Purdue coach: Know Michigan was at our games

Last updated: 2023/11/03 at 8:44 PM

BigP Published November 3, 2023

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterNov 3, 2023, 12:02 AM ET
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- College football reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
- Graduate of Northwestern University.

Purdue coach Ryan Walters, whose team visits No. 3 Michigan on Saturday, said his school has evidence the Wolverines scouted the Boilermakers’ games earlier this season.

The NCAA is investigating Michigan for off-campus scouting and sign stealing. Michigan staff member Connor Stalions is at the center of the probe, according to sources, and has been suspended by the school with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation. Sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach that there are records of Stalions purchasing tickets to games featuring 12 of Michigan’s 13 Big Ten opponents over the past three years.

“It’s unfortunate,” Walters said Thursday night on his radio show. “What’s crazy is they weren’t allegations. It happened. There’s video evidence. There’s ticket purchases and sales that you can track back. We know for a fact that they were at a number of our games, so we’ve had to teach our guys a new language in terms of some signals.”

Big Ten coaches held a call Wednesday with league commissioner Tony Petitti and expressed their concerns about Michigan’s alleged off-campus scouting, which is prohibited by NCAA rules, and its impact on games. Sources told Thamel that a large majority of coaches expressed their frustrations to Petitti and urged him to act, a message echoed in part by several athletic directors during a video call with Petitti on Thursday. Although the NCAA’s timeline for investigations and an infractions ruling would stretch well beyond the 2023 season, Petitti has the authority to investigate and impose discipline on Michigan from the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy.

Petitti is scheduled to be in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Friday for the Big Ten field hockey tournament. A source said Petitti likely will meet with Michigan president Santa Ono during his trip.

Coaches have generally avoided publicly discussing the Michigan allegations and investigation. Walters said Purdue’s evidence of Michigan’s activities has caused changes in preparation for Saturday’s game.

“We will operate differently offensively,” Walters said. “You might see us in a huddle for the first time this season. It is what it is. We’re excited to go play.”