A burgeoning sign-stealing scandal surrounding Michigan and staffer Connor Stalions has spread into the Southeastern Conference.

According to reports from ESPN and Yahoo Sports, Stalions, an analyst, purchased tickets to multiple Big Ten and SEC games over the last couple of seasons. Notable matchups included the 2021 and 2022 SEC championships in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium which included Alabama, Georgia and LSU.

During the SEC teleconference, the head coach of the Crimson Tide Nick Saban was asked about any potential stealing of Alabama football signals.

“I didn’t know anything about anybody coming to the SEC championship game or whatever,” Saban said. “I don’t have a lot of information or background on all this sign-stealing stuff. I’ve kind of focused on our team.

“But I know back in the old days when I was in the NFL, there was a time when you could send out scouts and scout a game, personnel and that type of thing. I don’t think it was geared towards sign stealing, but that was allowed. They changed that rule I think sometime back. We’ve never had that in college for a long, long time.”

Schools across the country have begun to look into their ticket history after news broke of Stalions and a network of at least three other individuals attending “more than 35 games at 17 stadiums,” per ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Mark Schlabach.

Ross Dellinger of Yahoo reported that Stalions purchased a ticket to last year’s Tennessee-Kentucky matchup two weeks after the Vols were vaulted into College Football Playoff contention after upsetting Alabama.

“Really just heard of that a little while ago that had happened. It’s obviously something for us, offense, defense, special teams, that every team in the country, you try to hide your signals, at times change them up and make sure nobody is getting a beat on you,” said UT coach Josh Heupel.

The accusations against Stalions and the Wolverines, which include video evidence in some cases, have reinvigorated the debate around speakers in helmets at the collegiate level. The longtime NFL practice allows a coach to relay play calls directly to one player on each side of the ball, usually a quarterback offensively and middle linebacker defensively.

It was a common question for SEC coaches on the weekly teleconference. Responses ranged from curiosity as to why it wasn’t already adopted to apprehension, with some programs possibly opting to keep it old-school for scheme advantages. Teams will be permitted to use helmet communicators during the 2023-24 bowl season.

“I do think that the helmet communicator is probably a real positive thing for the game,” Saban said. “You can’t steal signs and any of this stuff if you have a helmet communicator. I think it would be a good thing. I think it’s worked out well in the NFL. I also think it’s good to have one guy on defense so you can tell that guy what the call is and not have to go through all this signaling process.”

The NCAA has announced it is gathering information before any penalties are levied against the Wolverines. Stalions has been suspended by Michigan with pay. UM coach Jim Harbaugh denied “illegally stealing signals.”

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].