Michigan police address 1 theory about sign-stealing investigation

Michigan police discuss one perspective on their investigation into sign theft.
Steve DelVecchio, October 26, 2023

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DistributeTwitter, Facebook, FlipboardTwitterLinkedInSkypeEmail On December 4, 2021, in Indianapolis, IN, USA, Michigan Wolverines quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss is shown using a headset during the team’s Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Unavoidable Credit: USA TODAY Sports/Mark J. Rebilas

Many people were wondering whether the inquiry is connected to the sacking of former assistant coach Matt Weiss in any manner after a new article about the Michigan sign-stealing controversy was released on Wednesday. The police have responded to such rumors.

The NCAA launched its inquiry into Michigan after a “outside investigative firm” obtained material critical of Jim Harbaugh’s program, according to Will Hobson of The Washington Post. Through some means, the law firm was able to get “computer drives maintained and accessed by multiple Michigan coaches,” which allowed them to develop a case. On October 17, the company gave the NCAA access to the evidence, and a day later, the NCAA launched its own inquiry.

We still do not know who hired and paid for the outside firm. It is also unclear how that firm gained access to the computer drives of Michigan coaches. One popular theory is that Weiss may have had something to do with it. Weiss, a quarterbacks coach at Michigan in 2021 and 2022, was fired in January for alleged computer access crimes. The activity took place at Schembechler Hall, Michigan’s on-campus football facility, between December 21 and December 23.

On Thursday, University of Michigan deputy chief of police Melissa Overton told Andrew Kahn of MLive.com that the Weiss investigation is “not related to the sign-stealing allegation in any way.” Overton also said the Weiss investigation remains “active and ongoing.”

There was also a data hack of University of Michigan computer systems back in August. It is unclear if that was in any way linked to the gathering of sign-stealing evidence.