ESPN reports on Michigan NOA draft — separating fact from fiction

ESPN is reporting Michigan is facing a “Level 1 violation charge,” according to an NOA draft it obtained, due to its “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and institutional efforts to hinder or thwart the NCAA’s investigation. Point by point thoughts on what they’ve reported …

From ESPN: “The draft, which could be subject to change, states Moore could face a show-cause penalty and possibly a suspension for allegedly deleting a thread of 52 text messages with former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions in October 2023 on the same day that media reports revealed Stalions was leading an effort to capture the playcalling signals of future opponents.”

Thoughts: Two of them, starting with “which could be subject to change …” It will change. This is essentially a negotiation that’s at least partially being played out in the media. As a person with knowledge told us yesterday, “what an NOA does show is vastly different than the draft NOA.”

We were privy to this draft Monday, at which point we reported, “One current coach, however, allegedly deleted several texts between him and Stalions. We’re not certain if those details will come out in the NOA.”

Details like this aren’t usually included in final NOAs, but now you’re aware who they were talking about (and that Denard Robinson was the “other staffer” we alluded to as receiving a Level 1 charge in addition to Stalions.

Moore is facing a Level 2 charge. The only concern is if the NCAA (which, again, has come out swinging with “massive overreach,” per multiple sources — maybe that’s just their starting point as part of a “negotiation) — will go after Moore for more as a “repeat offender.”

Frankly, it seems ridiculous given that the violation was extremely minor — he negotiated a resolution in Aug. 2023 to claims he contacted recruits during a COVID-19 recruiting dead period — and that they apparently found nothing to indicate his conversation with Stalions had anything to do with sign stealing. If they had, obviously, that would have been a disaster.

From ESPN: Investigators used ticket information, film, photographs and interviews to determine that Stalions had impermissibly scouted at least 13 future Michigan opponents on at least 58 occasions between 2021 and 2023. He directed others to scout some opponents multiple times — including one team that they scouted seven different times in 2022, according to the draft.

The investigators also allege that multiple team interns and at least one other full-time team employee knew about the scheme and participated in it. The draft says that Stalions led those individuals to believe that what they were doing was not against the rules.

The draft also states the NCAA gathered evidence that shows Stalions was on the sideline at Michigan State’s season-opening against Central Michigan in 2023.

Thoughts: None of this is new news, other than the NCAA supposedly verifying Stalions was on the sidelines at CMU for last year’s opener with the Spartans. As noted Tuesday, at least one draft shared with us had Stalions violating its bylaws:

“Mr. Stalions’ involvement in and arrangement for off-campus, in-person scouting of future opponents during the 2021, 2022, and 2023 football seasons (Level 1 – NCAA Manual Constitution 2.4 (2021-22); Bylaws 10.01.1 and 11.6.1 (2021-22 through 2023-24); and Constitution 1-C (2022-23 and 2023-24); and Constitution 1-C (2022-23 and 2023-24).”

This could be the basis for the Level 1 (most serious) we referred to Monday and ESPN mentioned today. It remains to be seen how Stalions’ camp would respond. As mentioned yesterday, there have been talks of potential hearings with him, etc. — we don’t expect that to happen — more interviews, etc. But they could also just issue a level one for “failure to cooperate,” which were also allegations against him.

The NCAA is accusing Jim Harbaugh of Level 1s, as well, for such alleged failure to cooperate. ESPN reported, “he denied the NCAA’s request to view relevant messages and phone records from his personal cellphone. The draft indicates Harbaugh could face a “show-cause” restriction if he ever opts to return to college sports.”

He’s one of the “at least three” we said could receive a show cause, along with Robinson (for an issue not related to the sign stealing investigation) and Stalions. Opinion here — Harbaugh would likely fight it.

From ESPN: The school also faces a Level 1 violation charge, according to the draft, due to its “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and institutional efforts to hinder or thwart the NCAA’s investigation.

Thoughts: It seems logical this could be the charge for which the NCAA could seek greatest punishment, even if the language seems to be made more ominous than it needed to be. Judging by how the NCAA has handled major offenders in the past, as long as you’re forthcoming and bend the knee, you can do almost anything you want. Deny, “forget,” lie, or refuse to give them access to your phone, etc., and their feelings really get hurt.

Tennessee, for example, “dodged a bowl ban in the Jeremy Pruitt recruiting scandal because its cooperation with the investigation was “exemplary,” a top NCAA official said. Anything less from UT would’ve yielded an automatic bowl ban, said Kay Norton, chief hearing officer of the NCAA infractions committee that put the football program on probation for five years.

And as noted, the NCAA does not think Michigan’s cooperation has been exemplary. But he bottom line here, as reported earlier — if there’s no resolution in negotiation and the NCAA seeks damaging punishment much more significant than they’ve given other schools, this goes on for years. As one close to it told us today, “who knows what the NCAA’s status will be even in two years, for example, given how the landscape of college football is changing?”

The NCAA was formed to oversee amateur athletics. Football and basketball are trending toward professional sports with possible contracts, etc. Revenue sharing will begin in the near future. Is this the NCAA’s last gasp attempt to prove its relevance?

Regardless, the NOA, when served, won’t feature any of the details ESPN elaborated on. The hope is that they negotiate a settlement that ends it as quickly as it proceeded (which was also unprecedented. Usually, these things take years) with a punishment U-M feels is fair. As noted, it was “massive overreach” early, per Michigan sources — there is hope that there will be some middle ground all parties can agree to.

The post ESPN reports on Michigan NOA draft — separating fact from fiction appeared first on On3.