The NCAA announced Friday its Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved Thursday “optional technology rules” effective for the 2024 season. Among them is a long-awaited change already prevalent in the NFL: coaches can communicate to a player through helmet technology.

READ: Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada announces transfer

According to the NCAA, “each school will have the option to use coach-to-player communications through helmets to one player on the field,” and that player “will be identified by having a green dot on the back midline of the player’s helmet.”

The communication will turn off “with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock or when the ball is snapped, whichever comes first,” according to the NCAA.

READ: Miami leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. enters transfer portal

This marks a highly anticipated move within college football bringing it closer to the professional game. Many coaches have called for helmet technology to be implemented at the college level, and teams experimented with it if they so chose during bowl season in 2023. It will be a welcomed change in 2024.

It’s significant that college football will allow coach-to-player communications through helmets next season. Last year, Michigan was penalized by the Big Ten Conference for having conducted “an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition,” and head coach Jim Harbaugh served a three-game suspension lasting the remainder of the regular season.

Former Wolverines staff member Connor Stalions resigned from the program midseason in 2023. It was found he purchased tickets to at least 30 games over at least the 2021-22 seasons including the 2021 and 2022 Southeastern Conference championships games.

READ: Reports: Colorado CB Cormani McClain enters transfer portal

Among the other approved rules include the use of tablets to view only in-game video featuring the broadcast and camera angles from the coach’s sideline and coach’s end zone, according to the NCAA. There can be “up to 18 active tables for use in the coaching booth, sideline and locker room” for each team, though tablets “cannot be connected to other devices to project larger additional images and cannot include analytics, data or data access capability or other communication access.”

According to the NCAA, “all team personnel” can view the tablets during a game.

Additionally, another change will come when two minutes remain in the second and fourth quarters. The Playing Rules Oversight Committee, according to the NCAA, approved an automatic timeout that “synchronizes all timing rules, such as 10-second runoffs and stopping the clock when a first down is gained in bounds, which coincides with the two-minute timeout.”

READ: Michigan, NCAA reach agreement over recruiting violations; former coach ‘did not participate’

Horse-collar tackles occurring within the tackle box will be penalized “as a 15-yard personal foul,” another change for the 2024 season according to the NCAA.

Head coaches can also interview “with broadcast partners” after the first and third quarters, which the NCAA announced is a permanent rule going forward.

The Football Rules Committee “had a thorough discussion regarding wearable technologies,” according to the NCAA. It met the final week of February, and it “invites non-FBS conferences that are interested in using wearable technologies to submit an experimental proposal to the committee” by June 15.

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The Michigan program will receive “three years of probation for the school, a fine and recruiting restrictions in alignment with the Level I-Mitigated classification for the school,” and “one-year show-cause orders consistent with the Level II-Standard and Level II-Mitigated classifications of their respective violations,” according to a release.

READ: Kalen DeBoer says Crimson Tide learned ‘so many things’ from Alabama A-Day Game

According to the NCAA, “Michigan and five individuals who currently or previously worked for its football program” were involved in reaching the agreement. The violations stemmed from “impermissible in-person recruiting contacts during a COVID-19 dead period, impermissible tryouts, and the program exceeding the number of allowed countable coaches when noncoaching staff members engaged in on- and off-field coaching activities (including providing technical and tactical skills instruction to student-athletes).”

A Committee on Infractions panel “has approved the agreement,” according to the NCAA.

This agreement is separate from the NCAA’s investigation into Michigan’s in-person scouting and sign-stealing over the past several seasons involving former staff member Connor Stalions, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Associated Press.

READ: UNLV’s Barry Odom agrees to extended contract through 2028

Here is Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel’s statement after the NCAA’s announcement via the AP.

“We are pleased to reach a resolution on this matter so that our student-athletes and our football program can move forward. We have no additional information and cannot comment further on other aspects of the NCAA’s inquiries,” Manuel stated via the AP.

According to the NCAA, Michigan agreed “that the underlying violations demonstrated a head coach responsibility violation and the former football head coach failed to meet his responsibility to cooperate with the investigation.”

The portion of the case involving the former coach “will be considered separately by the Committee on Infractions, after which the committee will release its full decision,” according to the NCAA.

Although he isn’t named by the NCAA, former head coach Jim Harbaugh’s involvement in the case is clear, according to the AP. Harbaugh served a self-imposed suspension the first three games of the 2023 season over recruiting violations.

