Was an Auburn coach stealing Florida State’s offensive signals during the BCS National Championship? (Video)

so you asked a question in the title which was immediately answered in the post

I think our work here is done

If you know what they're going to do, why not take advantage of it?

Should "stealing signs" be against the rules?

I can understand the parts about guys hiding in the scoreboard at the Polo Grounds with binoculars and a telephone.

Or Bill Belichck with video equipment and closed-circuit telephony.

But I generally get a kick out of signal-stealing stories.  I think they are funny.

Did they use any illegal means to steal these signal?  If not, then good for Auburn on figuring out the opposing team's signals, and shame on FSU for not changing them up or hiding them enough.

As long as Auburn wasn't stealing their signals via video taping their practices/walkthrough, then whatever.  If they figured out the signals during the game, good for them.

If you are able to figure out what a team does when they give certain signals in past games (or even the current game), and they keep doing that in future games that is NOT cheating.  There is no rule in football that a team must use signals.  Teams could just send the play into the huddle with a player from the sideline on every play.  If a team chooses to use completely visible signals, then they are publicallly broadcasting their signals and they have to assume those signals are going to be stolen.  That is on them for not changing them up often enough.

The real solution is to always huddle, so there is no need for signals.  It's going to be the future of football.

Seems like FSU was really stupid here.  Their ex-QB coach was now at Auburn and they didn't change up their offensive signals at all?  They didn't stop and think "Hmmm, our ex-QB coach might tell his new team EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE RUNNING???"   C'mon guys, think for a second. 

The real solution is EXECUTION.  Even when the "signal" the other team steals is that you are lining your best tackle up next to your other tackle and running that way.  You just have to execute better.

Whoa!!  If Auburn was in fact stealing FSU's signals the game should be investigated and the result overturned!  There is NO WAY a cheater should be allowed to keep a 'win' gained by cheating!!

What?  They lost?  Stole signals and still lost?

Never mind.

Maybe Auburn was, maybe Auburn wasn't reading the signals, the game swung dramatically in the Seminoles favor well before this player made his claim.  FSU runs the fake punt and the Auburn D, heretofore having had its way with the FSU offense, simply collapsed.  The Auburn D never recovered from that fake punt drive.  It was a pivotal moment, one which FSU shouldn't sell short.

Is stealing signas against NCAA rules?

HELLO  $cam Newton!!

Wouldn't surprise me at all.  This is a big money, big presteige competive business here.  If little league parents can get outraged over certain calls in a t-ball game, I wouldn't put it past guys with career ambition, millions on the line, etc. to do as much intelligence work as possible.  Short of out-right-theft or breaking contractual agreements (e.g. a non-disclsure agreement signed by the former FSU assistant), it's on FSU to make sure they keep their information proprietary.

I could be wrong, but I thought at one point during the game I saw somebody on the FSU sideline hold up a towel along side a guy flashing calls onto the playing field.  My assumption at the time was so that it blocked Auburn's ability to see what they were signaling.

Or FSU could just go the Auburn route, and go for those large cartoon-like poster-boards.  My wife made a crack at the time about the literacy of Auburn players.....