Michigan Football Helmet Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past several months, the Michigan Wolverines were in the spotlight as a result of an NCAA investigation into an alleged illegal sign-stealing scheme. The scheme has led to a broader discussion on signal stealing altogether, which most coaches agree is widespread throughout college football, but West Virginia head coach Neal Brown thinks what Michigan allegedly did was different than simple sign stealing.

During a recent interview with Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3, Neal Brown explained that while sign stealing itself is widespread throughout college football, Michigan’s advanced scouting and filming of sidelines is what put the issue “over the top” for him.

“To me, I think one of the issues we have in college football – and it was exposed by when you saw the Michigan stuff with the signals,” Brown said. “And to me, the sign stealing wasn’t as big an issue as the advanced scouting. I think that kind of got lost. Like, I think everybody’s probably trying to steal signs, signals at some point … in games. But the thing that took it over the top was the supposed filming, I don’t know, and the advanced scouting piece. That’s what made it a little different.”

Michigan has not yet received a formal notice of allegations from the NCAA as the investigation is still ongoing.

[On3]