Last college football season, a major talking point was the sign-stealing investigation surrounding the Michigan football team. The Wolverines had a low-level staffer, Connor Stalions, resign during the season because of an NCAA investigation into his elaborate in-person scouting scheme. Now, the 2024 season is almost here, and once again, the Michigan investigation is a major talking point.
On Sunday, ESPN posted an article summarizing a draft of the Notice Of Allegations (NOA) that the NCAA has for Michigan football. Nothing is set in stone as it was a draft, but it has the whole college football world wondering what the punishment will be for the Wolverines. ESPN's Adam Schefter, a Michigan alum, said Monday on The Pat McAfee Show that he spoke to Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, and Moore isn't too concerned about things.
“I spoke to him about 20 minutes ago,” Adam Schefter said. “All good. …As a Michigan man, as someone who believes in coach Moore, I'm not concerned. I'm not. Now, I don't know what Pete [Thamel] knows, but I spoke to the man himself here for awhile and I feel pretty good about what he said, and we'll see what happens here.”
Pete Thamel has been all over this investigation from the start, and he was also behind Sunday's report about the NOA. He also appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, and he thinks that it is very unlikely that Michigan has any wins vacated or that they get a postseason ban. Those are the things that the Wolverines' rivals are hoping for.
Pete Thamel doesn't think Michigan will vacate wins or receive a postseason ban
The Michigan football team has won the last three Big Ten titles and they are also the defending national championship. Rival fans are hoping that the Wolverines will get their championships vacated, but Pete Thamel doesn't think that will happen.
“I've obviously talked to people that sort of train in this sort of NCAA infraction space in the last 24 hours, the one thing I'm certain of is that any accomplishments that they've won will not be taken away,” Thamel said. “Those typically involve players that are not eligible, and obviously there's really no players involved in this. That is as close to certain as you can possibly be. And then a postseason ban… it's extremely difficult to get a postseason ban. The conventional thought in the current political climate is that Michigan would get some type of giant fine from this as their other really punitive penalty. From the people I spoke to yesterday, it would shock the people who live in this infractions world everyday if Michigan was given some type of postseason ban.”
Obviously, nothing is set in stone right now. The initial ESPN report from Sunday was just regarding a draft. A draft changes before it becomes final. However, if you're a Michigan fan, this is good news. Thamel is the one that broke the story on Sunday, and he said himself that he would be very surprised if anything was vacated or if a postseason ban happens.
At the end of the day, we have to wait for the official NOA to be issued to the Michigan football team before we know anything for sure. But right now, it sounds like the Wolverines will be okay.
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