Tipped off about Michigan's sign stealing, TCU changed its play calls before 2022 semifinal game

FRISCO, Texas – After the 2022 College Football Playoff pairings were announced,  TCU coach Sonny Dykes and his staff was inundated with phone calls and texts. Some offered congratulations, but several were much different.

They wanted to warn TCU about the challenge of playing Michigan. Specifically, the coaches shared what they had experienced: Michigan’s sophisticated sign-stealing system.

Because of the feedback they received from other coaches, Dykes and his staff decided to change their play calls leading up to the national semifinal. TCU, a 7½-point underdog, upset Michigan 51-45.

“We had some intel that (the sign stealing) was going on,” Dykes told On3 from Big 12 media days. “Look everybody does it to an extent, but we had some intel that it was kind of next level there.”

Dykes’ solution? 

“We changed some signs, we left some the same,” Dykes said. “We found out early enough (before the game) where we could change a lot of our signals and then we had some dummy signals and some things where we checked a dummy signal to a signal that we knew they knew.

“We got some favorable matchups because of that and, yeah, there was some big plays in the game.”

TCU finished with 488 yards of offense. Only Ohio State (492 yards) had gained more yards against Michigan in 2022. TCU’s 51 points were the most allowed by the Wolverines that season, but the Horned Frogs did benefit from two pick-six touchdowns on defense.

TCU’s biggest success came on the ground. The Horned Frogs rushed for 263 yards against one of the nation’s top rushing defenses, that was allowing only 85 yards a game entering the playoff.

Dykes said in the second half of the game, he could sense frustration from the Wolverines that their sign-stealing wasn’t working.

“I think at one point, it was late in the game, it seemed to me that they quit worrying about it,” Dykes said. “I think we got them once or twice and they were like ‘OK, these guys are hip to it.’ ” 

Dykes said no one with Michigan ever admitted the sign stealing to him. 

“I really don’t know any of the guys there,” Dykes said. “Ultimately I don’t know if it was the difference in the ball game, but it certainly helped.”

The NCAA still has not ruled on Michigan’s sign stealing scandal. Last month, NCAA president Charlie Baker told Yahoo Sports, that he expected a ruling in the next 30 to 90 days.