© Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Michigan football program continues to navigate its way through a sign-stealing scandal which surfaced during the program’s national championship run. A new update was provided on the investigation this week.
After seeing the latest reports, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema took to social media to troll. He’s targeted former UM leader Jim Harbaugh in his online rampage.
On Tuesday, a 137-page document was made public surrounding Michigan’s knowledge of Connor Stalions‘ sign-stealing operation. The most recent details show that the school acknowledged that some “in-person scouting appeared to have occurred.”
The university suggests that the program knew less than the NCAA initially led on in its investigation. It also claims that the violations had “minimal relevance to competition.”
Still, the Wolverines are not completely rid of fault. Sherrone Moore deleted texts relating to the scandal, suggesting he had at least some knowledge of what was going on.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo! Sports broke the situation down further in a story on Tuesday. He claims that the tipster to bring the wrongdoing to light was affiliated with the university, further backing speculation of the program’s prior knowledge (while potentially clearing Ryan Day’s name).
Perhaps most notable in the document is an answer to a long-discussed question: Who originally tipped off the NCAA to Stalions’ scheme?
According to the document, the tipster derived from Michigan’s own campus. The unnamed source, which the NCAA has not disclosed, appears to have worked at the school, at least at one point. Michigan believes the confidential leaker was used by the NCAA to produce at least some of the charges in the notice of allegations, something in which it expresses “concern.”
-Ross Dellenger
Bret Bielema chose to troll upon seeing those new details come to light.
The Illini head football coach posted a series of messages on X in response to the new report. He refuses to let Harbaugh or the Wolverines live down their alleged actions.
Really…. Why did you leave?
Was looking forward to playing but understand why you ran to the #NFL
See you in the future and can’t wait #famILLy #ILL https://t.co/4y7C5ecvUA
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) January 29, 2025
Bielema reposted an old video of Jim Harbaugh speaking as the head coach of the 49ers saying, “If you cheat to win, you’ve already lost.” Those words have obviously aged poorly given the circumstances.
Bielema essentially called Harbaugh a coward for running to the NFL when heat turned up on the scandal. He now knows why he bolted for Los Angeles. Bielema continued with his evisceration of the program throughout the course of the evening.
— Bret Bielema (@BretBielema) January 29, 2025
Bret Bielema lost his only head-to-head contest against Jim Harbaugh during his time in the Big Ten. He believes the Wolverines had a little help in landing that two-point defeat, which came in 2022. The Illini were able to avenge that loss this past season with a 21-7 victory in Champaign. Bielema refuses to remain quiet on the cheating allegations.