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Michigan will “fight if necessary” with NCAA investigation

The last 12 months have been an eventful time for Warde Manuel and the Michigan athletic department he leads.

The Wolverines' storied football program won its first national championship since 1997. Shortly after that title run ended once and for all, Manuel hired Sherrone Moore to replace Jim Harbaugh after the former Michigan quarterback left for the Los Angeles Chargers. The athletic director, who has been a coach for eight years, also hired a new coach for the men's basketball team, bringing in Dusty May from Florida Atlantic to replace the fired Juwan Howard.

During this time, however, Manuel's focus had to shift to other, less than ideal directions.

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Michigan football, the crown jewel of the athletic department, has been the subject of several NCAA investigations, one related to recruiting violations and the other to the Wolverines' alleged sign theft.

In an interview with The Michigan Insider published Wednesday, Manuel dismissed the notion that the university and its athletic department did not respond forcefully enough to the NCAA's investigation.

“First of all, we will fight when we have to,” Manuel said. “And if we've made mistakes, we'll admit them and deal with them. I don't want people to think that we're not fighting for what we believe is right for the University of Michigan and the people here just because we don't talk about it publicly – and I can't. We do.”

“But at the same time, you also have to understand that when we do things that are against the rules, that we know are against the rules, we have to admit that and move on and deal with it. It's an ambiguity. You feel like you have a responsibility to follow the rules that we say we follow, but if it gets to a point where we feel like it's too much or we have to fight against something, we will absolutely do that.”

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Earlier this month, the NCAA announced a four-year hearing order against Harbaugh as a result of its investigation into Michigan's improper contact with recruits and players during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wolverines have not yet overcome their NCAA-related problems either.

The university has received a notice of allegations (NOA) in connection with the sign-stealing and scouting scheme allegedly led by former analyst Connor Stalions. A Michigan spokesperson confirmed to the Free Press on Sunday that the NOA accuses seven employees of the 2023 team of violating NCAA rules.

Manuel noted that he was frustrated with the way this process was going.

In early August, ESPN obtained a draft of the NCAA's NOA on the sign-stealing case. Among other things, the draft revealed that Moore was among seven Wolverines employees accused of violating NCAA rules.

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NCAA investigations are supposed to be shrouded in secrecy, and neither the investigator nor those leading the investigation comment on the matter until it is completed. While Manuel has committed to doing so, he believes others have not.

“It is completely unacceptable and ridiculous that people who have or are given information about what is going on are leaking it to the press and the public,” he said. “We are trying to find them. We just don't let them get through. We are actively trying to find out where these leaks are coming from, especially when it comes to us. The problem is, as you know, it is difficult to get to the bottom of it. That doesn't mean we are going to stop trying.”

“It really doesn't help the process. It doesn't help the University of Michigan get through it. It doesn't help the NCAA. Whoever leaked this, it doesn't help what we're trying to do to solve the cases. It just brings things to light, in some cases, some of them are wrong, and some of them I can't respond to if they're wrong. We feel like we can't talk about it publicly, but yet people are leaking things about the case. It's just disappointing, unnecessary and sad.”

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