It appears Paul Finebaum and Pete Thamel don’t believe the hammer is going to drop on Michigan in any substantial fashion. They both spoke on ESPN this morning about the latest chapter in the NCAA/sign-stealing saga.
The recent developments in the Michigan Wolverines and Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal have brought intense scrutiny to the football program, with newly appointed head coach Sherrone Moore being the latest to enter the crosshairs with an alleged Level 2 violation potentially coming his way.
However, ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum, known for his candid opinions and sunny disposition, weighed in on Monday and suggested recent reports may not carry as much weight as some believe.
During Monday morning’s Get Up , Finebaum was asked whether the allegations against Moore were a “big deal or not a big deal.” His response was dismissive.
“This is all a continuation of a long, drawn out story that in many people’s eyes, probably other than the NCAA, is over,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum’s comparison indicates his belief that the allegations and subsequent fallout might be overblown as a result of new reporting. Finebaum even went on to quote NCAA president Charlie Baker, who stated the Wolverines fairly won the national championship.
“Let’s not forget that Charlie Baker, the president of the NCAA — and this may sound out of context, because it probably is — but after Michigan won the national championship, he said they won fair and square,” Finebaum said. “I remember that, and I think a lot of lawyers are going to remember that, too, if this case goes very far and puts Michigan in the crosshairs.”
In contrast to his previous reporting on a potential punishment for Michigan, ESPN’s Pete Thamel offered a more cautious perspective, predicting the Wolverines would be unlikely to face a postseason ban or any retroactive punishments.
“So I would think Sherrone Moore faces a short suspension,” Thamel said. “If you look at the history of this stuff at the maximum to go through sort of the matrix of what could happen to Michigan in this … I don’t think they’re going to have any type of postseason ban. I don’t think, looking at history and looking at past precedent in this, there’s going to be any type of retroactive anything to what they’ve already won and accomplished. Their accomplishments are safe. There’s no players eligibility at stake in this. So for Moore, who’s sort of become the face of this notice, because the other coaches involved have all gone to the NFL, I would think we will find out in the upcoming weeks and months, depending on how long this takes to litigate, if he does end up getting some type of suspension.”
The allegations against Moore and other Michigan staff stem from a Notice of Allegations (NOA) draft that was obtained by ESPN. This draft, which is still subject to change, accuses Moore of deleting 52 text messages with Stalions in Oct. 2023, the same day media reports surfaced about Stalions’ sign-stealing operations. Although the texts were later recovered, Moore is now facing a potential Level 2 violation, with possible penalties including a show-cause order and suspension.
Moore, who was promoted in January, has previously negotiated resolutions for other recruiting violations, making him a “repeat violator” in the eyes of the NCAA. The allegations against Moore are part of a broader investigation into Stalions’ alleged off-campus scouting.
Former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who led the Wolverines to a national title before moving to the Los Angeles Chargers , is also implicated in the leaked draft. Harbaugh is accused of failing to cooperate with the NCAA’s investigation by not providing access to his personal communications. Although there is no direct evidence linking Harbaugh — or any other coach, for that matter — directly to Stalions’ scheme, the NOA draft criticizes him for not identifying “red flags.”
Also included in the draft are new items pertaining to a laundry-list of former staff members for various unrelated recruiting violations. These names include Denard Robinson, Steve Clinkscale, Jesse Minter, and Chris Partridge.
Undoubtedly, this won’t silence the dissenting voices, and it’s troubling the NCAA has consistently leaked case details to ESPN. However, it’s noteworthy the main figure behind these reports has now firmly dismissed the interpretations many have drawn from his coverage.