The Michigan Wolverines are currently facing an NCAA investigation into allegations of an illegal sign-stealing scheme. But while the NCAA and the Big Ten conference have yet to officially announced any findings or punishment in the case, one prominent college football writer has decided that the allegations are enough to affect his Heisman Trophy vote.
In a column published on Tuesday, longtime Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel revealed that he is refusing to include Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy on his Heisman Trophy ballot this year as a result of the sign-stealing allegations. Doyel claims there is a “preponderance of evidence” incriminating the Wolverines and believes it is his duty as a voter to “preserve the integrity of the Heisman Memorial Trophy” as outlined in the Heisman Trophy Trust’s mission statement.
Not only does Doyel refuse to vote for McCarthy himself, but he’s encouraging his fellow voters to do the same, writing that he wants his column to “is to show other Heisman voters the way.”
In his column, Doyel argued that Michigan’s alleged signal stealing offered a distinct advantage to McCarthy over the other Heisman Trophy candidates.
If the @HeismanTrophy wants to take my vote for refusing to vote for a player whose coach cheated to help that player post his stats … have it. Such a system wouldn’t be worth my time. https://t.co/vy3dqL5mvT
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) November 7, 2023
“The most important thing about playing quarterback happens before the snap, when he tries to decipher what the opposing defense will do. Why do so many high school quarterbacks with huge physical ability and statistics fail in college? Same reason that some of the best college QB’s fail in the NFL: Because the more confusing it gets, standing there at the line of scrimmage studying the defense, the harder it is to play the position,” Doyel wrote.
“McCarthy’s coaches knew what the defense was doing, which allowed them to call the perfect play. J.J. McCarthy had to execute it, yes, but the heaviest lifting had already been done by Connor Stalions.”
Stalions is the Michigan staffer who has been the focal point of the investigation as he reportedly headed up Michigan’s sign-stealing operation and even purchased tickets under his own name to more than 30 games of future Michigan opponents as part of an effort to record opponents’ signals before games.
Doyel acknowledges that McCarthy likely had no role in the alleged sign stealing, instead placing the blame on the Michigan coaches. But he concedes that McCarthy will “pay the price” anyway.
“This is not J.J. McCarthy’s fault,” Doyel wrote. “But thanks to the Michigan coaching staff, he will pay the price. At least on my ballot. Because unlike Jim Harbaugh, I plan to sleep tonight with a clear conscience.”
