Possible NCAA violations and punishments were unveiled for Sherrone Moore and the Michigan football program in a leaked draft Notice of Allegations to ESPN. This all, of course, has to do with Connor Stalions and the sign-stealing saga.
ESPN has obtained a draft of the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations (NOA) regarding the Michigan Wolverines and the Connor Stalions sign-stealing investigation, and now it’s been revealed that Michigan’s head ball coach could be facing some punishment as well.
The headline of the draft states that head coach Sherrone Moore could face a potential show-cause penalty and/or a suspension for allegedly deleting text messages — text messages that were later recovered using “device imaging” by the NCAA — between himself and Stallions, and due to his designation as a repeat offender .
Per the ESPN report, “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.”
Moore — who faces a Level 2 violation — was one of five coaches named in the draft of the allegations. However, no evidence was produced that any coach had direct knowledge of Stalions’ schemes.
Moore is one of 5 staffers from the 2023 Michigan team accused of failing to cooperate with the NCAA investigation. The draft doesn’t present any evidence that the coaches knew what Stalions was doing. https://t.co/RRdphYFj7A
— Dan Murphy (@DanMurphyESPN) August 4, 2024
Along with former coaches Jim Harbaugh, Chris Partridge, and Denard Robinson, the University of Michigan itself is facing an alleged Level 1 violation due to its “pattern of noncompliance within the football program” and “institutional efforts to hinder or thwart the NCAA’s investigation.” Harbaugh is accused of not cooperating because he denied the NCAA’s request to view relevant messages and phone records from his personal cellphone — which is a Level 1 violation in the eyes of the NCAA.
Other notable findings in the leaked draft
- Stalions allegedly failed to cooperate with the NCAA investigation.
- The NCAA allegedly has evidence that Stalions was on the Central Michigan sidelines during the Chippewas game against Michigan State .
- Partridge is accused of pressuring a player to lie or mislead NCAA investigators in an attempt to “protect” the coaching staff during the probe into Stalions’ scheme. Partridge is also accused of several Level 2 violations related to recruiting that are unrelated to the sign-stealing investigation.
- Robinson allegedly faces Level 1 violations due to recruiting that are unrelated to the Stalions’ investigation.
- Former defensive coaches Jesse Minter and Steve Clinkscale are accused of Level 2 violations related to recruiting infractions that are unrelated to the Stalions’ investigation.
The draft of the NOA reads like the NCAA is frustrated Michigan did not assist them in the investigation, and without the assistance, could not find the white whale of incrimination that it was searching for. However, the NCAA was not leaving Ann Arbor empty-handed.
The uncovered recruiting violations will likely produce a punishment in addition to the alleged lack of cooperation charges, but this still feels like a way of tacking on a jaywalking charge to an accused bank robber.
More egregious than the allegations, the ethics and coverage of this investigation continue to be nasty and ulteriorly driven. A DRAFT of the NOA leaking to ESPN was not a mistake — it reeks of narrative control from a dying organization clinging to power (to be clear, the NCAA, not ESPN).
What’s next? Until Michigan is served an official NOA, more waiting and preparation because this is likely only the beginning. Keep in mind, this is only a draft of the NOA and is subject to change.