Michigan sign theft fines will cost school more than $30M, athletic director says

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – NCAA fines from Michigan football’s sign-stealing operation will cost the school more than $30 million, athletic director Ward Manuel said.

Manuel recently spoke about the fines in a radio interview with The Big 1050 WTKA, saying, “We’re going to find a way to deal with it.”

The NCAA announced a series of penalties in August for a widespread scandal that has plagued the Wolverines for two years, including during their run to a national championship in the 2023 season, and fines were expected to be in the millions of dollars.

Michigan initially appealed the ruling, and later withdrew it last month.

Coach Sharon Moore also withdrew her appeal in September after serving the school’s self-imposed, two-game suspension. He will also be suspended for the opening game of the 2026 season.

The NCAA said it had “overwhelming” evidence of a cover-up by Wolverines staff and noted that there was “substantial basis for a multi-year postseason ban” against a program now considered a repeat infringer. The governing body stopped short of punishing the program, however, saying the two-year postseason ban would “unfairly punish student-athletes for actions by coaches and staff” that no longer existed.

Jim Harbaugh, the former Michigan quarterback and now the coach of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, faces a 10-year show cause order effective August 7, 2028 as a result of his previous four-year order. Harbaugh has always maintained that he knew nothing about the scheme.

Connor Stallions, a former low-level staffer who ran the scouting and sign-stealing process, was issued an eight-year show-cause order, which effectively bans a man from college athletics for a period of time.

The NCAA does not have rules against stealing signs, but prohibits schools from sending scouts to postseason opponents’ games and using electronic equipment to record another team’s signals. The scheme run by Stalin, the NCAA said, was elaborate and detailed.

The 15th-ranked Wolverines host Ohio State on Saturday.