Michigan's punishment for sign stealing

Franisdaman

Heisman
Nov 3, 2012
15,988
24,377
113
Scott's take:

Michigan was the better team in 2022. Iowa's offense was nein gut. Not debating the 27-14 outcome. It was the first time in 17 years Michigan won at Kinnick.

Again. Michigan. Was. The. Better. Team.

But with Connor Stalions getting the game ball in the pink locker room, and it was proven Michigan knew Iowa's hand signals, coupled with some ridiculous calls by the Big Ten's worst crew, Iowa was right to be frustrated. See below:

Unnecessary roughness call by the center judge for a continuation pancake block while the play is still live. It started before the throw. Instead of a 16-yard pass to the 2, it was a 15-yard personal foul.

Clipping for a perfectly executed cut block called by the umpire who was obstructed. Wiped out 18-yard run.

Offensive pass interference while getting held on a slant on fourth-and-2 at the Michigan 6 when the score was 20-7.


 

Franisdaman

Heisman
Nov 3, 2012
15,988
24,377
113
Scott's take:

Michigan was the better team in 2022. Iowa's offense was nein gut. Not debating the 27-14 outcome. It was the first time in 17 years Michigan won at Kinnick.

Again. Michigan. Was. The. Better. Team.

But with Connor Stalions getting the game ball in the pink locker room, and it was proven Michigan knew Iowa's hand signals, coupled with some ridiculous calls by the Big Ten's worst crew, Iowa was right to be frustrated. See below:

Unnecessary roughness call by the center judge for a continuation pancake block while the play is still live. It started before the throw. Instead of a 16-yard pass to the 2, it was a 15-yard personal foul.

Clipping for a perfectly executed cut block called by the umpire who was obstructed. Wiped out 18-yard run.

Offensive pass interference while getting held on a slant on fourth-and-2 at the Michigan 6 when the score was 20-7.





Its hard to forget the inept officials during this game.

Click or tap on the image once or twice for a larger view.

Unnecessary roughness call by the center judge for a continuation pancake block while the play is still live. It started before the throw. Instead of a 16-yard pass to the 2, it was a 15-yard personal foul.





Clipping for a perfectly executed cut block called by the umpire who was obstructed. Wiped out 18-yard run.






Offensive pass interference while getting held on a slant on fourth-and-2 at the Michigan 6 when the score was 20-7.


 

Franisdaman

Heisman
Nov 3, 2012
15,988
24,377
113
The total penalty related to the sign stealing scandal could be over $30M.

Nice $15M gift; not sure why they needed it, though.

 

83Hawk

All-Conference
Jan 1, 2023
1,559
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Some are saying the $30M fine is well worth the National Championship they won.

So, maybe the penalties and fines should have been more?
Of course! National championships should cost more than $30 million. That's chicken feed.
 

eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
2,930
3,012
113
Its hard to forget the inept officials during this game.

Click or tap on the image once or twice for a larger view.

Unnecessary roughness call by the center judge for a continuation pancake block while the play is still live. It started before the throw. Instead of a 16-yard pass to the 2, it was a 15-yard personal foul.





Clipping for a perfectly executed cut block called by the umpire who was obstructed. Wiped out 18-yard run.






Offensive pass interference while getting held on a slant on fourth-and-2 at the Michigan 6 when the score was 20-7.


Unless my information is inaccurate, this is a really weak take from Docht.

Iowa was supposedly notified 30 minutes before the '21 league title game that Michigan had their signals. Pretty much screwed for that game, without enough time to adjust.

But with that information, if Iowa didn't change their signals before the '22 Michigan game, then that's on them.

Adding in complaints about the officiating just makes this look like a cry fest, and makes both complaints look less credible.

If Iowa was "right to be frustrated", it was only at themselves for not having played well enough to have not felt the impact of a couple calls
 
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HawksRule73

All-Conference
Jun 26, 2025
607
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Unless my information is inaccurate, this is a really weak take from Docht.

Iowa was supposedly notified 30 minutes before the '21 league title game that Michigan had their signals. Pretty much screwed for that game, without enough time to adjust.