The post Michigan, NCAA reach agreement over recruiting violations; former coach ‘did not participate’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The No. 1 Wolverines took it all in on Monday night, just after beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship. It secured Michigan’s first CFP title and first national championship since 1997, all under the tutelage of head coach and “Michigan man” Jim Harbaugh. 

“Glorious win. Could not be happier or prouder,” Harbaugh said. “Our team, 15-0. Took on all comers. Last one standing. It’s a great feeling, and just so happy for our players, for our parents, for their grandparents, our coaches (offensive coordinator) Sherrone Moore, (defensive coordinator) Jesse Minter, (running backs and assistant special teams coach) Jay Harbaugh, the coordinators, the coaches, the staff just couldn’t have had a better game. Jesse Minter, I mean, A-plus-plus the whole way. And for me, personally, I can now sit at the big person’s table in the family. They won’t keep me over there on the little table anymore. My dad Jack Harbaugh won a national championship and my brother won a Super Bowl so it’s good to be at the big person table from now on.” 

READ: Former Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins commits to Ohio State

Michigan jumped out to a 17-7 lead after running back Donovan Edwards scored two 40-plus yard rushing touchdowns in the first quarter. 

Washington answered back in the second quarter when Michael Penix Jr. Connected with receiver Jalen McMillan on a 3-yard touchdown bringing the score to 17-10 at halftime. 

But the Wolverines held the Huskies to 141 yards in the second half and forced two turnovers to outscore Washington 17-3 in the third and fourth quarters. 

It didn’t come easily for the Wolverines. They punted on three-straight drives in the second half while Washington trailed behind 20-13. 

“We started off really hot, everything was clicking, but I feel like we got to points in the games where we were beating ourselves,” Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said. “I was missing throws. I was missing some reads, and it just comes down to moving on to the next play, flushing the last play and just staying in the present moment and just trying to attack one play at a time.” 

VIEW: Watch: Michigan RB Blake Corum gives Wolverines insurance, scores 12-yard TD

McCarthy went 10-of-18 for 140 yards, and it was completely Michigan’s running attack and defense that helped seal the Wolverines’ national title. 

The Wolverines ran for a season-high 303 yards, including 209 in the first half, while they became the first team with two 100-plus yard rushers in a CFP National Championship. 

VIEW: Watch: No. 2 Washington answers back, Michael Penix Jr. finds Jalen McMillan for 3-yard TD

Blake Corum led Michigan with 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He said Michigan manifested its national championship ever since it lost to TCU in the CFP semifinals for a second-straight year in 2022. 

“For me, when we all decided to come back, we knew what it took to get here, right? And when we all said we’re coming back and the guys that had no other choice but to come back, we had to pay attention to details, and our strength coach actually hit on it (Sunday night) when he was talking to us,” Corum said. “But it’s the little things, the details and the details, and we really locked in on those details all the way back to winter workouts, summer workouts. We were always just trying to execute at a high level and pay attention to detail. I think that’s what separated us a lot.” 

VIEW: Watch: Donovan Edwards scores 2nd touchdown on 46-yard run to keep No. 1 Michigan ahead in College Football Playoff National Championship

Now that Harbaugh gets to sit at “the big person’s table” in his family, the Wolverines also secured a special place in history. 

Harbaugh and Michigan underwent a season full of controversy. Harbaugh served a self-imposed three-game suspension to start the season due to recruiting violations and he also was suspended the final three games of the regular season by the Big Ten Conference after its investigation into in-person scouting led by former staff member Connor Stalions. 

Harbaugh had been tight-lipped about the ongoing investigations into Michigan’s program throughout the season. He focused on the “one-track mind” and preached it all season long, and now that the season is over, Harbaugh shed a little light. 

“It couldn’t have gone better. It went exactly how we wanted it to go to win every game,” Harbaugh said. “Off the field issues, we’re innocent. And we stood strong and tall because we knew we’re innocent. And I’d just like to point that out. And these guys, these guys are innocent. And yeah, (to) overcome that wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.” 

VIEW: Watch: Michigan’s Donovan Edwards scores 41-yard TD to start CFP National Championship

Whether Michigan holds onto its national championship remains to be seen. Speculation has swirled regarding the ongoing NCAA investigation into in-person scouting that the Wolverines could vacate their 2023 season. 

But that all remains speculation. For now, though, Michigan is on top of the college football world, and it doesn’t plan on stopping here. 

