On Sunday afternoon, the Michigan football program received a formal Notice of Allegations (NOA) from the NCAA in regards to the sign-stealing scandal that rocked the Wolverines on their way to the National Championship last season. And of course, former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions remains at the center of the controversy.

Stalions has been accused of violating NCAA rules that ban in-person scouting by collecting cell phone video of opposing teams’ signals shot by people using tickets purchased in Connor Stalions’ name. On Sunday, after the school received the Notice of Allegations, Stalions' attorneys released a statement on behalf of their client.

“This investigation has been a witch hunt from day one intended to besmirch Michigan and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh,” attorneys Brad Beckworth and Nathan Hall wrote in a statement to The Athletic, per Austin Meek, Chris Vannini and Sam Khan Jr.. “Connor is a scapegoat in the NCAA’s ongoing quest to show that it has a purpose in today’s sports world.”

Beckworth and Hall called the NCAA's investigative process “one-sided, biased and crooked,” and offered a plea that, “Connor has suffered enough. It's time for everyone to move on.”

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Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline beside off-field analyst Connor Stalions, right, during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in 2022.
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Connor Stalions' name has been dragged through the mud, there's certainly no question about this. But based on the evidence, it seems likely that Stalions and the University of Michigan acted in a manner that the NCAA rules prohibit. However, Stalions' lawyers continue to state that their client did nothing wrong.

“The NOA says Connor’s friends and family sent him film from games they attended with tickets Connor purchased,” Stalions’ lawyers wrote. “But there is no rule against that. The only ‘scouting’ that took place in this case happened on Michigan’s campus from behind Connor’s computer.”

It could take up to a year before NCAA announces a ruling on this case, but it's possible that former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and current Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore are both in danger of receiving stiff penalties for their involvement.