OT: Possible NCAA Investigation into Michigan Scouting Opponents.

Barnaby&Neill

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I read the article and all I had going through my head was "do people really rent an AirBNB bedroom where the owner is sleeping on the couch in the living room? lol

My wife and I (and our dog) did an air bnb in Colorado that turned out to be essentially in the owner’s home. We had a separate entrance but could hear the goings on in their lives…family dinners and all that. It was during Covid so they were home the entire visit. We went out to dinner one night and got a text from them that our dog was barking too loudly. It was a little weird.
 

fsg2_rivals

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I read the article and all I had going through my head was "do people really rent an AirBNB bedroom where the owner is sleeping on the couch in the living room? lol

Some weird situations like that. I was in one where the owner was supposed to stop by. Wasn't really clear if he was just saying hello or staying a couple nights. I didn't make the booking, and he didn't end up stopping by, but was a weird hanging question mark. Nice place, and I assumed it must have been a little cheaper than others based on the casual vibe.

I'm sure it's part of the experience for some travelers. Kinda a step between hostel and private rental.
 

RUTGERS95

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If the head spy is literally on Michigan's sideline for games AND he did visit opponent games.. this "plausible deniability" angle is shot. Harbaugh can claim he did not know but then it all falls into that "lack of institutional control" bucket... which is dumped on his shoulders.

But how about this angle... it is the SEC or ESPN (their prime business partner) that is pushing this against Michigan to hopefully knock them out of the CFP picture and make room for another SEC team.
yup, hurts the b10 but I'm all for it here. it's wrong, not needed and my earlier point stands in that universities need recourse with coaches in situations like this
 

Shelby65

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If this was already widely known around the conference, wouldn’t teams change their signals against UM anyway ? Teams could use this to their advantage, fooling Michigan.
 

Barnaby&Neill

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If this was already widely known around the conference, wouldn’t teams change their signals against UM anyway ? Teams could use this to their advantage, fooling Michigan.

I’ve wondered about this too…the most recent article by Ross Dellenger says more teams have been switching to wristbands against UM, and only sometimes relying on sideline signals (for plays that didn’t make it to the wristband). It’s also possible that teams have switched some or even all of their signals before UM games.

However, let’s take Rutgers for example. We have a 19 year old quarterback and the offense was in its fourth game of a new offensive scheme. Doesn’t installing entirely new signals take away from practicing execution / learning the actual plays, thereby giving Michigan an advantage? This can also limit the playbook if the play caller is reluctant to go outside of the wristband or outside of the refreshed signals for fear the signal is already known to the opponent.
 
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Shelby65

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I’ve wondered about this too…the most recent article by Ross Dellenger says more teams have been switching to wristbands against UM, and only sometimes relying on sideline signals (for plays that didn’t make it to the wristband). It’s also possible that teams have switched some or even all of their signals before UM games.

However, let’s take Rutgers for example. We have a 19 year old quarterback and the offense was in its fourth game of a new offensive scheme. Doesn’t installing entirely new signals take away from practicing execution / learning the actual plays, thereby giving Michigan an advantage? This can also limit the playbook if the play caller is reluctant to go outside of the wristband or outside of the refreshed signals for fear the signal is already known to the opponent.
yes I think the main disadvantage is in having to spend practice time implementing different signs. but if we knew of this spying in advance, and I am sure we did, it is on us to change the signs. if you know the other team knows your signs and you use them anyway, that's just bad coaching. I'm not a fan of his, but I think GS is more competent than that.

I'm sure the amateur military historians here can cite examples of decoy codes/communications when it was known the enemy was intercepting them.
 

kupuna133

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It's crazy that teams use the same signals from week to week. **** my high school team switched up signal patterns (who was decoy etc...)from week to week and relied more heavily on wristbands as the years went on,. And this was in early 90's.
 