“It takes a lot more than just being a football player to be a Michigan man, and everything that — the rigorous school, schedule, the rigorous football schedule just forces us into these Michigan men and couldn’t be in a better spot,” McCarthy said. 

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That will be the matchup in Houston next Monday for the College Football Playoff National Championship. It will pit two unbeaten conference champions against one another, and DeBoer said the excitement has set in.

“We are back in Seattle just honored to be representing our team here in the national championship,” DeBoer said. “Just congratulations and tip of the hat to coach Harbaugh and Michigan and the amazing season they’ve had and just a lot of domination all year long and a well-fought win against Alabama in the Rose Bowl. So we are looking forward to the challenge, looking forward to everything that comes along with the national championship here in the days ahead, and our preparation, especially with the coaching staff and the game planning, is going strong and ready in a couple of days when we’ll be back down in Houston and really looking forward to that time down there.”

READ: Former Oregon QB Ty Thompson to transfer to Tulane

DeBoer and the Huskies earned a 14-0 record after holding off No. 3 Texas’ comeback efforts in the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl. Shortly before that game, Harbaugh and the Wolverines emerged victorious in overtime over Nick Saban and No. 4 Alabama.

Harbaugh said the message remains the same to the Wolverines in the days leading up to the CFP National Championship.

“Thinking more about the here and now for sure so take a look at Washington. They’re an outstanding football team,” Harbaugh said. “It’s just a very one-track mind of today getting our team prepared, getting back moving around, but also schematically on to what Washington does and preliminary plans for putting in our game plan.”

Harbaugh and Michigan have gone through a season mired in controversy. He’s spent six games suspended for recruiting violations and the Big Ten’s investiation into in-person scouting.

The NCAA is in an ongoing investigation into the in-person scouting efforts led by former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions. Whether this season or a potential national title is vacated remains to be seen, but that’s not what Harbaugh is thinking about right now.

“Getting ready for this game, one-track mind,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, that’s, I guess you’re going to live in the room, world of rumor-ville or speculation, but we just don’t really have any room to be doing that at this point. That’s time spent elsewhere.”

Harbaugh and the Wolverines will turn their focus to the Heisman Trophy runner-up in Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Penix beat the Wolverines 38-21 during his third season at Indiana in 2020. He threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns, and Penix and the Hoosiers finished that season No. 11 in the final CFP rankings.

Penix’s left-handed throw is among the best in college football. His skill set stands out to Harbaugh, who has history with Penix.

“He’s a super great player,” Harbaugh said. “My impressions of him when he played in Indiana were the same. I mean big-time arm talent, tremendous pressure, presence, I mean, presence in the pocket, sees the field really well. He is so polished. Watching him and his accuracy, decision-making, timing. He has really just continued to have this tremendous presence of going through progression, feels pressure will drop it off to a check down. Yeah, it’s at an elite level.”

READ: Reports: Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa enters transfer portal

Injuries have bitten Penix’s career at points. Knee and shoulder surgeries had forced Penix to find opportunity elsewhere from Indiana, and he landed at Washington before the 2022 season.

DeBoer said there “may be” some flashbacks for Penix when he lines up to play Michigan for a second time in his career, only this time it will be for all the marbles in the CFP National Championship.

“I think it’s just a whole different thing that he’s involved with now being here at U-Dub and his teammates and the confidence he has in them and that they have in him as well,” DeBoer said. “I think it’s all about right now, but if you were playing in their stadium maybe there would be some familiarity that would help him feel good about it but we’re playing down in Houston. I mean, maybe the colors across from him would be something to bring back some memories pretty quickly. But I think right now he’s also just in the moment focused on our program and the opportunity at hand.”

Penix has led some successful drives that have paid off huge this season for Washington.

He led the Huskies on a comeback in the first game this year against Oregon Week 7, helping Washington win 36-33, and also conjured up more magic against the Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

Those moments will be etched in history and within Penix’s highlight reel for when he decides to turn pro. For now, though, a collection of moments defines this season, including the final minutes of the Week 7 matchup against Oregon, according to DeBoer.

“I know that’s more than one play, but that’s, to me, that span of just a few minutes, just the trajectory we were on and just how that kind of propelled us into kind of taking over the top spot in the conference,” DeBoer said. “So it’s not one play, but it’s just a group of things that have happened in the Pac 12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl. Just the way the guys work through third and fourth quarters, just keep trying and keep fighting, and each piece adds to the experiences we have and the way they trust and believe in each other on another level.”

