An official from Alabama downplayed the gravity of the revelations made during the sign-stealing scandal surrounding the Michigan football program.
"Everyone — and I mean everyone — is stealing signs," the official said to Action Network's Brett McMurphy. "Michigan was not the only school doing this."
McMurphy noted an industry source added: "Kansas (basketball) cheats more than anyone, and they didn't do anything to Kansas. The only pure thing in college athletics is Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt sucks."
That's a point Wolverines fans argued as the story unfolded. The Athletic's Austin Meek, Bruce Feldman and Nicole Auerbach also reported in November that Michigan had evidence pointing to an effort by Ohio State, Rutgers and Purdue to decipher its signs ahead of the 2022 Big Ten title game.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh remained defiant in the immediate aftermath of Monday's 34-13 win over Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship. He said the Wolverines "stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent."
CBS Sports @CBSSports"Off the field issues — we're innocent. We stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent."<br><br>- Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh after winning National Title <a href="">
To proclaim Michigan as "innocent" might be a stretch. If that had been the case, it raises the question as to why Harbaugh accepted his three-game suspension and the school abruptly dropped its legal challenge of the punishment. Similar intrigue would surround the sudden firing of linebackers coach Chris Partridge, who disputed reports his ouster was tied to allegations of destroying evidence connected to the sign-stealing investigation.
Two things can be true: Attempting to decipher an opponent's sideline signals is relatively commonplace, but the sign-stealing operation devised by former staffer Connor Stalions crossed a line.
ESPN's Scott Van Pelt drew a parallel to the Houston Astros. While sign-stealing is equally prevalent in MLB, the Astros were the ones who went above and beyond by utilizing outfield cameras and audible signals from the dugout.
Beyond minimizing what was alleged, Michigan can point to Monday's triumph as the ultimate demonstration that the sign-stealing didn't even make much of a difference on the field.
The Wolverines reeled off wins over Penn State and Ohio State without Harbaugh on the sideline and then took down Alabama and Washington long after Stalions had left the program.
Michigan is getting the last laugh.