Knight Shift

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Some weird situations like that. I was in one where the owner was supposed to stop by. Wasn't really clear if he was just saying hello or staying a couple nights. I didn't make the booking, and he didn't end up stopping by, but was a weird hanging question mark. Nice place, and I assumed it must have been a little cheaper than others based on the casual vibe.

I'm sure it's part of the experience for some travelers. Kinda a step between hostel and private rental.
Maybe he was a swinger?
 
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RUevolution36

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Sacrificial lamb. Overzealous staffer.

hard to pin it on one guy when he likely booked his travel thru the athletic dept, which means approvals from someone in the dept, expensed the trips thru the AD which, in normal orgs, requires the approval of that person's boss, if not whole dept. So, at the very least, Harbaugh knew and approved, and likely the AD knew of the trips, but maybe not the real reason for them.
 

Knight Shift

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"Inactive X and Instagram accounts both stated that he works with the linebackers,:

A dickhead working with another dickhead. A Patridge and a Stalions in a cheating pear tree.

 

Plum Street

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If the head spy is literally on Michigan's sideline for games AND he did visit opponent games.. this "plausible deniability" angle is shot. Harbaugh can claim he did not know but then it all falls into that "lack of institutional control" bucket... which is dumped on his shoulders.

But how about this (possible) angle... it is the SEC or ESPN (their prime business partner) that is pushing this against Michigan to hopefully knock them out of the CFP picture and make room for another SEC team.
They wouldn’t be knocked out of the CFP if they’re undefeated.
 

Plum Street

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hard to pin it on one guy when he likely booked his travel thru the athletic dept, which means approvals from someone in the dept, expensed the trips thru the AD which, in normal orgs, requires the approval of that person's boss, if not whole dept. So, at the very least, Harbaugh knew and approved, and likely the AD knew of the trips, but maybe not the real reason for them.
Very good points.

But was this the actual guy traveling ?
 

NickRU714

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1. This seems like a dumb rule. Why can't you scout in person at a game? It's literally a public event - not a private practice or pregame walkthrough.
But a rule is a rule and it appears Michigan broke it.

2. Do schools not change their signs every week? I never played football but imagined this was a normal occurrence. They literally show the signs on TV every week. It seems straight forward enough to just watch all the tape possible of a team and break down the signs.

3. Doesn't every team assume their signs have been stolen every week - and thus change them? (See previous question) That's why we have 3 guys in 3 different color hats calling in signs? If we assumed it wasn't an issue - there would be no need for 3 different guys. Do the 3 different guys call in the same signs every week?
That seems insane.
 
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1. This seems like a dumb rule. Why can't you scout in person at a game? It's literally a public event - not a private practice or pregame walkthrough.
But a rule is a rule and it appears Michigan broke it.

2. Do schools not change their signs every week? I never played football but imagined this was a normal occurrence. They literally show the signs on TV every week. It seems straight forward enough to just watch all the tape possible of a team and break down the signs.

3. Doesn't every team assume their signs have been stolen every week - and thus change them? (See previous question) That's why we have 3 guys in 3 different color hats calling in signs? If we assumed it wasn't an issue - there would be no need for 3 different guys. Do the 3 different guys call in the same signs every week?
That seems insane.
1. From what I've read the NCAA not allowing scouting in person at other team sites wasn't because of sign stealing but more because of costs. I got the impression it was considered an unfair advantage that some schools might have the budget to send scouts to other sites while some schools might not. So it's not even sign stealing that was at issue.

2&3. I think coaches do change signs but from what I've read it's not something where they want to add too much complexity for players. It's just another layer of something to learn. Even with 3 guys, some sign stealers can pick up who the live one is by actions they take when the signals are sent in. How vociferous the signal is, how far they step forward, etc.. or 3rd string qb not as likely to be the live one etc.. Taking signs from tv video is perfectly legal, it's just scouting opposing sites that isn't.
 

krup

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1. This seems like a dumb rule. Why can't you scout in person at a game? It's literally a public event - not a private practice or pregame walkthrough.
But a rule is a rule and it appears Michigan broke it.

