Michigan coach Sherrone Moore is facing allegations he violated NCAA rules related to an investigation into impermissible scouting and sign-stealing that hung over the program through its run to last season’s national championship, three people briefed on an impending notice of allegations told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Two of the people said Moore has been accused of deleting text-message exchanges with Connor Stalions — the former low-level recruiting staffer who coordinated an off-campus, advance-scouting operation — around the time the investigation was opened. That allegation was included in a draft of the NCAA’s notice to Michigan, the people said.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the notice was confidential.
One of the people said the NCAA has recommended a Level 2 violation for Moore — Level 1 is the most serious — and that messages between Moore and Stalions were recovered and that the coach provided them to the NCAA.
ESPN first reported Sunday it had obtained a copy of a draft of the notice of allegations, which could be different from the final version of the document sent to Michigan.
Moore, 38, was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach when Jim Harbaugh left Michigan to become coach of the Los Angeles Chargers shortly after leading the Wolverines to their first national title since 1997.
Moore filled in as acting head coach four times last season while Harbaugh served suspensions, winning all four games, including the season finale against rival Ohio State.
Harbaugh has denied any knowledge of impermissible scouting while he was with the program, though he could face Level 1 violations along with Stalions, former assistant coach Chris Partridge — who was fired in November — and former staffer Denard Robinson, one of the people said.
Stalions did not cooperate with the investigation, the person said.
Robinson, a former star quarterback for Michigan, left the program in May, about a month after he was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Robinson’s alleged violation stems from a recruiting violation, not Stalions’ actions.
The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the 2023 regular season to punish Michigan for violation of the conference’s sportsmanship policy after the conference’s investigation of the sign-stealing scheme.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said earlier this year that the Wolverines won the national championship “fair and square.”
In-person scouting is banned by the NCAA, which investigated Michigan’s alleged system to determine how organized it was and who knew about it. Records from other Big Ten schools show Stalions bought tickets to numerous games involving future opponents, sending people to digitally record teams when they signaled their plays.
He was initially placed on leave by the school and later resigned.
Stalions will break his silence Aug. 27 on Netflix when the documentary “Sign Stealer” makes its debut on the streaming service.
Moore and Michigan could face more serious charges from the NCAA as repeat violators, coming on the heels of a separate investigation of recruiting violations.
Last December, the NCAA sent Michigan a notice of allegations regarding impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and coaching activities, potential violations that led to the school’s self-imposed three-game suspension of Harbaugh to start the season.
Moore was given a one-game suspension by the school. Michigan used a different acting coach for each of those three season-opening games.
The case was settled in April via a negotiated agreement between Michigan and the NCAA. The school received three years of probation, though Harbaugh did not participate in the settlement talks.
Harbaugh previously told NCAA investigators that he would not agree to an unethical conduct charge for not being forthright, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation have not been shared.
The latest Michigan case is still likely months — at least — from being resolved. NCAA policy gives schools 90 days to respond to a notice of allegations. After a response, the school would be scheduled for a hearing in front of the NCAA’s committee on infractions, though a negotiated resolution would still be possible.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
