Sources: U-M staffer eyed as center of scheme
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Pete Thamel
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Mark Schlabach
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Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
A low-level staffer with a military background has emerged as one of the linchpins in the NCAA investigation into Michigan‘s alleged sign-stealing operation, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Connor Stalions, a football analyst with the Wolverines and a retired captain in the United States Marine Corps, is a person of interest in the investigation into whether No. 2-ranked Michigan violated an NCAA rule by scouting future opponents in person at games, sources said. The NCAA prohibited such scouting in 1994.
Sources said the NCAA enforcement staff’s level of interest in Stalions is so significant it sought access to his computer as part of its investigation. Sources indicated that the process is underway, although it’s uncertain what investigators will find.
Attempts by ESPN to reach Stalions were not returned. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did not return a request seeking comment.
A source told ESPN that the Wolverines have used an “elaborate” scouting system to steal signals from future opponents since at least 2021. With the ongoing NCAA investigation into Michigan recruiting and coach Jim Harbaugh potentially facing additional penalties there, this separate investigation could significantly increase his exposure to additional suspension.
In a statement Thursday, Harbaugh denied any knowledge of or involvement in the alleged scheme to steal opponents’ signals through scouting trips to out-of-town games. Harbaugh said he would fully cooperate in any investigations and doesn’t “condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules.”
“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,” Harbaugh said in the statement.
If the allegations are proven to be true, Michigan would have violated NCAA Bylaw 11.6.1, which states: “Off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents (in the same season) is prohibited.”
Michigan and the Big Ten were notified by the NCAA of the investigation Wednesday, and the conference said it had notified the Wolverines’ future opponents, including Michigan State, which hosts Michigan in East Lansing on Saturday.
“The Big Ten Conference considers the integrity of competition to be of utmost importance and will continue to monitor the investigation,” the conference said in a statement.
Even though Harbaugh said he had no knowledge of the alleged scheme, pursuant to NCAA Bylaw 11.1.2.1, a 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.”
Earlier this year, the NCAA “removed the rebuttable presumption from head coach responsibility, making whether the head coach promoted compliance and/or monitored the program relevant to penalty determinations only.”
“I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action,” Harbaugh said in his statement. “No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules.”
Around Michigan’s football building, Stalions is known to technically work in the recruiting department under director of recruiting Albert Karschnia. But a source said it was known in the building that he spent much of his time deciphering opponents’ signals, often watching television copies of opponents’ games. On Stalions’ Instagram page, there are photos of him on the sideline next to two of Michigan’s former defensive playcallers, Don Brown and Mike Macdonald.
“He had one role,” said a source with knowledge of Michigan’s staff.
What is crucial to the NCAA case isn’t what Stalions did while breaking down television copies of games to learn and decode opponents’ signals. It’s whether or not illicit methods were used, which are alleged to include opponent scouting in different venues and was outlawed by the NCAA nearly three decades ago as a cost-cutting measure to bring more equity to the sport.
Sign stealing also violates NCAA rules if a team uses electronic equipment to decipher signals and relay the information to players and coaches. According to the 2023 NCAA football rule book, “any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited.”
The allegations against Michigan appear to transcend the normal coach griping about opposing coaches stealing signals, as the depth of the allegations — and the Big Ten’s on-record affirmation of an investigation — hint at something much more significant.
The allegations have rattled coaches and administrators around the Big Ten.
“This is worse than both the Astros and the Patriots — it’s both use of technology for a competitive advantage and there’s allegations that they are filming prior games, not just in-game,” a Big Ten source said. “If it was just an in-game situation, that’s different. Going and filming somewhere you’re not supposed to be. It’s illegal. It’s too much of an advantage.”
Stalions, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, was hired as an off-field analyst at Michigan in May 2022, according to a bio on his LinkedIn account. In the bio, Stalions wrote that he attempts to “employ Marine Corps philosophies and tactics into the sport of football regarding strategies in staffing, recruiting, scouting, intelligence, planning and more.”
Among the skills Stalions wrote about on LinkedIn were “identifying the opponent’s most likely course of action and most dangerous course of action” and “identifying and exploiting critical vulnerabilities and centers of gravity in the opponent scouting process.”
