Why is this Michigan football sign-stealing investigation being treated as such a big deal?

[Mr. Friscus]

I don’t get it, is an Ohio State alum on the prosecution board here?

I don’t get how one can “steal signs” by simply attending a game. 80,000 people can steal signs? Scouting a team as they openly play games is normal in sports. And what about in-game? Are you not allowed to look at the other teams sidelines?

This is nothing like the Patriots taping other teams practices, or the Astros using real time technology, yet it’s being treated as such.

I guess if there’s technically a rule against it, you can go for it if you’re the NCAA. It seems very petty and minute.. like ticketing someone for jaywalking.

To all the other salty Big 10 teams: If you don’t want your signs stolen, hide them. Michigan would have rolled them regardless

 

[Votto]

Why is stealing bad?

Don't ask a Michigan fan, they won't understand why stealing is bad.

 

[wamose]

I bet most teams try to steal signs. Right or wrong, I don't see it as a big deal, and I hate Harbaugh. He's just a bush league asshole. He should be more like his brother.

 

[Couchpotato]

I don’t get it, is an Ohio State alum on the prosecution board here?

I don’t get how one can “steal signs” by simply attending a game. 80,000 people can steal signs? Scouting a team as they openly play games is normal in sports. And what about in-game? Are you not allowed to look at the other teams sidelines?

This is nothing like the Patriots taping other teams practices, or the Astros using real time technology, yet it’s being treated as such.

I guess if there’s technically a rule against it, you can go for it if you’re the NCAA. It seems very petty and minute.. like ticketing someone for jaywalking.

To all the other salty Big 10 teams: If you don’t want your signs stolen, hide them. Michigan would have rolled them regardless

This type of silliness drove Pete Carrol out of USC.

 

[Blaster]

Our society seems to reward cheating.

 

[Votto]

Our society seems to reward cheating.

In today's world, if you don't cheat you don't want to win bad enough

However, Michigan state was so bad they did not even need to steal any signs.

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Why is stealing bad?

Don't ask a Michigan fan, they won't understand why stealing is

So is driving 3mph over the speed limit.

Are you a law breaking criminal too?

 

[Votto]

So is driving 3mph over the speed limit.

Are you a law breaking criminal too?

Former Ohio State OL Dawand Jones suspected Michigan had Buckeyes' signs during 2022 game

Former Ohio State offensive lineman Dawand Jones said he suspected Michigan had the Buckeyes' signs during the Wolverines' 45-23 win in 2022.

www.yahoo.com

Dawand Jones, a former Ohio State and current Cleveland Browns offensive tackle, told the Associated Press he suspected Michigan knew the Buckeyes' signs during the Wolverines' 45-23 win in 2022.

Jones said Ohio State made some changes but couldn't change all the signals they used to call plays. He said seeing Michigan line up and know what was coming was "a little demoralizing."

"It's just sad to see it," Jones told the AP. "We're kids at the end of the day, and you don't want to cheat a kid out of a chance to showcase their skills on a national level. It's just sad to see that."

One more from Browns tackle Dawand Jones on alleged Michigan sign stealing:
"It’s just sad to see it. We’re kids at the end of the day, and you don’t want to cheat a kid out of a chance to showcase their skills on a national level. It’s just sad to see that.”
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) October 25, 2023

Both the NCAA and the Big Ten are looking into allegations that Michigan violated rules by scouting future opponents in person and used electronic equipment to record "signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel."

Yahoo Sports had earlier quoted an unnamed Ohio State football support staff member who said the Buckeyes "changed things up" ahead of the 2022 Michigan game to try to combat potential sign stealing.

"We heard they had a guy pick plays pretty good and had all this information from not your typical ways of getting the signals," the staff member said. "We get into the game and it’s the second quarter. I see him across the field and he’s checking his 11x17 sheet."

Connor Stalions, a Michigan football analytics assistant, was suspended with pay while the investigations continue. Stalions, per multiple reports, bought tickets to college football games at 13 Big Ten schools – including multiple Ohio State games – and the 2021 and 2022 SEC title games.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has denied knowledge of any sign-stealing operation.

Jones was a first-team All-American right tackle for the Buckeyes in 2022 and was second-team All-Big Ten. He was selected with the No. 111 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft by the Browns, for whom he has played six games, allowing one sack on 424 snaps per Pro Football Focus.

Ohio State will take on Michigan in Ann Arbor at noon Nov. 25.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dawand Jones, ex-Ohio State OL, suspected Michigan had signs in 2022

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Former Ohio State OL Dawand Jones suspected Michigan had Buckeyes' signs during 2022 game

Former Ohio State offensive lineman Dawand Jones said he suspected Michigan had the Buckeyes' signs during the Wolverines' 45-23 win in 2022.

www.yahoo.com

Dawand Jones, a former Ohio State and current Cleveland Browns offensive tackle, told the Associated Press he suspected Michigan knew the Buckeyes' signs during the Wolverines' 45-23 win in 2022.

Jones said Ohio State made some changes but couldn't change all the signals they used to call plays. He said seeing Michigan line up and know what was coming was "a little demoralizing."

"It's just sad to see it," Jones told the AP. "We're kids at the end of the day, and you don't want to cheat a kid out of a chance to showcase their skills on a national level. It's just sad to see that."


