowledge of the allegations said.
- On Wednesday, Michigan State (which plays Michigan on Saturday) and other future opponents of the Wolverines, including top-10 rivals Penn State and Ohio State, were notified of the investigation.
In
a Yahoo report, sources claim Michigan may have
“used unnamed individuals” to attend games and scout signs used by “scheduled opponents and possible College Football Playoff opponents.”
An overnight ESPN report says
“a low-level staffer with a military background” is one of the keys to the scheme.
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theathletic.com
“
Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.” The NCAA claims Michigan is using a “vast network” to steal opposing teams’ signs, as one source with knowledge of the allegations said."
"a low-level staffer with a military background” is
one of the keys to the scheme."
