Central Michigan is investigating whether suspended Michigan staffer Connor Stalions was on the CMU sideline during the Chippewas’ Sept. 1 game at Michigan State, the school said Tuesday. Screenshots of a person who looks similar to Stalions began circulating online Monday night, and The Athletic obtained more photos of the person on the sideline on Tuesday.
“We became aware of these photos late yesterday and we are in the process of determining the facts surrounding them,” CMU athletic director Amy Folan said in a statement provided to The Athletic. “As this process is ongoing, we have no further comment at this time.”
The Central Michigan staff has several former Michigan staffers, including head coach Jim McElwain, defensive backs coach Michael Zordich and quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, all of whom worked at Michigan while Stalions volunteered for the Wolverines.
“We obviously are aware of a picture floating around with the sign-stealer guy,” McElwain said Tuesday night after CMU’s game against Northern Illinois. “Our people are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. We’re totally unaware of it. I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape or form. I do know his name was on none of the passes that were let out. We keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out. It’s in good hands with our people. Again, there’s no place in football for that.”
The person resembling Stalions was seen on the FS1 broadcast in the CMU bench area, but typically away from most of the team and the coaches with on-field headsets. He wore sunglasses. The man was dressed in the same Adidas shirt, pants and shoes as most of the CMU staff and was wearing a visiting bench pass. He was often seen next to who appears to be the director of recruiting Michael McGee.
“We became aware of these photos late yesterday and we are in the process of determining the facts surrounding them,” CMU athletic director Amy Folan said in a statement provided to The Athletic. “As this process is ongoing, we have no further comment at this time.”
The Central Michigan staff has several former Michigan staffers, including head coach Jim McElwain, defensive backs coach Michael Zordich and quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, all of whom worked at Michigan while Stalions volunteered for the Wolverines.
“We obviously are aware of a picture floating around with the sign-stealer guy,” McElwain said Tuesday night after CMU’s game against Northern Illinois. “Our people are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. We’re totally unaware of it. I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape or form. I do know his name was on none of the passes that were let out. We keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out. It’s in good hands with our people. Again, there’s no place in football for that.”
The person resembling Stalions was seen on the FS1 broadcast in the CMU bench area, but typically away from most of the team and the coaches with on-field headsets. He wore sunglasses. The man was dressed in the same Adidas shirt, pants and shoes as most of the CMU staff and was wearing a visiting bench pass. He was often seen next to who appears to be the director of recruiting Michael McGee.