Both the NCAA and the Big Ten are looking into allegations that Michigan violated rules by scouting future opponents in person and used electronic equipment to record "signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel."

Yahoo Sports had earlier quoted an unnamed Ohio State football support staff member who said the Buckeyes "changed things up" ahead of the 2022 Michigan game to try to combat potential sign stealing.

"We heard they had a guy pick plays pretty good and had all this information from not your typical ways of getting the signals," the staff member said. "We get into the game and it’s the second quarter. I see him across the field and he’s checking his 11x17 sheet."

Connor Stalions, a Michigan football analytics assistant, was suspended with pay while the investigations continue. Stalions, per multiple reports, bought tickets to college football games at 13 Big Ten schools – including multiple Ohio State games – and the 2021 and 2022 SEC title games.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has denied knowledge of any sign-stealing operation.

Jones was a first-team All-American right tackle for the Buckeyes in 2022 and was second-team All-Big Ten. He was selected with the No. 111 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft by the Browns, for whom he has played six games, allowing one sack on 424 snaps per Pro Football Focus.

Ohio State will take on Michigan in Ann Arbor at noon Nov. 25.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Dawand Jones, ex-Ohio State OL, suspected Michigan had signs in 2022

Ah yes.. the horrible crime of “buying tickets to a future opponents game and watching them play”… simply immoral. Millions of people a week are guilty of this horrid crime of watching a team play live.

 

[Votto]

Ah yes.. the horrible crime of “buying tickets to a future opponents game and watching them play”… simply immoral. Millions of people a week are guilty of this horrid crime of watching a team play live.

You sound a little defensive.

I mean, what is the big deal of stealing signs?

Right?

Harbaugh eating his own nose bugers on the sideline is much more of a problem I think, don't you?

 

[Mr. Friscus]

You sound a little defensive.

I mean, what is the big deal of stealing signs?

Right?

Harbaugh eating his own nose bugers on the sideline is much more of a problem I think, don't you?

Agreed.. and boogers can come in handy when you're hungry.

 

[my2¢]

Good question, so I looked for the answer and quickly came across this:

The NCAA has no rules against sign-stealing, but it does ban in-person, in-season advanced scouting of opponents and the use of electronic equipment to record opponents’ signals.

That is what No. 2 Michigan is accused of doing for at least the last two seasons.

Coach-to-player technology could have prevented sign-stealing scandal hitting college football

Even before the Michigan sign-stealing scandal, college football coaches are eager to eliminate the need for sideline signals.

apnews.com

 

[lennypartiv]

It seems a lot of Michigan alumni are afraid the NCAA will come down hard on the Wolverine football program for this scandal. Why are they so fearful?

 

[wamose]

You sound a little defensive.

I mean, what is the big deal of stealing signs?

Right?

Harbaugh eating his own nose bugers on the sideline is much more of a problem I think, don't you?

Only if he tongue kisses McCarthy after he throws a touchdown pass. They say booger breath is nasty.

 

[Couchpotato]

Ah yes.. the horrible crime of “buying tickets to a future opponents game and watching them play”… simply immoral. Millions of people a week are guilty of this horrid crime of watching a team play live.

Whether it's stupid or not is kind of irrelevant. It's plainly against the rules. This guy didn't violate the NCAA rules by accident. He didn't buy a ticket to see a game and was just unaware that what he was doing might violate a rule. If these allegations are true, they (Michigan) knowingly violated NCAA rules and will thus pay a penalty if found guilty. Seems pretty straight forward to me.

 

[Couchpotato]

It seems a lot of Michigan alumni are afraid the NCAA will come down hard on the Wolverine football program for this scandal. Why are they so fearful?

Because this is probably their best team in decades. One that has a legit shot at winning a Natty. If the NCAA finds them guilty anything this team might accomplish will be voided and the program will get set back a couple decades. Harbaugh probably leaves for the NFL, and Michigan be regulated to the red headed step child of the BIG10 again. Especially with the new members from the west coast joining next year.

 

[leftwinger]

Heard an ALA coach recently on interview. He said they knew every single play in advance in a big time bowl game opponent was going to run. Maybe it was Ohio State?

The other team went no huddle and it became meaningless. They ALA could not relay in to the defense fast enough to get into formation. He said ALA lost that bowl game.

 

[MarathonMike]

I don’t get it, is an Ohio State alum on the prosecution board here?

I don’t get how one can “steal signs” by simply attending a game. 80,000 people can steal signs? Scouting a team as they openly play games is normal in sports. And what about in-game? Are you not allowed to look at the other teams sidelines?

This is nothing like the Patriots taping other teams practices, or the Astros using real time technology, yet it’s being treated as such.

I guess if there’s technically a rule against it, you can go for it if you’re the NCAA. It seems very petty and minute.. like ticketing someone for jaywalking.

To all the other salty Big 10 teams: If you don’t want your signs stolen, hide them. Michigan would have rolled them regardless

Big whoop, change your signs.

 

[Couchpotato]

Wow. 3 game sideline ban for Harbaugh.

 

[lantern2814]

If they ban Harbaugh, a lot of others coaches, including Ohio State, should be facing penalties as well, considering the info that has come out now about how they, Purdue, and another team were trading information about Michigan’s signs. But the NCAA is consistently inconsistent with punishments and other things.