The saga of Michigan’s football program getting accused of stealing signs from opponents has taken another surreal twist.
On3.com’s Michigan site, The Wolverine, reported Friday that Michigan is “currently in possession of documents” which may link the investigation to Ryan Day’s brother, who runs a private investigative firm in New Hampshire.
Barstool Sports founder and Michigan grad Dave Portnoy previously amplified a similar report that was behind a paywall at 247Sports’ Michigan site.
“Are you saying that Third Base [his derisive nickname for Ryan Day] hired his own brother to investigate Michigan because he can’t beat us?” Portnoy asked last week.
“That’s what the internet is currently saying. I mean who would hire a private firm to investigate a college football team and rat them out? It almost makes too much sense.”
Sources with Michigan ties also alleged to On3 that information taken from the laptop of Connor Stalions — the former Marine implicated at the center of the scandal — and provided to the Washington Post was “obtained by gaining access to his computer illegally.”
The report said that law enforcement is looking into the matter.
As the sign-stealing controversy has raged on, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh issued a statement denying wrongdoing, saying that he hasn’t “directed any staff member or others to participate in an off-campus scouting assignment.”
“I have no awareness of anyone on our staff having done that or having directed that action,” Harbaugh continued.
Meanwhile, other Big Ten coaches have reportedly been urging conference commissioner Tony Petitti to take action against Michigan.
“Collectively, the coaches want the Big Ten to act — right now,” a source told ESPN. “What are we waiting on? We know what happened.”
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