Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State reportedly one of several Big Ten schools to alert TCU of Michigan sign stealing

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Ohio State reportedly one of several Big Ten schools to alert TCU of Michigan sign stealing

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported Thursday night that TCU changed its signs before the Horned Frogs’ 51-45 Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Michigan in 2022.

Head coach Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs did so after they got phone calls from other coaches — notably from several Big Ten schools, including Ohio State — about Michigan’s extensive sign stealing, according to Dellenger’s report.

In addition to changing signs, TCU mixed in some of its old signs as “dummy signals,” according to Dellenger’s report, which noted that Horned Frogs players were told to ignore said “dummy signals” and instead follow the new signs for the original play that was called.

Dykes’ team went on to hang 51 points on Michigan, continuing TCU’s storybook season for one more week against a Wolverines squad that hadn’t given up more than 27 points in a game all season and still finished 2022 ranked seventh in scoring defense (16.1 points per game allowed).

The Horned Frogs then suffered a 65-7 national title game defeat to back-to-back champion Georgia, the worst loss in FBS bowl game history.

Dellenger’s report of TCU’s fake-out is the latest wrinkle surrounding the alleged sign-stealing operation at Michigan. Connor Stalions, the suspendeed Michigan staffer tied to the alleged undertaking, bought tickets in his own name for at least 30 games across 11 different Big Ten schools over the last three years, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach.

Stalions notably had purchased tickets on both sides of Ohio Stadium for this past weekend’s top-10 clash between Ohio State and Penn State — schools Michigan plays on Nov. 25 and Nov. 11, respectively — but didn’t end up using them for Saturday’s matinee, per Thamel and Schlabach’s report.

Thamel and Schlabach reported that none of the tickets the 11 schools told ESPN about were for Michigan games. Instead, they were for games involving future Michigan opponents, sources told ESPN.

Dellenger reported Thursday night, however, that TCU has found no evidence of Stalions buying a ticket to a Horned Frogs home game in 2022. But, as Dellenger pointed out, Michigan would have had opportunities to illegally record TCU’s signs in person at road games or in the Big 12 Championship.

After all, Thamel and Schlabach cited their sources reporting earlier this week that Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation “includes both video evidence of electronics prohibited by the NCAA to steal signs and a significant paper trail.”

In other words, as Thamel and Schlabach wrote, Michigan would have violated Article 11 subsection H of the NCAA rulebook: “Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited,” as cited in the ESPN report.

Stalions is at the heart of an NCAA investigation into those potential scouting violations by Michigan, as reported by ESPN last week. While in-game sign “stealing,” or decoding, is legal and considered gamesmanship, teams cannot, under NCAA rules, scout future opponents in person at games, even without recording. That rule has existed since 1994.

Will Hobson of the Wasington Post reported Wednesday that an outside investigative firm warned the NCAA last week of Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing operation. Officials were presented with Michigan computer documents that laid out the program’s sign-stealing plans — that included travel schedules and budget information about such travel, according to Hobson’s report.

Dellenger reported that, according Yahoo Sports sources, no evidence from the ongoing NCAA investigation that would implicate Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has come about so far.

“I do not have any knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said in a statement last week. “I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.”

Michigan is under a separate NCAA investigation into an alleged recruiting violation, which is alleged to have occurred during the COVID-19 dead period. After Harbaugh was accused of failing to cooperate with the NCAA investigation, Michigan issued a self-imposed suspension for Harbaugh, which he served the first three games of the 2023 season.

Kyle McCord sees ‘so much room for improvement’ after second top-10 win

Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord has piloted the Buckeyes to a 7-0 start. He’s delivered in the biggest moments for the Buckeyes, most notably in the final minute and a half at Notre Dame in South Bend last month.

But McCord has been far from perfect. His streaky accuracy has been head scratching. At times, he’s had fumbling issues. He could still do a better job of knowing when to cut his losses in the pocket. McCord’s footwork appears to be a work-in-progress, too, and he could do a better job trusting his eyes.

“I feel like from Week 1 to Week 7, just looking at it from a grand scheme of things, I feel like I’ve just gotten more comfortable, more comfortable in the system, more comfortable in my leadership role, just more comfortable in all facets of the game,” McCord said Wednesday night after practice. “But at the same time, you know, as good as it is that we’re 7-0, there’s so much room for improvement — for not only myself, but the offense and the team.

“And so I think that’s exciting knowing that we got two top-10 wins, and there’s so much room for improvement.”

For the full story on McCord’s development and how he’s his own harshest critic, go here.

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Who’s next? Predicting next three potential Ohio State commitments

Ohio State has already had four 2025 prospects commit: quarterback Tavien St. Clair, wide receiver Jayvan Boggs, cornerback Blake Woodby and now linebacker Eli Lee.

Lee, the three-star Akron (Ohio) Archbishop Hoban linebacker, committed to Ohio State Wednesday.

ICYMI: What Commitment of Eli Lee Means for Ohio State

It’s early, but the Buckeyes’ 2025 class is currently fifth nationally in the On3 Team Industry Recruiting Ranking.

So who’s next?

Lettermen Row outlined three potential upcoming commitments, regardless of class, for Ohio State. Check it out here.

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Wisconsin: 1 day
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 29 days

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