READ: Former Kansas State QB Will Howard to transfer to Ohio State

Washington is playing for its first national title since 1991, and Michigan is playing for its first since 1997.

Both teams took very different courses this season to get where they are today, and yet, they’re similar in some regards. Both unbeaten, both led by high-powered offenses complemented by strong defenses, and both conference champions.

Something has to give on Monday. The focus for both teams will remain on staying present and prepared, DeBoer said.

“I think this year where we’re at right now in the season that this is all about, really, us representing the Pac-12 and going to win a national championship for our program and finishing off this season for this group of guys that have worked really hard,” DeBoer said. “I think it’s all about this moment and this game and what it means for our program to be participating and have a chance to win a national championship.”

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The Big Ten opened its investigation in October after it was notified by the NCAA of alleged sign stealing. Michigan has since fired staff member Connor Stalions, who purchased tickets to at least 30 games over the past two seasons including the 2021 and 2022 Southeastern Conference championship games, after the announcements of the investigations. 

“The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to student-athletes, sportsmanship and the Commissioner’s duty to protect the integrity of competition will never waver,” the Big Ten stated in a release. “Today’s decision by the University of Michigan to withdraw its legal challenge against the Conference’s November 10th Notice of Disciplinary Action is indicative of the high standards and values that the Conference and the University seek to uphold. The University of Michigan is a valued member of the Big Ten Conference and the Conference will continue to work cooperatively with the University and the NCAA during this process.” 

PODCAST: Week 12 could shape up conference championship game match-ups

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Michigan has accepted its discipline that head coach Jim Harbaugh will not be allowed to coach on the sidelines for the remainder of the regular season. 

Harbaugh was suspended the first three games of the season after alleged Level II NCAA violations that Harbaugh and his staff met with recruits during a “so-called dead period,” and for providing false statements to investigators. 

“This morning, the University, Coach Harbaugh, and the Big Ten resolved their pending litigation,” the Michigan release stated via Thamel. “The Conference agreed to close its investigation, and the University and Coach Harbaugh agreed to accept the three-game suspension. Coach Harbaugh, with the University’s support, decided to accept this sanction to return the focus to our student-athletes and their performance on the field.” 

READ: Big Board: Week 12

Michigan will close out the regular season at Maryland before hosting No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 25. 

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The conference handed out discipline to the Michigan program after alleged sign stealing involving a since-fired staff member, Connor Stalions. Stalions allegedly purchased tickets to at least 30 games since the 2021 season, including the past two Southeastern Conference championship games. 

PODCAST: November crowns champions and who will step up in week 11?

The Big Ten found that Michigan had conducted “an impermissible, in-person scouting operation over multiple years, resulting in an unfair competitive advantage that compromised the integrity of competition,” according to a release. 

Harbaugh will not be allowed on the sidelines for the final three regular-season games, including the final one against No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 25. 

“This disciplinary action shall not preclude the University or its football team from having its Head Football Coach attend practices or other football team activities other than the game activities to which it applies,” the release stated. “For clarity, the Head Football Coach shall not be present at the game venue on the dates of the games to which this disciplinary action applies.” 

READ: With streaks abound, Kiffin says ‘cardiac kids’ at No. 9 Ole Miss could surprise No. 2 Georgia

Michigan stated it intends to seek a temporary restraining order to allow Harbaugh to continue coaching, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. 

“Like all members of the Big Ten Conference, we are entitled to a fair, deliberate, and thoughtful process to determine the full set of facts before a judgment is rendered,” Michigan stated. “Today’s action by Commissioner Tony Petitti disregards the Conference’s own handbook, violates basic tenets of due process, and sets an untenable precedent of assessing penalties before an investigation has been completed. We are dismayed at the Commissioner’s rush to judgment when there is an ongoing NCAA investigation — one in which we are fully cooperating. Commissioner Petitti’s hasty action today suggests that this is more about reacting to pressure from other Conference members than a desire to apply the rules fairly and impartially. By taking this action at this hour, the Commissioner is personally inserting himself onto the sidelines and altering the level playing field that he is claiming to preserve. And, doing so on Veteran’s Day — a court holiday — to ty to thwart the University from seeking immediate judicial relief is hardly a profile in impartiality. To ensure fairness in the process, we intend to seek a court order, together with Coach Harbaugh, preventing this disciplinary action from taking effect.” 

