Michigan's Coach Sherrone Moore Faces Potential Suspension with NOA Issued in Connor Stalions Scandal

By: Brooks Latta | 08/05/2024

The recent draft of a Notice of Allegations (NOA) from the NCAA has stirred controversy around Michigan's football program, implicating head coach Sherrone Moore and several others in a sign-stealing scandal. This follows the departure of former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who led the Wolverines to a national championship before moving on to coach the Los Angeles Chargers.

Sherrone Moore, who rose from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator under Harbaugh, took over as head coach after Harbaugh's departure. Last season, he served as acting head coach for four games during Harbaugh's suspensions, guiding Michigan to crucial victories, including wins over Penn State and Ohio State. Despite these successes, Moore's tenure has been marred by allegations stemming from his interactions with former staffer Connor Stalions.

According to ESPN, Moore faces a potential show-cause penalty and suspension for allegedly deleting a thread of 52 text messages with Stalions on the day media reports surfaced about Stalions' involvement in an operation to steal opponents' play-calling signals. The draft states,

The NCAA's investigation has cast a wide net, accusing seven members of the 2023 football program of violating NCAA rules. Besides Moore, former Michigan staff members, including Jim Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, Denard Robinson, and Stalions, are accused of Level 1 violations, the most serious in the NCAA's enforcement process. The NOA draft suggests that the school could face significant penalties for a "pattern of noncompliance within the football program" and attempts to hinder the investigation.

The investigation also revealed that Stalions allegedly orchestrated an off-campus scouting operation, buying tickets to games and directing a network to video the sidelines to decode opponents' signals. Stalions reportedly led others to believe that these actions were permissible. One particularly egregious instance involved Stalions disguising himself in Central Michigan coaching gear to access the sidelines during a season-opening game against Michigan State, an act described in the NOA draft as behavior that "seriously undermined or threatened the integrity of the NCAA collegiate model."

With the possibility of Moore facing penalties, Michigan could again start the season without its head coach, as happened last year with Harbaugh's suspension. The looming NOA formal release raises concerns about the potential vacating of Michigan's national championship and other wins from the 2023-24 season.

As the university continues to cooperate with the NCAA, the athletic department's spokesman stated, "Our athletic department and university continue to cooperate with the NCAA regarding our ongoing investigation. We do not have an update to share regarding its status at this time."

The fallout from these allegations could have significant implications for Michigan's football program, as they face a challenging 2024 schedule, including high-profile games against Texas and USC. The uncertainty surrounding the NCAA's final decisions leaves the program and its fans awaiting further developments.