Michigan Football’s Staffer Connor Stalions Bought Tickets To Watch At Least 30 Big Ten Games
Reports show that over a three-year span, Michigan staffer Connor Stalions, who is at the focus of the NCAA probe into the program’s scouting tactics, purchased tickets for 30 games at 11 Big Ten venues. Some of the tickets were allegedly sent by Stalions to three separate recipients throughout the nation.
Michigan Football’s Staffer Connor Stalions Bought Tickets To Watch At Least 30 Big Ten Games
One Big Ten school looked through its stadium’s security cameras and saw that the person seated in the seat that the Stallions had purchased was pointing a cell phone toward the home team’s bench for the entirety of the game. Though not conclusive proof of sign theft, it might be a plausible inference given the information unearthed throughout the inquiry.
Schools throughout the Big Ten started monitoring Stalions’ purchases on Friday after learning about Stalions’ identity first as part of the NCAA investigation into Michigan’s scouting operation. It appeared that they saw a trend where one or both of the participating colleges were impending Michigan opponents.
The tickets Stallion bought were never for a match in which Michigan was participating; instead, other people used them to get entry to the game.
This week, the NCAA anticipates receiving video proof of someone in a Stallion-purchased seat seemingly using his smartphone to videotape the host team’s sideline the whole game.
Additionally, it is believed that Stalions bought tickets for both sides of the stadium for last weekend’s top-10 matchup between Penn State and Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. Stalions has been placed on paid leave awaiting the conclusion of the inquiry. Those passes were not utilized.
As information about the probe began to circulate last week, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh denied any knowledge of any unlawful sign snatching.
“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter,” Harbaugh stated. “I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed staff members or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment. I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.”
Since 1994, the NCAA has forbade scouting potential opponents in person. If Michigan used video to record an opponent’s sign, the school may have violated Article 11 subsection H of the NCAA football code.
“Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited,” the rule states.
In 2022, Michigan recruited Stalions, a former captain in the United States Marine Corps, as an off-the-field analyst.
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