Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer makes his stance clear on Michigan signal-stealing controversy

In recent days, the final sanctions were handed down to the Michigan Wolverines and some of the key individuals involved in the now-infamous signal-stealing controversy that shook NCAAF in recent years. Kalen DeBoer, current head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide and a seasoned figure in the college football landscape, was asked about the matter and shared his thoughts on the situation.

The title won by the team then led by Jim Harbaugh came, in fact, against the Washington Huskies — whose head coach at the time was none other than DeBoer. Naturally, following the announcement of the sanctions, he became one of the most sought-after voices. However, at first, the Alabama HC appeared largely detached from the final ruling.

“I don’t know anything about it,” he stated. “I honestly don’t. I don’t know what they got. I didn’t read it. I haven’t even heard about it. You can tell me and I can respond, I guess.”

“I don’t know how, in comparison to other issues that we’ve had over the years, how that relates,” DeBoer also added in his press conference. “But it is what it is. I don’t have too much of a response, I guess.”

In the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Washington Huskies with a final score of 34-13. The victory secured Michigan’s first national title since 1997, capping off an undefeated season.

Wolverines face tough sanction

The NCAA has handed down severe penalties to the Michigan football program for its sign-stealing controversy, which centered on an elaborate, off-campus scouting scheme orchestrated by former staffer Connor Stalions.

The program was hit with one of the largest financial penalties in college football history, expected to exceed $20 million, along with four years of probation. While the team avoided a postseason ban, the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions noted the deliberate destruction of materials and information by involved individuals, making it difficult to determine the full scope of the scheme.

As for the key figures, former Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh—who has since moved to the NFL—received a 10-year show-cause order, and current head coach Sherrone Moore, who was an assistant during the scheme, was given a two-year show-cause order and a total three-game suspension.