The college football world held its breath for nearly two years, waiting to learn what consequences Michigan would face for the Connor Stalions-sign-stealing operation that rocked the sport.
With Friday’s ruling finally here, one question looms above all others: How severely will the NCAA punish Sherrone Moore and his program for a scandal that tainted their championship run?
What Punishments Could the NCAA Hand Down Friday Sherrone Moore?
College football reporter Pete Thamel appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss what Michigan should expect from Friday’s ruling.
“There’s not an expectation that there’s going to be any kind of postseason ban, and there’s not an expectation that any of their accomplishments are going to be taken away,” he explained.
Thamel predicts Michigan will receive a hefty fine as the primary punishment. The focus has shifted since most staff members involved, including Jim Harbaugh, have moved to the NFL.
However, the real drama centers on one person: current head coach Sherrone Moore. “The real news that’s going to come out of tomorrow is going to be regarding the suspension of Sherrone Moore,” Thamel said.
Michigan already self-imposed a two-game suspension for Moore in Weeks Three and Four this season, but the NCAA could extend his penalty. Moore’s situation represents the main individual storyline heading into Friday’s announcement.
How Did Connor Stalions Create This Massive Scandal?
The scandal involved Connor Stalions, a Michigan analyst who allegedly bought tickets to over 30 games while on staff. He used associates to film opponents’ sidelines and steal their signals illegally.
The NCAA calls this “advanced scouting” rather than simple “sign-stealing” because it involved illegal in-person filming and recording. The scheme violated clear NCAA rules against in-person scouting.
According to the NCAA’s draft notice of allegations, Stalions arranged the impermissible scouting of at least 13 Michigan future opponents on at least 58 occasions between 2021 and 2023. That included scouting opponents multiple times, with one team being scouted seven times in 2022 alone.
Stalions was suspended and resigned in November 2023 during Michigan’s championship run, but the scheme helped the Wolverines decode what plays opponents would call, giving them a significant competitive advantage.
Thamel called it a “quintessential collegiate scandal” that dominated the 2023 season. Current head coach Moore was the offensive coordinator at the time, and his involvement centers on text message communications with Stalions during the investigation period.
Why Could Sherrone Moore Face Additional Punishment?
October 2023 changed everything for Moore when the scandal first broke. “Remember, he obviously deleted a thread of 52 text messages,” Thamel noted about Moore’s actions during the investigation. Those deleted conversations with Stalions violated NCAA cooperation rules.
The text deletion occurred on the same day media reports revealed Stalions was leading the sign-stealing operation. Moore later explained his actions, saying he “deleted all the information, all Connor, on my personal phone. And it wasn’t to hide anything, it was just that I was extremely angry of the type of person that would do that to this program and these kids.”
Despite his explanation, the NCAA recovered the deleted messages through device imaging, and Moore subsequently provided them to enforcement staff. He faces a Level II violation for the deletion, which could result in additional punishment beyond Michigan’s self-imposed penalties.
RELATED: More Trouble May Await Wolverines HC Sherrone Moore as Suspension in Michigan Sign-Stealing Scandal Predicted to Go Beyond Two Games
Michigan tried to avoid potential punishment by self-imposing a penalty. The Wolverines announced Moore would miss Weeks Three and Four against Central Michigan and Nebraska. This represents a strategic move to influence the NCAA’s final decision.
Thamel compared Michigan’s approach to car shopping, saying, “When you self-impose, it’s like buying a used car — you don’t go above the blue book value when you make your first offer, you go below the blue book value.” However, he expects the NCAA might still add punishment.
“There’s an expectation that there could be a slight addition to it, potentially,” Thamel said. The NCAA sometimes accepts self-imposed penalties but often adds small increases based on historical precedent.
Friday’s ruling will ultimately determine whether Moore’s suspension exceeds two games and significantly impacts Michigan’s 2025 season. As Thamel noted, the NCAA appears ready to close this chapter with fines rather than devastating sanctions, finally allowing the Wolverines to move past Connor Stalions’ controversy.