Tim Brando Issues Stern Warning to Sherrone Moore as Joey Velazquez Saga Triggers More Michigan Controversy

The Michigan Wolverines’ 2025 season could have derailed before it even started. Just weeks before Bryce Underwood’s outing, the program was slapped with a $30 million fine over the sign-stealing scandal. However, the Week 1 game against New Mexico went without any hiccups. Their freshman QB had a solid win and a great start to his CFB career. If that wasn’t the bonanza to hype the fanbase, the NCAA, in its report over the scandal, has backtracked from some of its earlier claims. That hasn’t found airwaves in the national media. All that could change, as per Tim Brando.

The sign-stealing scandal also brought with it an intense investigation of Michigan’s activities and testimonies from several players. One such testimony, from an undisclosed Michigan player, led to the firing of then-Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge. It was alleged by the player that the coach instructed the team’s players to lie in their testimonies. However, there’s a twist in the tale, and it seems Partridge’s firing should never have happened.

The NCAA, in its 79-page final ruling, did acknowledge Michigan’s sign-stealing infractions. But the report also mentioned that “some of the witnesses’ statements are not as credible as others.” Moreover, according to a source accessed by CBS News, Detroit said that the “unreliable” witness was a student athlete. And while for now, it’s only creating a significant buzz in Michigan circles, according to veteran FOX announcer Tim Brando, the news will travel if Michigan wins against Oklahoma.

Brando appeared in a video with David Cone and talked about how Michigan could turn the perception in their favor. “I don’t think it’s a major story yet, but it could become one day,” said Tim Brando, and went on to predict media coverage of the story if Michigan wins in Week 2. “Right now, it is a centralized Michigan-only story. In time, particularly if Michigan happens to beat Oklahoma and they continue to be a national factor. I don’t think a lot of people expect that this year, I know I don’t, but if they do, then you can bet that’ll creep back into the news,” said Tim Brando. 

Brando’s logic is simple. You check the national media, and the discussions are dominated by Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Florida State, and Miami. Some of those teams went deep in the playoffs last year. More importantly, their Week 1 games were against ranked teams, and the results were interesting, to say the least. Michigan, on the other hand, found some media attention only when the NCAA report came out. But that attention can return if they beat Oklahoma, which will be a sign that the Wolverines are a team to watch for this season.

The saga is not dying in the Michigan circles because people are speculating about the student-athlete’s name. Jacob Tilley, a Michigan Insider, alleged the involvement of former Michigan player Joey Velazquez, who moved to Ohio State from Michigan on a transfer. “This player is suspected to be Ohio State player Joey Velazquez,” wrote Tilley. However, this claim is just social media hearsay at the moment. No one has provided any proof that Valazquez was actually the one called out by the NCAA in its report.

Tim Brando calls for a change in the NCAA’s functioning

The NCAA has been widely criticized for its bureaucratic and slow process in finalizing decisions. Even when the Michigan decision came, it took the NCAA more than two years, and even then, the decision wasn’t without its flaws. For instance, many pointed out the arbitrary nature of the NCAA in handing out judgments, as opposed to what they did with Ohio State in 2012 or USC after the Reggie Bush scandal. All of these instances are probably the reason why even Tim Brando called for changes in the functioning of the NCAA.

“I’ve always scoffed at some of this, you know, crap that’s out there all the time about what’s going on. And the media gets some help in these negative stories because the NCAA helps them, so you can’t fully blame the media. It’s another one of the reasons why i’d like to see the NCAA completely moved completely, get away from as fast as you can right now,” declared Tim Brando. The NCAA has undoubtedly been under scrutiny due to some of its recent leaks.

Just last year, we saw a high-profile leak by the NCAA when Brett McMurphy of Action Network posted about SMU’s selection even before the results were announced. This led to the CFP executive director expressing betrayal from within; however, the source of the leak was still unknown. The NCAA, without a comprehensive change, will remain a sore point for different entities, and maybe what is needed is finally a college football commissioner.