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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The top-four went unchanged after the initial CFP rankings had No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State all in their first ballot. 

PODCAST: Week 10 did not disappoint

After the committee cast its second rankings, the top-four remained the same. Changes were made to the back end of the top-10, however, as Ole Miss rose to No. 9 and Penn State climbed to No. 10. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

A look at the Southeastern Conference title picture 

As the conference championship season draws nearer, things in the SEC are shaping up to come down to the wire. 

Like last week, when the Big Board took a look at the Big 12 championship picture, the SEC has a lot of moving parts. 

Sitting atop the East Division is 9-0 Georgia which boasts a 6-0 conference record. The Bulldogs should have the division all but locked up, as a second-place tie between Missouri and Tennessee have them both 3-2 in conference play. 

On the other side of the conference in the West Division, things are a bit muddier. Alabama is currently is first place with a perfect 6-0 record. 

But right behind the Crimson Tide is 5-1 Ole Miss, which has a date with Georgia on Saturday. The Crimson Tide last week defeated LSU which is in third place in the West Division, so Alabama has a good grip on the division. 

READ: Quotables: Week 10

As things stand, it could come down to an Alabama-Georgia matchup in the SEC title game for the second time in three years. 

An update on the Michigan sign stealing investigation 

Every day there seems to be something new uncovered in the NCAA’s investigation into alleged sign stealing by the Michigan football program. 

Over the weekend, Connor Stalions, the subject of the sign stealing investigation and who purchased tickets to over 30 games over the past three seasons, resigned from the Michigan program, according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. 

Last week, Big Ten athletics directors and coaches met with commissioner Tony Petitti to discuss the ongoing NCAA investigation. There was a sense of a change in tenor in the meetings focused on discipline of the Wolverines program. 

According to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic, “Michigan sent the Big Ten and NCAA documents it says show that Ohio State and Rutgers communicated the Wolverines’ signals to Purdue ahead of the 2022 Big Ten title game.” 

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN on Monday, “any action by the Big Ten in the Michigan sign stealing case for at least the next 48 hours” is unexpected. The Big Ten could take action under its sportsmanship policy, though “they’ll be a legal battle if there’s a punitive suspention by the Big Ten to Jim Harbaugh.” 

Bo Nix, Oregon 

There were plenty of touchdowns coming Bo Nix’s way last Saturday. 

The Oregon quarterback accounted for six touchdowns against Cal, throwing for four and rushing for two more. It set a career-high for the fifth-year gunslinger. 

Nix had touchdown passes of 48, 14, 7 and 4 yards, and he ran in scores from 1 yard out twice. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 10

Oregon’s offense is firing on all cylinders under Nix and head coach Dan Lanning. The Ducks have the No. 1 scoring offense averaging 47.4 points per game and the No. 2 total offense averaging 538.7 yards per game behind LSU. 

The Ducks will face USC, Arizona State and Oregon State to round out the regular season over the next three weeks. They’re currently second in the Pac-12 standings and have a shot to make it to the conference title game. 

Nix’s current Heisman Trophy odds are +180, which are the second-best odds behind only Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. 

The post Big Board: Week 11  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Big Ten athletic directors and coaches have met on video calls in recent weeks, and Thursday struck a bit of a different tune according to multiple reports.

PODCAST: Calculated Risk: Previewing a week 10 with plenty of intrigue

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Big Ten athletic directors “met with commissioner Tony Petitti on a video call Thursday” and “the athletic directors left the call with the notion that Petitti is taking the Big Ten’s ability to punish Michigan over the allegations more seriously than before.”  

The Thursday meeting “took on a distinctly different tenor than when they met a week ago,” according to Thamel, and the athletic directors left with the message that “the conference needs to step up.” The meeting also took place without Michigan athletics director Warde Manuel present. 

The NCAA launched an investigation in October into Michigan regarding alleged sign stealing, and staff member Connor Stalions was suspended with pay. 

READ: CFP Chair Corrigan talks top-six, Michigan investigation after first rankings

According to Thamel, Stalions bought tickets to at least 30 games at least 11 Big Ten schools in the past three seasons, and tickets were also bought for the 2021 and 2022 Southeastern Conference championship games. 

Petitti and the Big Ten could look into whether Michigan violated the conference’s sportsmanship policy amid allegations of sign stealing. 

Purdue head coach Ryan Walters spoke during The Ryan Walters Show about the alleged Michigan sign stealing, and he brought up an interesting perspective that his team has had to take on. 

