REPORT: Big Ten Athletic Directors ‘Encourage Action’ Over Michigan Sign-Stealing Allegations

Big Ten ADs met with Tony Petitti on Thursday and they encouraged action one way or another

On Wednesday, Big Ten coaches met with the Big Ten commissioner, Tony Petitti, and reportedly there were multiple coaches who wanted the conference to take action against Michigan for the sign-stealing allegations.

A day after, the Big Ten Athletic Directors met and talked with the commissioner and according to Yahoo Sports, they also urged for action. In the report, it first stated the ADs gave their support to Petitti on any decision that would be made on Michigan.

In a meeting Thursday with commissioner Tony Petitti, Big Ten athletic directors continued to encourage action from the league over Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal and gave their support for any decision that is made, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

While ‘any decision’ is a loaded statement. It sounds like they support the commissioner if the conference punishes Michigan, or allows the investigation to play out and hold status quo until it’s completed.

But later in the article, it says the league has discussed penalties not impacting the players, but taking the ‘cleanest’ route like suspending Jim Harbaugh.

However, a decision from the league is uncertain, though options have been discussed. On their calls over the last week in fact, high-level school administrators and Petitti have pored over a wide range of possibilities. There was talk, for instance, of any penalty not impacting players directly. A suspension of coach Jim Harbaugh may be the most likely and “cleanest” penalty if one were handed down, one source said.

If the Big Ten would hand down a punishment against Michigan or suspend Harbaugh, this would be unprecedented. If the Wolverines felt like this was unfair since the investigation is clearly not over and Michigan hasn’t been handed evidence yet, this could trigger legal action against the Big Ten.

Such a penalty from a conference is somewhat unprecedented and, if too severe, could eventually trigger legal action from the program, legal experts tell Yahoo Sports. Any Big Ten penalty is rooted in the conference’s sportsmanship policy, which allows for the commissioner to hand down disciplinary measures for violating the “integrity of competition” in the “competitive arena,” the policy says.

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REPORT: Big Ten Athletic Directors ‘Encourage Action’ Over Michigan..

REPORT: Big Ten Athletic Directors ‘Encourage Action’ Over Michigan Sign-Stealing Allegations

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