Former Michigan staffer Stallion’s show-cause penalty appeal denied

An NCAA committee has rejected an appeal from former Michigan football staff member Connor Stallions of an eight-year show-cause penalty for his involvement in the Wolverines’ signal theft case.

The Stallions, an analyst at Michigan under former coach Jim Harbaugh who oversaw the sign-stealing campaign, appealed the August ruling to the NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee, arguing that the “arbitrary and prejudicial manner in which the case was initiated” led to errors in implementing the penalty and violated an NCAA-related law prohibiting off-campus, in-person scouting.

Although Stallion cited all six factors in his appeal that classified the violation as Level I-Aggravated, he did not elaborate on how he argued against them, according to the appeals committee’s report of the ruling.

The denial was based on the Stallions’ failure to show that there was no information in the case record to support the Infractions Committee’s decision and the fines imposed. In his appeal, the Stallions claimed he was never allowed to test the credibility of confidential sources whose information contributed to the case against him and that the information NCAA enforcement staff shared with the Big Ten “irreparably prejudiced Mr. Stallions and negatively affected the NCAA’s subsequent investigation.”

He filed his appeal in October, and the appeals committee heard his case twice in December before issuing its final decision on Wednesday.

The infractions committee found that the Stallions were at the center of an operation to collect cellphone video of Michigan’s opponents during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.

“We find that the record clearly supports that procedures were followed in cases arising from confidential sources and that the hearing panel relied solely on corroborating facts in reaching its decision,” the appeals committee wrote in its report. “Further, Mr. Stallions has failed to demonstrate a link between the initial disclosure of the allegations and the failure of enforcement personnel to follow their policies and procedures, particularly in light of the need to limit potential game integrity impacts under the circumstances.”

The appeals committee also found no evidence that the by-law had been misapplied, even stating that the stallions “agreed to the facts underlying the scheme”.

The infractions committee’s August ruling included a 10-year show-cause penalty for Harbaugh, a suspension and show-cause order for then-Michigan coach Sharon Moore, probation for Michigan and a fine of more than $30 million. Michigan’s penalty did not include a postseason ban.