2. Do schools not change their signs every week? I never played football but imagined this was a normal occurrence. They literally show the signs on TV every week. It seems straight forward enough to just watch all the tape possible of a team and break down the signs.

3. Doesn't every team assume their signs have been stolen every week - and thus change them? (See previous question) That's why we have 3 guys in 3 different color hats calling in signs? If we assumed it wasn't an issue - there would be no need for 3 different guys. Do the 3 different guys call in the same signs every week?
That seems insane.
I would think it would take a lot of the limited time they have with the players to completely change signs every week.

They probably just change the signals that tell the players which of the multiple signals they are getting is the valid one.
 

Knight Shift

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Mike Alber is a Michigan alum. IMO, he's being a bit pedantic here. This is a big story, and news and sports writers love a good scandal.

BTW, it's lonely in the football game thread where Temple is killing RU's strength of schedule.
 

Plum Street

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Mike Alber is a Michigan alum. IMO, he's being a bit pedantic here. This is a big story, and news and sports writers love a good scandal.

BTW, it's lonely in the football game thread where Temple is killing RU's strength of schedule.
I never heard of alber
 

Knight Shift

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hard to pin it on one guy when he likely booked his travel thru the athletic dept, which means approvals from someone in the dept, expensed the trips thru the AD which, in normal orgs, requires the approval of that person's boss, if not whole dept. So, at the very least, Harbaugh knew and approved, and likely the AD knew of the trips, but maybe not the real reason for them.
Plus there is this, from a paywalled article in The Athletic (just a snippet):

In January, the NCAA tightened its rules regarding the responsibility of a head coach for what goes on inside his or her program. The head coach is “presumed to have knowledge of what is occurring in his program and therefore, can be responsible for the actions of his staff and individuals associated with the program,” according to NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1. Whether or not a head coach promoted compliance and/or monitored his program is relevant to penalty determinations only.

Basically, the NCAA will start from the presumption that Harbaugh knew of the rule-breaking, and he will need to prove otherwise to lessen the associated penalties.
 

Plum Street

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He says right in his post he is a Michigan fan. He's a legend in his own mind. You know the type . . . .we have a couple on this board.
Yeah, but he doesn’t approach legendary status just from that. Plum street was the first in the country to correlate schiano’s comments with the Michigan cheating scandal . The time stamps on this board prove it as the legend only grows!

Maybe alber did predict “hoke is a joke “ !!
 

RUinPinehurst

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Yeah, but he doesn’t approach legendary status just from that. Plum street was the first in the country to correlate schiano’s comments with the Michigan cheating scandal . The time stamps on this board prove it as the legend only grows!

Maybe alber did predict “hoke is a joke “ !!
But... RU released a clarification to the effect that Schiano's halftime comments were regarding the officiating. Not related to "sign stealing."
 

Plum Street

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But... RU released a clarification to the effect that Schiano's halftime comments were regarding the officiating. Not related to "sign stealing."
Where was this officially released ?
I am not saying it wasn’t - just haven’t seen this press release yet.
 

krup

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Plus there is this, from a paywalled article in The Athletic (just a snippet):

In January, the NCAA tightened its rules regarding the responsibility of a head coach for what goes on inside his or her program. The head coach is “presumed to have knowledge of what is occurring in his program and therefore, can be responsible for the actions of his staff and individuals associated with the program,” according to NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1. Whether or not a head coach promoted compliance and/or monitored his program is relevant to penalty determinations only.

Basically, the NCAA will start from the presumption that Harbaugh knew of the rule-breaking, and he will need to prove otherwise to lessen the associated penalties.
It makes sense for the NCAA to take that angle. Otherwise, you just have staff do the misdeeds that their boss wants but as long as you can’t find a smoking gun with their fingerprints on it the boss goes unpunished (which is pretty much how politics works for both parties these days).
 
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