The Michigan Wolverines are currently facing an NCAA investigation for allegations of sign-stealing, and legendary college football head coach Bob Stoops is furious about it.
During a recent appearance on the Morning Animals radio show, Bob Stoops blasted Michigan for what is being alleged and dispelled the notion that this is something every school does and that it’s pervasive throughout the league.
“If it’s true, oh, absolutely [it is a big deal]. That’s ridiculous,” Stoops said in an appearance on the Morning Animals radio show. “Everyone (saying), ‘Oh, it happens all the time!’ No, it doesn’t. I’ve never heard of that. In all my years of football and every team I’ve ever been on, sure, do we look across the field and if you can see it, that’s your job to do. You know what I’m saying, if I’m able to just in my plain eye look over there and know what they’re doing, I should be doing that.
“But to video people and to send people to scout and marry up a signal with the play … No, no, no. That’s terrible. It goes against everything we’re about. That’s wrong, if it happened.”
Stoops went on to recall a time when he personally benefitted from knowing the play-calling signals of the late Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Mike Leach before explaining what makes the Michigan situation far more unique and nefarious.
“I’m not saying it did (happen with Michigan), but I’ve never heard of that. I’ve never been around anybody who’s done it,” said Stoops, a national title-winning, College Football Hall of Famer. “Now, look, I looked across and I knew Mike Leach’s signals and he was bold enough not to change them. We would call out what they were running. You know, he was like, ‘Well, they still can’t stop it.’ We did plenty, but that’s different.
“You can see anything without filming and going to scout, but that’s a different deal. You do that, that’s as wrong as it gets.”
It’s not clear what sort of punishment – if any – Michigan would be facing as a result of this investigation.
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