ESPN - “What college football coaches are saying about sign stealing”
Interesting article posted this morning on ESPN: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/38727764/what-college-football-coaches-saying-sign-stealing
A bit more balanced of reporting than what we’ve seen over the weekend, giving more voice to coaches that think this isn’t a big deal. Still quite a bit of grumbling featured in the article but the tone is a departure from the pearl clutching going on from Thamel, Mandel, etc.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:27 AM ^
For what it's worth this morning on 92.3 The Fan here in Cleveland they talked about it at length this morning and predictably, every caller pinpointed this as being the reason OSU has lost to us the past two years. To their credit the hosts, one of which is a hard-core OSU grad/fan, took a more balanced tone but clearly the fanbase is convinced our wins are supremely tainted.
The funny thing is what happened next. They had John Greco, ex Cleveland Brown lineman, on to talk Browns before they did they asked him if he had ever seen any examples of sign-stealing when he was playing for Toledo.
He then started laughing and said "oh course I did. EVERY SINGLE TEAM IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL DOES THIS" and then said "that's why I cant believe they're trying to make a big deal out of this. All teams do it and do it openly."
October 24th, 2023 at 9:34 AM ^
Didn't Day & Co. say they changed their signs before last year's game because they were "aware" of this? How did that one go for them again?
October 24th, 2023 at 9:36 AM ^
Maybe aware, but not fully aware?
October 24th, 2023 at 9:40 AM ^
Aware but unable to do anything about it.
The worst part of the article above is that it implies something along the same lines with the line that one B1G coach said "Nobody's that good."
No, actually, somebody is. Michigan is. And it makes me smile every time I hear that.
To be so good that the losers feel like they need another explanation!!
But it bothers me that people are now using this to take something away from our young men, who have worked that hard, and are that good.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:48 AM ^
these were the signs we stole
October 24th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
Or even touch him in general!
October 24th, 2023 at 11:57 PM ^
“Don’t even touch him” - Ohio State defensive coaching staff
October 24th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
"Nobody's that good"?
I seem to recall some very, very good Ohio State teams that no one said were impossible. Let's not even get into Alabama.
October 24th, 2023 at 12:17 PM ^
"Nobody's that good."
I would never want my team's coordinator to say something like this. Pure sour grapes. Find a way to get your team to play better.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:44 AM ^
Urban also said a few years back that they had someone on staff whose job was to figure out what Michigan's signs were.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:08 AM ^
Yes. So it's weird that OSU changed their signs, but this is still why they lost instead of their inability to control the trenches on either side of the ball in 2021 or biting down on defense the whole game exposing them to big plays.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
As a Michigan fan, after two consecutive blowout wins, I'm inclined to agree with the OSU fans: They don't need to change anything at all! Just change your signs, and keep doing everything else exactly the same, please.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:13 AM ^
It was a staffer on Day's team, per the Dispatch:
So, yes, we know that any advance scouting did not impact our 2022 W against them
October 24th, 2023 at 10:19 AM ^
"So, yes, we know that any advance scouting did not impact our 2022 W against them"
Yes, it clearly impacted the game. OSU's offense didn't score more points because they kept getting confused by their own signs - they had to change them because of Michigan, after all. C'mon, man, keep up...
October 24th, 2023 at 10:43 AM ^
guess that lack of academic standards really came back to haunt 'em?
October 24th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
The sad thing is he spelled skool wrong.
October 24th, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
I give him points for honesty.
October 24th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
If I knew that you were stealing my signs, wouldn't I use that against you? Seems like an advantage if they knew Michigan was doing this
October 24th, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
Let's hold our horses: an OSU staff-member asserts this, but not the head coach.
It's almost as if they aren't 100% on the same page or know what the other is doing/saying 24/7....hmmm...
October 24th, 2023 at 9:41 AM ^
A vast majority of OSU fans never thought our victories over them in 21 and 22 were legitimate even before this. For most, the narrative has never been that Michigan beat them, but rather Ohio State beat themselves. They cannot cope with us being a better team than they are.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:43 AM ^
They're going to have a HUGE problem this year, then...
October 24th, 2023 at 9:43 AM ^
They might get to have that problem TWICE, if a 1-loss OSU team sees us again in the CFP.
