The University of Michigan’s football program is officially dealing with the consequences of a scandal that rocked their 2023 national championship season. Allegations of a sign-stealing scheme that ran from 2021 to 2023 have now resulted in NCAA sanctions affecting the team, former head coach Jim Harbaugh, and current head coach Sherrone Moore.
Postseason Revenue Loss and Probation Hit Wolverines Hard
While Michigan will avoid a playoff ban, the NCAA has decided the Wolverines must forfeit a share of their postseason revenue for the next two seasons.
Based on past Big Ten revenues, that fine could amount to $20 million to $25 million—a sizeable chunk of their $214.9 million 2024 football budget.
The penalties don’t stop there. Michigan has been placed on four years’ probation and will have to cut official recruiting visits by 25 percent.
On top of that, the program faces a $50,000 fine, plus 10 percent of both its football budget and the cost of its scholarship players for the 2025–26 school year.
Harbaugh and Staff Face Personal Sanctions
Jim Harbaugh, now leading the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, received a 10-year show-cause penalty.
This essentially means any school wishing to hire him as a head coach must demonstrate why he shouldn’t serve the penalty.
Harbaugh had previously taken a three-game suspension after the Big Ten dropped its investigation in court.
Defensive analyst Connor Stalions, accused of managing the sign-stealing operation, received an eight-year show-cause penalty.
Moore Suspended for One Game Amid Text Deletion Allegations
Sherrone Moore, who was an assistant under Harbaugh, was accused of deleting text messages with Stalions before they were recovered by the NCAA.
On Friday, the Division I Committee on Infractions added a one-game suspension to Michigan’s self-imposed two-game ban.
Moore will serve this additional suspension in the 2026 season opener, though he can continue coaching during his two-year show-cause period.
How the Sign-Stealing Operation Unfolded
The NCAA investigation began in early 2023 after claims surfaced that Michigan had a sophisticated in-person scouting and sign-stealing system, run by Stalions, a former low-level staffer.
Stalions was suspended by the university and later resigned, claiming he had knowledge of nearly every opponent signal over seven games across two seasons.
Reactions and the Road Ahead for Michigan
Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti recommended to the NCAA that Michigan should not face additional sanctions beyond those already imposed.
The Wolverines kick off the new season on August 30 at home against New Mexico State, followed by a September 6 game at Oklahoma, Moore’s alma mater.
While the NCAA does not ban stealing signs outright, it does prohibit schools from sending scouts to opponents’ games or using electronic equipment to record signals.
Not everyone is taking the sanctions seriously. Michigan alum Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports called the penalties a mere “slap on the wrist,” joking that $20 million is “ashtray money” for the Wolverines.