The son of two Michigan alumni, Stalions enrolled at the Naval Academy and was a student assistant for the Midshipmen from 2013 to 2016. After being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 2017, Stalions worked as a graduate assistant at Navy before beginning his military training, according to his LinkedIn account.
While he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, Stalions wrote, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan from May 2015 to May 2022.
“On top of my daily duties as a Logistics Officer leading [40-plus] at a time, I volunteered for the Michigan football staff, flying back [and] forth on my own dime, assisting the defensive staff,” Stalions wrote.
In a profile of Stalions on the website Soldiers to Sidelines in January 2022, he said he purchased a house and rented each of the bedrooms on Airbnb, while sleeping on the couch, to help pay for his travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Stalions retired as a captain in the Marine Corps in May 2022 and joined Michigan’s staff as an off-field analyst.
Harbaugh already faces NCAA charges of failure to cooperate and head coach responsibility related to alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period. A violation by a member of his coaching staff could trigger another charge of head coach responsibility, which could be a Level I violation.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions rejected a four-game negotiated suspension for Harbaugh in the recruiting case, and Michigan self-imposed a three-game suspension. With that case still needing to be resolved, an additional head coach responsibility charge based on alleged signal stealing would significantly increase his exposure to additional punishment, including a longer suspension.
Michigan still is facing four Level II violations, which are considered less serious, from those alleged violations. The NCAA is not expected to announce a ruling in that case until 2024.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.
MIAMI — Philadelphia Phillies star shortstop Trea Turner left the team’s game against the Miami Marlins in the seventh inning Sunday because of a right hamstring strain.
Turner hit a solo homer in the sixth to narrow Philadelphia’s deficit to 4-2. When his turn came again in the seventh, Turner legged out a grounder and reached on a throwing error by Miami Otto Lopez.
Edmundo Sosa replaced Turner as the baserunner and at shortstop.
The 32-year-old Turner leads the NL in batting average at .305 and also has a league-leading 179 hits this season.
NEW YORK — Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was not in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees a day after colliding with Austin Wells on a play at the plate.
Bichette was thrown out in the sixth inning of Saturday’s 3-1 loss by Cody Bellinger‘s 95.3 mph one-hop throw from right field when he attempted to score on a single by Nathan Lukes.
He hobbled off the field with the assistance of a trainer after colliding with Wells’ shin guard. The game was delayed by rain for nearly two hours, and during the delay, X-rays came back negative. Bichette struck out in his final at-bat Saturday.
“It didn’t look great, but we’re at the point where if you can play, you can play,” manager John Schneider said Saturday. “Bo understands that, and everyone understands that. I don’t think it needed stitches or anything, but there was a lot going on.”
Bichette is third in the major leagues with a .311 average. He has 18 homers and leads Toronto with 93 RBIs in 139 games this season.
He also leads the majors with 181 hits and 44 doubles and is hitting .418 (33-for-79) during a 20-game on-base streak.
Ernie Clement started at shortstop for the Blue Jays, who began Sunday with a three-game lead over the Yankees in the American League East.
The latest AP poll is out. After a dramatic first week of action, not much changed at the top of the rankings with most teams pulling out wins, but there was still quite a bit of movement throughout.
And we did see some upsets and impressive wins with four ranked teams (the Arizona State Sun Devils, Florida Gators, Michigan Wolverines and SMU Mustangs) all losing — Florida, SMU and ASU are no longer ranked as a result.
The top seven schools in the rankings, on the other hand, outscored their opponents by a combined 307-26. In all, four AP-ranked teams scored 70 or more points, the second time that has happened in the AP poll era (since 1936).
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Grambling 70-0
Stat to know: Julian Sayin completed his first 16 passes to start the game. It’s the longest streak to begin a game in school history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio, 7 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated FIU 34-0
Stat to know: This was Penn State’s 13th shutout since 2014, the second most in that span behind Alabama’s 15.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Villanova, 3:30 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Louisiana Tech 23-7
Stat to know: LSU has not lost a home game to an in-state opponent since 1982.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Oklahoma State 69-3
Stat to know: The 66-point win is Oregon’s largest win against an FBS opponent since 2019 against Nevada (won by 71 points).