October 24th, 2023 at 12:40 PM ^
Exactly, and unlike last year I would love to play OSU twice over say Texas or Georgia.
They will be the layup this year.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
OSU are the new election deniers.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:16 AM ^
"new"? It's the same crowd.
October 24th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
S O T R U E !!
October 24th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
I remember being verbally abused in the Shoe in 2004 by a fan wearing a "Bucks For Kerry" shirt. It was VERY conflicting.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:43 AM ^
OSU alum and Lions OL Taylor Decker was asked for comment and he literally said "wait, that's a rule?"
October 24th, 2023 at 9:52 AM ^
Consider the mental state of someone who calls into a jock radio show when everyone else is trying to get to work.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:13 AM ^
I can help you with that...
October 24th, 2023 at 10:11 AM ^
Dustin Fox shrugged his shoulders, and Nick Wilson said anyone who thinks this is the reason OSU lost the last 2 years is brain dead, and you're embarrassing yourself.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
You said "stealing "signs"...My bad.
apologies for this then.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
I knew they were up to something. Toledo should have to vacate the 2008 win.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
I take it you no longer think "this is very, very bad"?
October 24th, 2023 at 11:20 AM ^
Which is why if this were any other team people would be laughing at the NCAA knowing nothing is going to happen. Of all the things messed up going on under the table in college athletics this is the front page story. Michigan needs to offer Harbaugh a bigger contract extension then whatever they had worked up before. We need to stand behind Harbaugh here and tell him so he knows that we don't care if you stole signs or not. You saved this program and we are not going to let you go down to some stupid crap like this when Art Briles kid is at university somewhere coaching and recruiting kids.
October 24th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
They understand that Stalions was hired in 2022, right? And that 2022 comes after 2021, the first year that OSU lost to a Harbaugh-coached team?
Apparently Doc Brown was somehow involved in this . . .
October 24th, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
He was officially hired in 2022, but was previously a volunteer staff member. No Time Machine needed. He’s been here for a few years but just started getting paid last year.
October 24th, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
Yes every team steals signs because it's legal.
The question is in person scouting of opponents.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:29 AM ^
What I don't understand in this controversy is, This is easily avoidable. If coaches are complaining why not just move to the NFL style mic in the helmet for O and D?
October 24th, 2023 at 9:31 AM ^
Because it costs money and small schools don't want to pay for it. Also there is a weird quirk where it can void the helmet warranty and that jeopradizes $$$ believe it or not. It is all very dumb.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:37 AM ^
Those Bluetooth earpods are just so darn expensive... no wonder only the poor college kids are the ones using them.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:39 AM ^
Having a real hard time believing that the cost of a helmet is the limiting factor in this era of limitless TV and coaching salary contracts.
October 24th, 2023 at 9:44 AM ^
In the article they quote the head of the American Football Coaches Association as saying the helmet warranty has not been a problem for the CFL, XFL, etc, and that the cost is minimal and overblown by coaches/league admins
October 24th, 2023 at 9:47 AM ^
"Because it costs money and small schools don't want to pay for it."
Yeah, but high schools are doing it. See the post referenced by the OP. So it's fine for high schools and the NFL, but not for college?
October 24th, 2023 at 9:59 AM ^
I said it is very dumb! In college there is a rules committee and small schools have outsized influence (think small state US senators) where a HS doesn't have a central governing body. I am merely stating what has been said.
October 24th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
"I said it is very dumb!"
Didn't mean that as an ad hominem against you, 92. Just speaking toward the silliness we all see.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
My guess is college football has a lot of power trippers in administrative positions. They just don't want to change/rescind any control to anyone else. Thus all progress is protested. I just don't get this "smaller schools can't afford it" argument. One doesn't have to play football or do something if they can't afford it. That's how life, society, and capitalism work. Those kids who are getting scholarships to those small colleges will find other avenues to shine in their lives. Those schools can get down to the FCS level where their resources are more suitable to compete. They are uncompetitive anyways at this point.
October 24th, 2023 at 10:25 AM ^
This makes me wonder..how often are colleges making warranty claims on the helmet?
And as I said when the story first broke. Helmet headsets will be approved before the season is over, to be implemented next season. Now that Michigan is potentially doing something and it has blown up in the media, they will put aside any hesitation and just implement it.