“It’s unfortunate, and what’s crazy is they aren’t allegations, like, it happened,” Walters said. “There’s video evidence. There’s ticket purchases and sales that you can track back, and we know for a fact that they were at a number of our games. And so we’ve had to teach our guys a new language in terms of some signals, and we will operate differently offensively like you might see us in a huddle for the first time this season so it is it is what it is, but we’re excited to go play and I think it’ll make for a great story.” 

READ: Preview Thursday: Week 10

Walters and the Boilermakers will face No. 3 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Saturday, and Purdue already seems to have taken steps as a result of reports surrounding the sign stealing investigation. 

No potential punishment was discussed among Big Ten athletic directors, according to Thamel. Petitti has spoken with the NCAA about its own investigation. 

The post Reports: Big Ten ADs ‘sense a change in tenor’ from commissioner Petitti regarding Michigan sign stealing investigation   appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Buckeyes are followed in the CFP rankings by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State. No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oregon are right behind. 

PODCAST: Lance Leipold is the Exact Opposite of Deion Sanders

In somewhat of a surprise in the rankings, Oklahoma is No. 9 after suffering its first defeat of the season last week to No. 20 Kansas. The Sooners are behind No. 7 Texas, which they beat earlier this season. 

Also, Missouri checked in at No. 12, its highest CFP ranking since 2014. The Tigers were placed ahead of No. 14 LSU despite the Bayou Tigers having beaten Missouri already this season on the road. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Looking at the Big 12 Conference title picture 

The conference championship picture is coming into focus, albeit some are more clear than others. 

In the Big 12, there are five teams currently tied atop the standings: Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. 

All five teams have a 4-1 record in conference play. The Beavers have the longest current winning streak at four games. 

No. 25 Kansas State and No. 7 Texas will meet on Saturday in a ranked showdown that will have big Big 12 conference title implications. Both enter on winning streaks of multiple games. And Texas has the edge with a 7-1 overall record to the Wildcats’ 6-2 mark. 

Conference records will matter when it comes to which teams will match up in the Big 12 title game. As it stands, Iowa State has a 5-3 record while each of the four teams it is tied with own better records. 

READ: Quotables: Week 9

Oklahoma and Texas could meet in a rematch come the end of the season. The Sooners topped the Longhorns 34-30 in Week 6. 

But the Sooners stumbled for the first time last week. They lost to a hot Kansas team that ran for four touchdowns, and the Jayhawks are bowl eligible for the second-straight season. 

There is still plenty to sort out with the Big 12 title picture, and the scene will get clearer this week. 

An update on the Michigan sign stealing investigation 

It appears there is still a long way to go in the alleged Michigan sign stealing investigation by the NCAA. 

According to Adam Rittenberg and Pete Thamel of ESPN, Central Michigan is “investigating photos that show a man resembling Michigan Wolverines staff member Connor Stalions on its sideline for the Sept. 1 opener at Michigan State.” 

Reports had surfaced whether or not Harbaugh had been offered an extension recently. According to Andrew Beaton and Rachel Bachman of the Wall Street Journal, “The University of Michigan has rescinded a new contract offer for head football coach Jim Harbaugh in the wake of a sign-stealing scandal.”  

Harbaugh said on Monday that it’s not accurate that Michigan rescinded a contract extension offer. 

Last week, head coaches around college football spoke on the topic of sign stealing and how prevalent it happens in the game. Some coaches, like Colorado’s Deion Sanders, said teams still have to stop opposing teams on the field of play even if the suspicion of stolen signs is there, and others, like Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, said sign stealing happens “every game” and he advocated for increased technology on the sidelines. 

Jordan Travis, Florida State 

An early season Heisman Trophy hopeful, Florida State’s Jordan Travis is seemingly clicking at just the right time for the Seminoles. 

Travis set new season-highs in a number of categories last week against Wake Forest. The fifth-year quarterback threw 359 yards including an 80-yard heave against the Demon Deacons. 

In the second quarter alone, Travis tossed three touchdown passes of at least 14 yards. He finished completing 62.9% of his passes, the fourth-best mark of the season for him. 

Travis currently has 2,109 passing yards and 18 passing touchdowns. His legs also serve as a valuable and dangerous weapon as he has 205 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and the latter is second-most at Florida State. 

