Despite their 2023 natty win, Michigan is still recovering from a shocking sign-stealing scandal that started with a lower-level staffer and ended up shaking the whole program. The man at the center of it all, Connor Stalions, the Michigan analyst accused of running a high-tech operation to steal opponents’ play signals, allegedly sent friends and family all over the country to film opposing teams’ sideline signals and then used that footage to crack their codes. How clever. But, there’s a wilder story about him pretending to be a booster to sneak into a Central Michigan game. The NCAA got involved, and Stalions ended up resigning in November 2023, but not before Michigan’s season became legendary for all the wrong reasons.

In a since-deleted Netflix documentary pitch, Stalions allegedly tried to minimize the extent of the scheme—only to incriminate himself further, according to some observers. The NCAA penalized the Wolverines with 11 infractions, six of which were Level I—the most severe type. The administration attempted to get out in front of the storm by suspending first-year head coach Sherrone Moore for two games in 2025. Why Moore? He was the offensive coordinator in 2023 and supposedly deleted a chain of 52 text messages with Stalions after the news broke. Despite the eventual recovery of those texts, the NCAA was not happy and labeled Moore with a Level II violation. Michigan’s response?

They’re pushing back, a 137-page response, calling the NCAA’s allegations “wildly overcharging” and stating that there is no evidence any other staff members or former head coach Jim Harbaugh were aware of Stalions’ behavior.

And here’s where the tale takes a twist fit for a Netflix drama: Connor Stalions himself appeared at the NCAA hearing on June 6, 2025, in Indianapolis, according to tweets by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde. “Here is yet another plot twist to the Michigan case: It appears Connor Stalions himself is in attendance this morning. (Sorry to all interested parties, including myself, but the hearing is closed to the public and the media).”

The behind-closed-doors hearing at NCAA headquarters was the second-to-last battle in this saga, with Michigan and NCAA Enforcement officials going head-to-head before the Division I Committee on Infractions. Stallion shocked everyone with his sudden appearance—he had mostly remained quiet since the scandal erupted, so his stroll into the room live and in person revealed a plot nobody foresaw. The NCAA is under pressure not only to address this case but also to prove it still has teeth, especially after years of struggling to enforce its rules and the recent approval of a $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement that will reshape athlete compensation.

Why would Stalions appear? Forde speculated that perhaps he assisted more with the NCAA investigation than initially believed, or maybe he’s trying to clear his name and stay involved in college football coaching. After all, Stalions is a high school coach in Detroit today, but if he’s going to go back to the college ranks—or defend the reputation of Michigan—being at the hearing is logical. The hearing itself was a high-stakes game. With 11 charges on the table, six of them Level I, the NCAA was eager to make an example of Michigan.

Some rival coaches agree, with one Power 4 head coach saying, “This was a major deal, and you can’t minimize it. It’s bad for college football… they need to get the hammer.” Another Group of 5 assistants added, “It’s blatant cheating… even knowing run or pass is a huge advantage.”

The school, however, countered that the NCAA was overly aggressive and that many of the allegations were exaggerated. Michigan insists that their on-field success after Stalions left the program—especially the national title—shouldn’t be erased or discredited. But even Michigan has acknowledged Moore’s potential wrongdoing, and critics argue the NCAA must respond forcefully if it hopes to maintain credibility.

The NCAA has yet to make its ultimate decision, but with Stalions sitting in the room itself, the drama is far from over. Fans and observers both are waiting to determine whether this hearing will finally put a lid on one of college football’s most bizarre cheating scandals—or merely add another chapter to the drama.

Fans react to Connor Stalions’ big return

The fans were quick to react to Connor Stalions’ appearance at the NCAA hearing, not in a good sense, to be honest; there’s a lot of merit (and some trolling) in those observations. One fan wrote, “This is his ultimate Michigan moment. Of course he was showing up!” That ain’t just fan bluster. For better or worse, Connor Stalions is now indelibly linked to Michigan football history. He is the main guy in a scandal that shook the program, the Big Ten, and college football as a whole. His appearance at the hearing is like a showrunner’s darling returning for the season finale. Either to defend himself, endorse Michigan, or simply bask in the drama.

Here’s another one. “Not like he has a job anyway lmaooooo.” Harsh, but not so far off the mark. Stalions quit Michigan in November 2023, and, though he’s coaching high school football in Detroit these days, according to reports, he’s far from what he used to be. Attending the hearing might be a smart play—perhaps he wants to clear himself of wrongdoing, or at least prove to future employers that he’s not afraid to face the fallout.

“Oh, it’s over for them!!! Connor about to body bag their whining and crying.” Now, this one’s brutal! But there’s some truth to it. Stalions know more about the supposed sign-stealing than anybody. If he’s cooperating with the NCAA, he might give testimony that benefits Michigan (by revealing the operation was a one-man show and not part of a larger conspiracy) or harms them (if he finger-points others or spills more beans).

“Maybe he’ll remember he was on the CMU sidelines now.” That notorious Central Michigan sideline affair, in which a suspiciously Stalions-like guy donned shades and equipment, remains one of the strangest moments in the saga. If someone swears at Stalions or asks him point-blank, we may at last hear the truth about what went down during that evening.