With the 2024 college football season approaching, we were due for an update on the Michigan sign-stealing scandal.
And as fate would have it, that very update came over the weekend, with ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Dan Murphy reporting on the notice of allegations the NCAA is currently drafting with regard to the Wolverines.
Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the reporting is that it implicates Sherrone Moore, who replaced Jim Harbaugh as Michigan’s head coach after the former Wolverines quarterback returned to the NFL to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers this past offseason. According to the report, Moore “could face a show-cause penalty and possibly a suspension for allegedly deleting a thread of 52 text messages with former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions in October 2023 on the same day that media reports revealed Stalions was leading an effort to capture the playcalling signals of future opponents.”
But while the allegations against Moore — who would be considered a repeat offender in the NCAA’s eyes — would presumably be cause for concern in Ann Arbor, according to one of Michigan’s most prominent alums, that isn’t necessarily the case. Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter was asked about the recent news regarding his alma mater, with the NFL insider using his own ties to the Wolverines’ program to shed some light on its current mindset.
“I spoke to [Sherrone Moore] about 20 minutes ago — all good,” Schefter said.
It’s unclear whether Schefter was speaking from the position of a reporter or an insider while speaking to Moore. But as the interview progressed, it became clear Schefter is viewing the entire matter through maize and blue-tinted glasses.
“As a Michigan man, as somebody who believes in Coach Moore, I’m not concerned,” Schefter said. “I don’t know what Pete [Thamel] knows. But I know I spoke to the man himself here for a while but I feel pretty good about what he said and we’ll see what happens here.”
“I just talked to Sherrone Moore and he says everything is all good..
I feel pretty good about what he said and we’ll see what happens here” ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rYBssNTQ51
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 5, 2024
Granted Schefter doesn’t cover college football, but there’s still something somewhat odd about one of ESPN’s top reporters talking directly to the subject of a story his colleagues are actively reporting. By this point, the line between being a fan and a reporter has already been blurred enough at ESPN that most likely didn’t even bat an eye at Schefter’s insight. But it would be interesting to know how his ESPN bosses and colleagues — especially Thamel and Murphy — feel about him involving himself in a story he seemingly lacks objectivity with.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.