Michigan president urges the Big Ten to wait for the results of the NCAA’s investigation into sign-stealing before taking action against the football team: ‘Due process matters’
- Connor Stals, who was allegedly behind the operation, resigned Friday
- Ono asked the conference not to rush to a judgment before the results of the investigation were known
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University of Michigan President Santa Ono sent an email to Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, imploring the conference to wait for the results of the NCAA investigation into tick stealing before potentially taking action against the Jim Harbaugh-led football program .
“The reputations and livelihoods of coaches, students and programs cannot be sacrificed in hasty judgment, no matter how many and how loudly people otherwise protest,” Ono wrote in an email to Petitti on Thursday evening, before their meeting the next day. ‘A fair trial is important.’
Michigan athletics spokesman Kurt Svoboda shared the contents of Ono’s email with The Associated Press on Saturday night when the third-ranked Wolverines played at home against Purdue.
Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan football executive at the center of the investigation into impermissible scouting and sign stealing, resigned Friday.
Stalion’s lawyer said in a statement to The Athletic that his client has chosen to resign because stories about him have been a distraction for the team.
University of Michigan President Santa Ono (L) asked the Big Ten commissioner to await the results of the NCAA investigation before punishing the football team
Ono: “The reputations and livelihoods of coaches, students and programs cannot be sacrificed in a rush to judgment, no matter how many and how loudly people protest to the contrary.”
Stalions said through his attorney that, to his knowledge, none of the coaches told anyone to break the rules or were aware of any inappropriate behavior related to the recent allegations of advanced scouting.
“We know for a fact they were at some of our games,” Purdue coach Ryan Walters said on his radio show Thursday. “We had to teach our boys a new language.”
The NCAA is investigating Michigan for allegedly sending people to opponents’ games to record video that would be used to decode their in-game signals.
According to Ono, the Big Ten has not yet begun an investigation into the allegations.
Harbaugh, who served a university-imposed three-game suspension earlier this season for an unrelated and still unresolved NCAA recruiting violation case, has denied any knowledge or involvement in impermissibly scouting opponents.
Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel met with Petitti on Friday when he was in town for the Big Ten hockey tournament.
The Big Ten bylaws provide the commissioner with the ability to potentially act more quickly on matters of sportsmanship and competitive integrity.
The NCAA is investigating Michigan employee Connor Stalion for alleged sign theft
Stalion has resigned from his position with Michigan Football while the investigation continues
Petitti met with Big Ten coaches and athletic directors via video call earlier this week.
“We are aware that other representatives of the Big 10 are demanding that you take action now, before any meaningful investigation and full consideration of all the evidence,” Ono wrote to Petitti.
“And we both know that this is not what any other member would want if allegations were made against their people or programs.
“The Big 10 has not notified us of any investigation of its own, as would be required by conference rules.”