Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel broke his silence on the NCAA’s ongoing investigation into the football program’s alleged sign-stealing scheme.
Manuel reaffirmed that no postseason penalties have been discussed and expressed confidence in the integrity of the Wolverines’ recent national championship.
In an interview with The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb, Manuel confirmed that the NCAA’s probe – sparked by a notice of allegations sent last August – remains active.
The investigation stems from claims that Michigan committed 11 violations tied to an alleged in-person scouting operation reportedly orchestrated by former staffer Connor Stalions.
Despite the cloud of uncertainty, Manuel made it clear that there’s been no indication from the NCAA of looming playoff sanctions.
“I have not had any conversation about postseason bans or penalties that are coming,” Manuel revealed. “What I can point to is that [NCAA President] Charlie Baker, when we won the championship, said they won it fair and square.
“That’s something I can say that gives me some sense that they understand that this was a team who won that championship fair and square. I look at that, and as we move forward, we’ll see how it goes.”
Baker echoed that sentiment publicly shortly after Michigan captured the 2023 national title, telling reporters, “No one believes at this point that Michigan didn’t win the national title fair and square.”
The school has stood firm in its defense since the allegations surfaced.
In late January, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger obtained Michigan’s 137-page response to the NCAA’s initial charges. In the document, the university accused the governing body of “wildly overcharging” the program and lacking sufficient evidence.
Dellenger reported that the response “vigorously” defended not only former head coach Jim Harbaugh and current head coach Sherrone Moore, but also Stalions himself.
While the NCAA claimed Stalions personally oversaw in-person scouting at 52 games, Michigan countered that he only attended one – and that most of the program’s sign-decoding was done through game film and television broadcasts.
“The school purports that the sign-stealing system offered ‘minimal relevance to competition,’ was not credibly proven by NCAA investigators and should be treated as a minor violation,” Dellenger reported.
For now, Michigan awaits the NCAA’s next move.
Manuel previously stated that he hopes the investigation wraps up in the coming months, with a final report issued “by the end of the summer.”
As the Wolverines prepare for the 2025 season, the program continues to push forward – national title in hand and its top administrators publicly standing their ground.
What are your thoughts on the ongoing situation???
