Former Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain, three of his former staff members and the Chippewas program will face NCAA penalties for their roles in allowing former Michigan staff member Connor Stalions to be on the sidelines during a 2023 game against Michigan State.
Stalions is best known for the role he allegedly played in Michigan’s sign-stealing scheme. He acknowledged earlier this year on social media that he knew almost every signal that opponents used in seven games over two seasons, including Michigan’s 2023 national championship season.
McElwain, the three former CMU staff members and the university agreed to take the deal first offered by the NCAA’s enforcement staff on sportsmanship and later approved by the governing body’s Committee on Infractions, which closes the book on one of college football’s strangest scandals.
In the 19-page report, released Thursday, the NCAA found former quarterbacks coach Jack Kostner bypassed the program’s normal procedures by requesting extra coaching gear from Nate Mason, the former coordinator of athletic equipment operations. Kostner then asked Mike McGee, the former director of recruiting, to give the clothing and a sideline pass to his friend, Stalions, though Kostner had used an alias to avoid detection before kickoff.
“McGee was unaware of whom exactly the gear was for, but knew it was for a friend of Kostner’s who was skilled in deciphering signals,” the NCAA wrote. “During the game, Stalions stood in close proximity to McGee and other football staff. Given his staff’s direct involvement in the arrangement, Jim McElwain … is responsible for their violations under the head coaching responsibility legislation.”
Kostner received a four-year show-cause order — meaning any school that hired him would need NCAA approval and must also demonstrate why it should not be penalized for hiring Kostner. He’s also banned from all athletically related activities for the first year and 50% of the second year and would face a suspension of 50% of the football season in his second year.
Mason and McGee were given two-year show-cause orders and will be restricted from all athletically related activities in the first year. They would face suspensions for 30% of the football games during the second year.
McElwain, now a special assistant to Central Michigan athletic director Amy Folan, received a two-year show-cause order and would be restricted from all football coaching duties during the first year. He also would be suspended from 30% of the football games during the first year and 20% of the games in the second year.
UCM will be placed on two years of probation and must pay a fine of $30,000 in addition to 1% of the football budget.
“Kostner, McGee and Mason all failed to cooperate with the enforcement staff by providing false or misleading information during interviews,” the report said. “Kostner and McGee did, however, eventually cooperate with the investigation and provide critical information to the enforcement staff. Central Michigan demonstrated exemplary cooperation throughout the investigation and proactively assisted the enforcement staff with a timely and thorough collection of factual information and key records.”
The NCAA alleged in a 2024 notice relating to Michigan’s sign-stealing investigation that coach Sherrone Moore violated rules as an assistant coach on former coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff.
Harbaugh served a three-game suspension in exchange for the Big Ten dropping its own investigation into the allegations after the two ended up in court.
In August, the NCAA fined Michigan tens of millions of dollars, possibly more than $20 million, and added one game to Moore’s school-imposed two-game suspension, saying it had “overwhelming” and concerning evidence of a cover-up by Wolverines staff. Michigan also faces recruiting restrictions.
At the time, the governing body said there were “sufficient grounds for a multiyear postseason ban” but stopped short of imposing program-crippling punishments because a two-year postseason ban “would unfairly penalize student-athletes for the actions of coaches and staff” who are no longer there. The fine includes 10% of the football budget.
Moore and the Wolverines both appealed their punishments but dropped those appeals Tuesday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
