NCAA issues Central Michigan notice of allegations for Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal

Turns out Michigan isn’t the only FBS program dealing with the ramifications of the infamous sign-stealing scandal created by former Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions. Central Michigan, which hosted Stalions on its sideline during its 2023 opener at Michigan State, received its own Notice of Allegations (NOA) from the NCAA on June 27 for its involvement in the scandal, according to the NCAA Division I Infractions online dashboard.

The NCAA is still involved in ongoing negotiations with Michigan regarding its own NOA, which levied 11 total violations, including six Level I — the most serious according to NCAA rules — stemming from the Stalions sign-stealing scandal that has plagued the program for the last two years. Central Michigan has 90 from the June 27 issuance of the NCAA’s NOA to respond to the allegations.

According to the NCAA’s online infractions dashboard, the investigation into Central Michigan began Oct. 31, 2023, and has already involved multiple delays due to parties involved providing “false or misleading information” to NCAA investigators. A NCAA review board was held Nov. 21, 2024.

Central Michigan’s involvement in the Stalions sign-stealing scandal likely centers around the program’s involvement in Stalions’ presence on the CMU sidelines during the 2023 season-opener against Michigan State in East Lansing, during a time Stalions was still employed at Michigan. Stalions, who served as an analyst on the Michigan staff, later resigned in Nov. 2023 after reports of his sign-stealing enterprise were uncovered.

Former Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain, who retired from his position following the 2024 season for another position within the athletic department, previously denied knowing anything about Stalions’ presence on Michigan State’s visiting sideline for their 2023 game in East Lansing.

“We … were totally unaware of it,” McElwain previously said via CBS. “I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape, or form, and I do know that his name was on none of the [sideline] passes that were let out.”

The NCAA began its investigation into Michigan in 2023 after allegations of sign-stealing surfaced. Former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh also served a suspension through the end of the 2023 regular season, handed down by Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti under the league’s sportsmanship policy. In the time since, Michigan won the national championship and Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers, leading to Sherrone Moore’s elevation to head coach. Moore is currently slated to be suspended for the third and fourth games of Michigan’s 2025 season as part of self-imposed penalties for his involvement in deleting a text message exchange with Stalions after the scandal first broke in 2023.

Tony Petitti confirms Big Ten sent letter to NCAA regarding Michigan allegations

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti confirmed the conference sent a letter to the NCAA regarding the sign-stealing allegations against Michigan. He did not get into specifics about what the letter said.

ESPN’s Dan Wetzel first reported the Big Ten’s letter to the NCAA, which he said the Wolverines don’t deserve any further punishment as a result of the situation. 

Petitti pointed out it’s not out of the ordinary for a conference to reach out regarding an investigation. However, he didn’t discuss any particulars while the inquiry continues.

“The first part, I’ll confirm that we did send a letter,” Petitti said at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas. “It’s not uncommon in proceedings for a conference office to weigh in. I’m not going to address what the contents of the letter we sent are.

“And because it’s an ongoing process, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment about whether it’s enough or not while there are individuals deliberating. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do in the process.”

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.