"Stealing signs is a big part of college football" - CFB podcaster drops controversial take on Michigan's alleged NCAA violations

Michigan has found itself engulfed in another controversy this season with the allegation of stealing signs. The NCAA has launched an investigation against the Wolverines after it received reports that the program is conducting in-person scouting at future opponents’ games.

However, college football analyst Jake Crain claims the alleged violations done by the Wolverines are no big deal as many teams are also involved in a similar act. He believes stealing opponent's signs has grown to become a part of the game at the collegiate level over the years.

"You all know we're going to tell you the truth, so I'm going to go ahead and say the quiet part out loud," Crain said on his podcast 'Crain & Company.'

"Stealing signs is a big part of the game in college football and sports in general. There are multiple ways to do it, some are not as coordinated as others."

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Michigan is not alone in this

Jake Crain further claims that stealing signs goes beyond the college football level. He noted that a good number of high school teams have also broken the bylaw and sent individuals to decipher opponent's signals.

“Pretty much everyone, especially the higher levels you go in this game, steals signs," Crain said. "A lot of college teams and high school teams have broken the bylaws of their organizations and sent people to figure out opposing future team signs at their games.”

While he agrees that Michigan broke NCAA rules, which have been in place since 1994, Crain is of the opinion that the rule shouldn't exist in the game anymore. Many analysts believe this rule is outdated and should be removed from college football. Crain said:

“You can say on one hand that it's true that they broke the rule at Michigan allegedly, but is it truly a rule if everyone is breaking it? The fact is this shouldn't be a rule, at least this part of it.”

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A direct target at Jim Harbaugh?

With Michigan facing another allegation after the recruitment violation controversy, Jake Crain questions why the NCAA is singling out Jim Harbaugh for scrutinization. He said:

“The bigger question is why the NCAA is singling out Jim Harbaugh again. Did he steal one of their girls? Did he call one of their children fat? Did everybody at the NCAA infractions committee graduate from Michigan State or Ohio State?”

Jim Harbaugh served a self-imposed three-game suspension at the beginning of the 2023 college football season for a low-level recruitment infraction. The school could vacate its wins and championships in the last two seasons if found guilty.

The No. 2 Michigan Wolverines are 8-0 (5-0 Big Ten) and host the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday, Nov. 4.