Connor Stalions never filed expense reports with Michigan while employed by school, per report

A new bit of detail came to light in the Michigan sign-stealing scandal on Wednesday, as the Associated Press’ Larry Lage reported that former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions did not file an expense report while employed by the school.

The AP filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the University of Michigan for expense reports from Stalions during his tenure of employment. The university came back with “no responsive records,” indicating there are no expense reports, which are public record in this instance.

Stalions, as part of a wide-ranging effort to impermissibly advance scout future Michigan opponents, apparently bought thousands of dollars in tickets to games, among other expenses. Questions about how a low-level football staffer — one reportedly making $55,000 annually — could afford such expenses have remained and, for now, have yet to be definitively answered.

As a result of the ongoing scandal stemming from Stalions conduct, the Big Ten chose to impose a three game suspension for head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh and Michigan are pushing back against the decision in court, and a hearing will be held Friday morning for a temporary restraining order to allow Harbaugh to coach again this season.

Harbaugh coaching or not, Michigan should roll in Week 12

Harbaugh will go before a Washtenaw County, Michigan, judge on Friday morning and make his case for a temporary restraining order against the Big Ten. If the order isn’t granted, Harbaugh will be kept from the sidelines for a second-straight game.

And whether or not Harbaugh serves the second game of his league-imposed suspension to end the regular season, On3’s JD PicKell and Andy Staples aren’t worried about the outcome. After besting Penn State on the road with offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore as acting head coach, beating back the Terrapins should be a task well-handled by the Wolverines.

“But, I don’t think it matters who coaches Michigan in this game. I think they’re going to beat the doors off of Maryland. But this has been a weird spot in past years — I do find it interesting that the league decided to put Michigan in this spot instead of Ohio State with the at Maryland lookahead game going into that game,” Staples said.

Ohio State famously played a game that came down to a failed two-point conversion by Maryland in 2018, allowing the Buckeyes to escape with a one-point win. And last year in 2022, Maryland pushed Ohio State to the limit most of the day, but the Buckeyes prevailed 43-30.

Michigan actually played at Maryland in 2021 in Week 12, just prior to hosting Ohio State. It’s a spot Michigan isn’t unfamiliar with — the Wolverines thrashed Maryland, 59-18, in 2021.

It is the type of spot that can cause some troubles, and PicKell knows Maryland is one of the few teams capable of pulling this type of upset in the league. But he still doesn’t see it happening, Harbaugh or not.

“Because Ohio State, like you said, they were in College Park. Michigan in this same spot a season ago against Illinois, they kind of struggled. Now, Illinois was a bit better than Maryland. If Maryland, they wake up that day dangerous with nothing to lose, you never. I still think Michigan rolls, though, to be clear,” PicKell said.