But with that information, if Iowa didn't change their signals before the '22 Michigan game, then that's on them.

Adding in complaints about the officiating just makes this look like a cry fest, and makes both complaints look less credible.

If Iowa was "right to be frustrated", it was only at themselves for not having played well enough to have not felt the impact of a couple calls
What are you even talking about? One has nothing to do with the other. It is possible to be upset about attrocious officiating, regardless of how they handled knowing Michigan had their signals.

On the one hand, yes, if Iowa didn't change their signals after hearing/knowing that just before kickoff in the BTT game, then they have no one to blame but themselves.

But what in the sam hell does that have to do with the absolute **** show of officiating for that game? I was at that game. That female ref made two of the worst calls I've ever seen from someone not named Dave Witvoet. She should have honestly been fired on the spot. And yes, both of those calls had a tremendous impact on the overall tenor and flow of the game. Would Iowa have won? Maybe, maybe not. But it would most certainly have been closer. So yes, the coaches, the players, and the fans have every right to be upset about the officiating regardless of how the sign stealing was handled in game.
 

eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
2,930
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What are you even talking about? One has nothing to do with the other. It is possible to be upset about attrocious officiating, regardless of how they handled knowing Michigan had their signals.

On the one hand, yes, if Iowa didn't change their signals after hearing/knowing that just before kickoff in the BTT game, then they have no one to blame but themselves.

But what in the sam hell does that have to do with the absolute **** show of officiating for that game? I was at that game. That female ref made two of the worst calls I've ever seen from someone not named Dave Witvoet. She should have honestly been fired on the spot. And yes, both of those calls had a tremendous impact on the overall tenor and flow of the game. Would Iowa have won? Maybe, maybe not. But it would most certainly have been closer. So yes, the coaches, the players, and the fans have every right to be upset about the officiating regardless of how the sign stealing was handled in game.
Your reading comprehension in this thread is about as "strong" as it is in the basketball thread.

Correct, the officiating and the sign stealing had nothing to do with each other. That's why I said for Docht to have included them in the same tweet, just looked like a cry fest.

As for the officiating, Iowa was not good enough to have controlled their own destiny that day. If you don't play well enough to keep a couple calls from having an impact, well then, sometimes you're going to feel the impact of a couple calls. It's part of the game. So is playing well enough to control your destiny.

If fans want to be upset, whatever. Players and coaches at that level are far too mentally tough to think that way
 
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Franisdaman

Heisman
Nov 3, 2012
15,988
24,377
113
Click (or tap) on the image once or twice for a larger view.

As you can see, the last outright Michigan football national championship without scandal was in 1948 (77 years ago).

 

93hawkeye

Senior
Sep 19, 2004
342
558
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Click (or tap) on the image once or twice for a larger view.

As you can see, the last outright Michigan football national championship without scandal was in 1948 (77 years ago).

I've never understood the need to harp on a "shared" title in the opinion era, when the bowl system did not allow for a head-to-head of the two best teams. Let's throw away all titles until the playoff era, because it was all opinion anyway...
 

eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
2,930
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I've never understood the need to harp on a "shared" title in the opinion era, when the bowl system did not allow for a head-to-head of the two best teams. Let's throw away all titles until the playoff era, because it was all opinion anyway...
And how are teams currently slotted into their playoff positions?
 

Franisdaman

Heisman
Nov 3, 2012
15,988
24,377
113
I've never understood the need to harp on a "shared" title in the opinion era, when the bowl system did not allow for a head-to-head of the two best teams. Let's throw away all titles until the playoff era, because it was all opinion anyway...

Without a 12 team playoff last season, Ohio State & Notre Dame would have had no chance at a Natty; they would have been on the outside looking in.

The College Football Playoff Rankings after the Conference Championship games:

RKTeamSeedCONFRECTREND
1 Oregon Oregon *1Big Ten13-0-
2 Georgia Georgia *2SEC11-23
3 Texas Texas5SEC11-21
4 Penn State Penn State6Big Ten11-21
5 Notre Dame Notre Dame7FBS Indep.11-11
6 Ohio State Ohio State8Big Ten10-2-


continues to the next post....