READ: Reports: Iowa AD Goetz announces OC Brian Ferentz won’t return at end of season

The Seminoles are riding a 14-game winning streak dating back to last season, and they’ve done so largely thanks to their quarterback Travis. They have several more tests this season coming particularly against Miami and Florida to round out the regular season. 

Travis’ current Heisman odds are +750, which are the fifth-best odds according to FanDuel Sportsbook. 

The post Big Board: Week 10  appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The NCAA launched an investigation into the University of Michigan football program into alleged sign stealing, and the Big Ten Conference released a statement Oct. 19 stating it was notified by the NCAA of the investigation. 

PODCAST: Who Should Be on Upset Alert This Weekend?

Athletics director Warde Manuel and the Wolverines athletics department suspended football staff member Connor Stalions with pay on Oct. 20. Stalions was named in an ESPN report as the “person of interest in the investigation into whether No. 2-ranked Michigan violation an NCAA rule by scouting future opponents in person at games,” which has been prohibited since 1994. 

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Stalions bought tickets to “more than 30 games at 11 Big Ten schools over the past three years,” and “video evidence of sideline taping is expected to be sent to the NCAA this week, caught by stadium surveillance this year.” 

According to Marc Givler of Buckeye Huddle, Stalions also “purchased a ticket to a Clemson home football game during the 2022 regular season.” This shows that the scope of the alleged sign stealing extended beyond just the Big Ten. 

Thamel also reported that Stalions bought tickets for games among at least four schools outside the Big Ten, including the 2021 and 2022 Southeastern Conference Championship games. 

According to Will Hobson of The Washington Post, “an outside investigative firm approached the NCAA with documents and videos the firm said it had obtained from computer drives maintained and accessed by multiple Michigan coaches.” 

Furthermore, “Among the pieces of evidence the firm presented, those people said, was a detailed schedule of Michigan’s planned sign-stealing travel for the rest of this season, listing opponents’ schedules, which games Michigan scouts would attend and how much money was budgeted for travel and tickets to scout each team,” according to The Washington Post. 

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh released a statement Oct. 19, and it can be found below via ESPN. 

“I want to make it clear that I, and my staff, will fully cooperate with the investigation into this matter,” Harbaugh stated. “I do not have any 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. I do not condone or tolerate anyone doing anything illegal or against NCAA rules. No matter what program or organization that I have led throughout my career, my instructions and awareness of how we scout opponents have always been firmly within the rules. Pursuant to NCAA rules, I will not be able to comment further while this investigation takes place.” 

According to Thamel on Thursday, NCAA enforcement staff “have been at the University of Michigan this week to look into the sign-stealing probe,” and Thamel posted that it is “an indication of the priority the case has taken.” 

What other coaches are saying about sign stealing in college football 

Sign stealing is prevalent in football. It happens at levels from youth all the way up to the professional ranks. 

Where it can be considered illegal and not part of the game extends beyond traditional methods of scouting. 

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Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said he didn’t want to get into the investigation going on up at Michigan, instead choosing to focus on this week’s game at Wisconsin. 

“That’s just something I don’t want to get into right now,” Day said. 

But that doesn’t mean other coaches aren’t talking about sign stealing in college football. 

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took an interesting approach when discussing the length and breadth of sign stealing in not just football but baseball, too. 

“I mean everyone’s trying to get an edge,” Sanders said. “I mean, everyone’s trying to get whatever edge they can. You could have someone’s whole game plan — they could mail it to you — you still got to stop it. You still got to stop it, so in football it’s not as pronounced as baseball. If I know a curveball is coming, I got you. With football I don’t give a darn if you know a sweep is coming. You still got to stop it. Physically. It’s a physical game. You got to stop it, so that’s a little tough. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff that someone’s stealing, they’re stealing that. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff. You still got to play the game.” 

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said “people are finding all different kinds of ways to prevent it and to try to gain a competitive advantage” when it comes to sign stealing. He said “with tempo and pace” it makes it difficult to decipher opposing signs, and there are individuals with signs shielding them on the sidelines from giving their opponents any sort of leg up. 

Venables said he’s sure sign stealing is part of college football, and that means coaches must be proactive. 

“I think you’d be naive and negligent if you’re always not aware of the potential,” Venables said. “That’s why, again, from whether it’s year to year or it’s week to week, since I’ve been coaching as long as there’s been signaling where you’re always on both sides of the ball, always changing up your signals and things of that nature. Even the hand signals on the field that the players will do amongst each other.” 

