Michigan’s latest off-field mess has only sharpened the contrast with Michigan State’s NCAA punishment, and the gap is hard to ignore.
For months, Wolverines fans have leaned on the “wins forfeited” graphic that includes Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State, using it as a jab at rivals who’ve already been hit by the NCAA. But Michigan’s own sign-stealing scandal has been treated far more lightly than many expected. The punishment handed down included fines, a short suspension for then-head coach Sherrone Moore, a 10-year NCAA “ban” for Jim Harbaugh, an eight-year ban for Connor Stalions, and four years of probation with lost official visits and limits on some recruiting communication.
For a case tied to one of the biggest scandals in college athletics, that looks light.
Michigan State’s case, by comparison, brought a $30,000 fine, a penalty equal to 1.5% of the football budget, limited official visits, fewer recruiting days, several show-cause orders or “bans” for staffers, and 14 vacated wins over a three-season span. That came after the Spartans played an ineligible player, and the school fully cooperated with the NCAA. Former athletic director Alan Haller negotiated the deal before leaving.
The latest wrinkle comes from former Michigan assistant Chris Partridge, whose wrongful termination lawsuit against the university could push the NCAA to act more aggressively. In the suit, Partridge alleges that athletic director Warde Manuel and then-school president Santa Ono knew about the sign-stealing and told staffers not to bring information to compliance or the NCAA. If that allegation proves true, it points to more than just cheating - it suggests an effort to keep the whole thing buried.
Partridge also alleges that Manuel knew about the affair between Paige Shiver and Sherrone Moore and did nothing to address it. According to the lawsuit, that was swept under the rug even as the situation spiraled after it became public. Moore was then accused of stalking, harassing, and nearly harming himself after the news came out.
None of that has been proven in court, and the article makes clear these are allegations from Partridge. But if they hold up, the NCAA’s response to Michigan will look even more inadequate than it already does. The argument here is simple: if Michigan State got hammered for an ineligible player, Michigan should face something far more severe if these claims are substantiated.
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