Suspended Scooby Wright staffer reportedly bought tickets to non-Big Ten games, too.
The STALLIONS analyst Connor Stalions, who is suspended, is at the center of an escalating sign-stealing scandal.
The last two SEC championship games’ tickets were bought under the Stalions’ name, according to an Associated Press article on Tuesday that cited a source with direct knowledge of the issue.
Speaking under anonymity because no one was allowed to publicly discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation, the source claimed computer records showed Stalions purchased tickets to the games at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
ESPN was the first to disclose that over the previous three years, he not only bought tickets in the Stalions’ name to several games against most of Michigan’s Big Ten rivals, but he also bought tickets to games against other teams who could be in the College Football Playoffs. After defeating Michigan’s Big Ten foe Ohio State and TCU in the CFP, Georgia won a second consecutive national championship after defeating LSU in the SEC championship game.Last Monday, Michigan and the Big Ten announced that the NCAA was looking into claims of sign theft. The allegations were shared with all of Michigan’s prospective opponents during the conference.
According to one of the people, a school discovered that tickets to at least four of its home games over the previous two years had been purchased under the Stalions’ name.
According to another source, a different school discovered that tickets were purchased for five home games under the Stalions’ name throughout the previous three seasons. Some of the tickets were also electronically moved to the identities of other people. Another source stated that two weeks prior to the Stalions’ game against Michigan last season, a third institution discovered a transaction made under the Stalions’ identity.
Last week, word leaked out about the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing. On October 18, the Big Ten announced that it had been informed of the NCAA’s investigation and that it had forwarded the allegations to the Wolverines’ 2023 opponents. Michigan was charged with a conspiracy to send team representatives to record their games in order to intercept signals from opponents in the future.
On October 20, Michigan declared that Stalions will be placed on paid leave while the NCAA looked into the matter. Jim Harbaugh, the coach of Michigan, denied being aware of the purported plot.
After the story leaked on October 19, Harbaugh released a statement saying, “I have no knowledge or information regarding the University of Michigan football program illegally stealing signals, nor have I directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment.” “I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action.”