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Georgia head coach Kirby Smart also spoke on the topic of sign stealing, and he recalled being with his father scouting opposing teams when he was younger. Here is Smart’s full quote. 

“I’ve never heard of anybody going to the games to watch and film and do all that, all the stuff that’s going on, everybody’s talking about,” Smart said. “I don’t know anybody that’s ever done that or I’ve never been asked to do that as a young coach or known anybody to do that. I’ve never heard of that. In high school football, I grew up my dad. We’d go watch other teams play. That was part of what you did. You didn’t watch the other team play. You sat out there with four other coaches and you drew up their plays while they were doing it. That’s pre-cell phone and probably pre-signals because they were sending people in or the coach with send them in with signals. That was a long time ago. But 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 wait on somebody to tell me what they thought they got and I’m trying to think about what the best call for this situation is. And you’re relying on misinformation or something that’s not very reliable. So I don’t, I don’t know. I mean, there’s times that people have said they’ve had our signals in-game and they knew this or that and you talk to the team that you played last and sometimes when you’re not going to play that team again, they share what they might have had on you and things like that so I’ve heard of it in-game. But a lot of times you can know the signal and still not do it right. It’s kind of a joke we have is you know what play is come in and you mess it up, and I’ve laughed with coaches about that before.” 

The Bulldogs also recently played Michigan during the College Football Playoff semifinals in the 2021 season. Georgia beat the Wolverines 34-11 during the Orange Bowl, and later went on to win the first of back-to-back national championships. 

Smart said he “didn’t notice anything or know anything” prior to the Orange Bowl when his team played Michigan.  

“Nobody we talked to warned us or any of that,” Smart said. “I think everybody we play they say, ‘They steal your signals.’ I mean, we play somebody they’re always like they’re great at stealing your signals. But what they’re referencing is different than stealing them. I mean they’re coming and they’re talking about people, someone, coming to film on that’s completely different, but 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.” 

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has a unique lens into anything related to sign stealing. He spent parts of three seasons as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers in the NFL from 2020-22, and that came after head coaching stops at Temple and Baylor. 

Rhule was honest as he could be when discussing sign stealing, even noting that it happens “every game.” But what Rhule wanted to emphasize was the difference between sideline technology in the NFL compared to college football. 

Rhule, among other head coaches, wants to see helmet technology installed inside the quarterback’s helmet. Here is Rhule’s full quote. 

“Sign stealing happens every game,” Rhule said. “There’s nothing wrong with teams over there looking over trying to steal our signs. There’s nothing wrong with us trying to look at their signs. That’s why you should have mics in the helmets, right? Like all these coaches that vote against it every year, it’s because they don’t want to teach their quarterback. You know, in the NFL the quarterback goes out there with three play calls because if I see the free safety’s foot like that, it might be one-high, I’m going to check to this play, but you get the college and you’re watching the game on a Tuesday night and they got the signal and they’re just calling the play. So it’s what makes college football to me, it’s why they score more points, but it’s also why the kids are less prepared. So that’s why there should be, 100% should be (helmet technology). They could get rid of all the stupid signs on the sidelines and we could get pictures of rock stars and all that stuff and we could just play football the way it was meant to be. You go to a high school game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to NFL game, there’s technology on the sideline. You go to a college, there’s nothing. It should be that. But that’s sign stealing. I would not carry that over to going and filming someone else’s practices or something like that or filming someone else’s games. That’s completely something different. I’m not saying that that happened. But I think what’s wrong partly in our society right now sometimes as we say someone does something against the rules, and sports need rules, right? Sports need rules to keep competitive balance, and when someone does something against the rules, we say, well, should that really even be a rule? And it is the rule. That’s the rule, right? Like I didn’t get to play with – we don’t get five downs. So but in-game, stealing of signs, when I play against somebody and I know that person has friends on the next staff, I know if they have our signs, they’re having it the next week, that’s all part of the game and you have to do what you do. We should absolutely have technology. But if there’s a rule, the rule should be followed. And I’m not speaking about what’s happening right now because I don’t know what happened. But if that is happening somewhere, it’s completely, completely wrong.” 

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And, similar to Smart, Rhule said he hasn’t heard nor suspected anything regarding the ongoing Michigan sign stealing investigation. 

“No one from the Big Ten or NCAA has asked me anything yet, so I’m not going to probably comment on anything like that,” Rhule said. “I would never want to cache to somebody else going through a hard time. I don’t know anything.” 

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