The Michigan Wolverines have taken over college football headlines this week, but it isn’t because they sit at No. 2 in the AP Poll.
The NCAA is investigating the program for allegedly scouting future opponents, in person, in order to steal signs. Michigan staffer Connor Stallion is at the center of the allegations, and he has been suspended with pay, according to reports.
It’s unclear how long this tactic has been used by Michigan. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was asked about the matter on Tuesday. The Bulldogs took down the Wolverines, 34-11, in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl on Dec. 31, 2021.
“I didn’t notice anything or know anything. Nobody we talked to warned us or anything like that,” Smart said. “I think everybody we play, they say, ‘We steal your signals.’ We play somebody, they’re great at stealing your signals. But what they’re referencing is different than stealing them. They’re coming in and you’re talking about someone coming in and filming them. That’s completely different. We’ve tried to hide the signals, hold the calls, put signs up, do all that. But there’s nothing I remember about the Michigan game that makes me think that.”
Smart said he was never asked to steal signs as a coach, nor has he heard of that occurring. He acknowledged teams do try to decipher signs during games.
“As far as in game, I think people try to do that. It tries to go on. As a signal caller, when I had to call defenses it confused me if I had to sit there and try to tell me what they thought they got. I’m trying to think about what the best call for the situation is,” Smart said. “You’re relying on misinformation or something that’s not very reliable, so I don’t know. There have been times where people have said they’ve had our signals in-game and this or that. You talk to the team that you played last and when you’re not going to play them again, sometimes they share what they might have had on you and things like that. So I’ve heard of it in game.”
Smart doesn’t seem to be worried about what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the college football world is certainly keeping tabs on the investigation. The first College Football Playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 31, and the Wolverines are expected to be close to the top of the list.
The Bulldogs will travel to Jacksonville to take on rival Florida in Jacksonville. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, televised on CBS.
