What are NCAA rules on sign stealing? Exploring NCAA bylaws in the light of Michigan sign-stealing scandal

The Michigan Wolverines are at the center of another messy scandal in college football after barely sweeping the recruitment violations charge under the carpet a few weeks ago.

The NCAA does not expressly forbid sign-stealing, which is a common practice, but it becomes illegal when teams send in-person scouts to opponents' games. This aspect was outlawed in 1994.

Another factor in the NCAA's bylaw 11.6.1 that makes sign-stealing illegal is the presence of a video recording device by scouts. The bylaws also forbid teams from employing scouts to carry out the exercise.

According to the NCAA bylaws:

"Any attempt to record, either through audio or video means, any signals given by an opposing player, coach or other team personnel is prohibited."

The investigation against the Wolverines will go through the NCAA infractions process.

The case against the Michigan Wolverines and Connor Stalions

The incriminating evidence against Michigan and Connor Stalions was the presence of a video camera during the in-person scouting missions, which turns a grey area into extremely black and is expressly forbidden by the NCAA.

An Ohio State staff member spoke to Yahoo Sports and said that the Buckeyes were even forced to change tactics going into last year's game against the Wolverines due to the reputation of their sign-stealing scout, Connor Stalions.

The staff member said:

“We heard they had a guy pick plays pretty good and had all this information from not your typical ways of getting the signals. We get into the game and it’s the second quarter. I see him across the field and he’s checking his 11x17 sheet.”

The ambitious Connor Stalions

Not only is Connor Stalions trying to take over the Michigan football program via a 600-page document dubbed "The Michigan Manifesto," but he has also spread his influence to two junior-level staffers at different football programs.

According to a Sports Illustrated report, text messages between Stalions and a former student at a Power 5 school offer a peek at the ambitions of the Wolverines analyst.

Stalions wrote:

“I think it’s pretty rare to find the right type of people who can grasp a vision of the future and want to team up and run s---. And we all got our own stuff goin on, but we all got some pretty unique approaches.

"Basically the way I see it, there’s a future Ohio State head coach and staff out there somewhere preparing for it whether they know it or not. And we have a group of a half dozen actively planning s--- 15 or so years out. And another dozen or two on board. So by the time it’s ready to rock, we’re all on the same page and we quickly make Michigan the ultimate standard.”

It is clear that Connor Stalions has grand plans for the future, and he sees himself at the head of the Wolverines program a la embattled coach Jim Harbaugh in that future.