In its response to the Big Ten’s notice of allegations earlier this week, Michigan argued that its sign-stealing scheme orchestrated by Connor Stalions wasn’t necessarily any worse than the sign-stealing practices deployed by other schools around the conference.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti strongly rejected that notion in his official notice of disciplinary action to Michigan on Friday, when the conference announced it was suspending Jim Harbaugh from coaching in games for the remainder of the regular season.
In Michigan’s formal response that it submitted to the Big Ten on Wednesday, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel wrote that “the Conference should act cautiously when setting precedent given the reality that in-person scouting, collusion among opponents, and other questionable practices may well be far more prevalent than believed.