What’s next: Saturday at Northwestern, noon, Fox
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Bethune-Cookman 45-3
Stat to know: Carson Beck completed his first 15 passes in Week 2. He passed Vinny Testaverde (1986, against Oklahoma) for the most consecutive completions within a game in Miami history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Florida, 4:30 p.m., CW Network
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Austin Peay 28-6
Stat to know: The 22-point win is the narrowest margin of victory by a top-five SEC team against a non-FBS opponent since 2012.
What’s next: Saturday at Tennessee, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 7
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated San Jose State 38-7
Stat to know: Arch Manning joined Vince Young, Colt McCoy and David Ash by throwing multiple touchdown passes of more than 20 yards and having a TD run over 20 yards in multiple games.
What’s next: Saturday vs. UTEP, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 9
2025 record: 0-1
Week 2 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Duke 45-19
Stat to know: After scoring 52 points against Western Illinois last week, the Illini have scored 45 points in consecutive games for the first time in the past 20 seasons.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Western Michigan, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated East Texas A&M 77-3
Stat to know: FSU had 729 total yards, the most by the Seminoles since Nov. 4, 2000.
What’s next: Sept. 20 vs. Kent State
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated South Carolina State 38-10
Stat to know: Vicari Swain recorded two punt returns for touchdowns against South Carolina State, making that three for the season (and he has done it in just six quarters).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Vanderbilt, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated Troy 27-16
Stat to know: Clemson trailed 16-0 before scoring the final 27 points of the game. That is the largest comeback win for Clemson since 2020 against Boston College.
What’s next: Saturday at Georgia Tech, noon, ESPN
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Michigan 24-13
Stat to know: OU has not allowed a point in the first half of consecutive games for the first time since 2009.
What’s next: Saturday at Temple, noon, ESPN2
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 3-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Iowa 16-13
Stat to know: Iowa State won at home in this series for the first time since 2011.
What’s next: Saturday at Arkansas State, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 22
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated East Tennessee State 72-17
Stat to know: The 72 points are the Volunteers’ most points scored in a game in the AP poll era (1936).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Utah State 44-22
Stat to know: Marcel Reed has thrown three touchdown passes in three consecutive games. It’s the second-longest streak at A&M since 2004.
What’s next: Saturday at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kentucky 30-23
Stat to know: This was Ole Miss’ fourth win when trailing by 10 or more points in the Lane Kiffin era.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Florida 18-16
Stat to know: USF is the fourth team in the AP poll era (since 1936) to win its first two games of a season against AP-ranked opponents while being unranked in each win, joining 2012 Oregon State, 2008 East Carolina and 1976 North Carolina.
What’s next: Saturday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., CW
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Defeated UL Monroe 73-0
Stat to know: Ty Simpson finished 17-of-17, the most completions without an incompletion in a game in SEC history. It is also the most consecutive completions within a game in Alabama history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Wisconsin, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 25
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Cal Poly 63-9
Stat to know: After Jackson Bennee returned an interception 46 yards for a score, it extended Utah’s streak of returning at least one interception for a touchdown to 22 straight seasons.
What’s next: Saturday at Wyoming, 8 p.m., CBSSN
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kent State 62-14
Stat to know: Texas Tech has outscored its opponents by 108 points this season, its second most through the first two games of a season in the AP poll era (since 1936).
What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon State, 3:30 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kennesaw State 56-9
Stat to know: Indiana improves to 11-0 against Conference USA teams all-time, the fourth-most wins without a loss against the conference.
What’s next: Friday vs. Indiana State, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 1-1
Week 2 result: Lost to Oklahoma 24-13
Stat to know: Justice Haynes‘ four rushing scores this season are the most by a Michigan player in his first two games with the school in the past 30 seasons.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Central Michigan, noon, BTN
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Ball State 42-3
Stat to know: Auburn’s six sacks are its most in a game since sacking Alabama (all Bryce Young) seven times in November 2021.
What’s next: Saturday vs. South Alabama, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 2-0
Week 2 result: Defeated Kansas 42-31
Stat to know: Missouri trailed by 15 points. This is its largest comeback win since 2016 vs. Arkansas.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Louisiana, 4 p.m. on SECN+
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