Central Michigan’s Jim McElwain on Connor Stalions, ‘the sign-stealer guy’

Central Michigan’s Jim McElwain on Connor Stalions, ‘the sign-stealer guy’

Jim McElwain acknowledged Tuesday night a viral photo of a man resembling Connor Stalions, the man in the middle of the Michigan sign-stealing scandal, on the Central Michigan sideline for the team’s game against Michigan State.

“We obviously are aware of a picture floating around with the sign-stealer guy,” McElwain told reporters Tuesday night after the Chippewas’ 37-31 win over Northern Illinois. “Our people are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. We’re totally unaware of it. I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape or form.

“I do know his name was on none of the passes that were let out. Now, we keep tracing it back and tracing it back and try to figure it out. It’s in good hands with our people. Again, there’s no place in football for that.”

Screengrabs from the Fox Sports 1 broadcast of the Spartans’ 31-7 win over Chippewas on Sept. 1 in East Lansing began circulating on social media late Monday. In the photos, a person who bears a strong resemblance to Stalions is standing on the sideline near the Central Michigan coaches.

Stalions, a football analyst at Michigan, has been suspended since reports surfaced that he helped organize a well-funded, complex, multi-state operation to steal signals from future Wolverines opponents by sitting in the stands or gaining sideline access at games. According to multiple reports, Stalions — or representatives whose access he had arranged — would use smart phones to record video of team’s signals (which is against NCAA rules) in hopes of later deciphering them for use when they played Michigan.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.