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Insiders predict potential penalty for Michigan for Connor Stalions scandal
The NCAA loves to take things away after the fact. Just ask the USC Trojans and Reggie Bush. At least, the latter had restored his Heisman Trophy honor — just 14 years after the fact but oh, well.
That's why some in the college football world are wondering if the Michigan Wolverines might see their 2023 national championship and perfect season vacated due to the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal.
The NCAA is going to soon deliver Michigan a Notice of Allegations and we know, based on the draft (which can be edited, mind you), that former head coach Jim Harbaugh as well as several other staffers will likely be accused of committing Level 1 violations. The school itself is also facing a Level 1 charge because of a "pattern of noncompliance within the football program" and even new head coach Sherrone Moore could face a show-cause penalty and even a suspension for allegedly deleting 52 text messages between him and Stalions in October of 2023.
There's a ton of smoke here, so there could very well be a big fire in Ann Arbor, but it's worth noting that college football insiders Rece Davis and Pete Thamel, speaking on "The College GameDay Podcast", don't think either a postseason ban or a vacating of the national title will be on the line here for Michigan.
“So the vacating thing I can say with full-throated confidence,” Thamel said (h/t On3). “They take away wins when it involves players who aren’t eligible. And there are no players implicated in here directly by name or anything. Looking back there will be nothing. Looking forward, you could say, technically, some type of postseason ban is on the table. The actual likelihood of that happening [is low] considering Tennessee, considering the political climate, considering the NCAA has basically come out and said, ‘We don’t want to punish them.' So again, it comes down to a roomful of people … I would say looking at this, it would seem unlikely. What is likely as Michigan cuts a big old check.”
That's what it all comes down to, at the end of the day. College football is a big business (always has been) and money talks — especially when it's being taken away.
“That is what the punishments should be, in my judgment,” Davis said. “I’ve said this for years. What drives this enterprise? Money. What sends the biggest message? Taking away money. So if the NCAA wants to be taken seriously consistently as an enforcement body for college sports and college football, particularly, that needs to be the direction in which they go. Fine people. They can do the show cause thing."
It's worth noting that Harbaugh, now head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers after nine seasons in Ann Arbor, denied being complicit in or having any awareness of the allegations levied against Michigan while he was head coach.
More must-reads:
- NCAA hands down major punishment against Jim Harbaugh
- Jim Harbaugh's attorney releases statement on controversial NCAA decision
- The 'Michigan Wolverines in the NFL Hall of Fame' quiz
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Former Oregon WR's career may have new life after transfer decision
Ryan Pellum's career with the Oregon Ducks was over before it even started, but it may have new life. The former four-star wideout from Long Beach, California, was ranked as the No. 26 wide receiver in the 2024 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Pellum took a redshirt last season at Oregon before hitting the transfer portal in January. He was then arrested and charged with assault with use of a firearm after he allegedly pistol-whipped someone in his hometown on Christmas Day in 2024. In June, Pellum was sentenced to probation as part of a plea deal, and now he's trying to get his college football hopes back on track. As such, it's being reported that Pellum will transfer to Delaware State for the 2025 season. Notably, he'll be joining up with former NFL star and three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson, who is heading into his first season as the Hornets' head coach. As a senior in high school, Pellum caught 66 passes for 991 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was at one time committed to USC, but he flipped to Dan Lanning and the Ducks on signing day. Delaware State, located in Dover, Delaware, is an FCS program that is a part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Hornets went 2-21 over the past two seasons under head coach Lee Hull, who was fired less than two years after he took over the program.
Browns' Shedeur Sanders could be losing valuable opportunity after injury update
Just when it seemed everything was going right for Shedeur Sanders, the Cleveland Browns' rookie quarterback caught an unlucky break on Wednesday. The 23-year-old QB was sidelined during Wednesday's joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering an oblique injury. Per Kelsey Russo of the team website, the 2025 fifth-round pick won't practice Thursday and is considered day-to-day. He is deemed unlikely to play in Saturday's preseason game against Philadelphia, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on NFL Network. Before Wednesday's practice, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed rookie QB Dillon Gabriel will start against Philadelphia as long as he's healthy enough to play. The 2025 third-rounder missed Cleveland's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers because of a hamstring issue. However, Stefanski previously said Sanders would get more reps this week after a solid preseason debut. The former Colorado Buffaloes star received the start in the 30-10 win over Carolina, going 14-of-23 passing for 138 yards and two touchdown passes. Not playing against Philadelphia could disrupt Sanders' momentum. More importantly, it may eliminate another opportunity for him to overtake Gabriel in Cleveland's four-way QB competition. Sanders is listed as the Browns QB4 behind Gabriel, Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco on the team's unofficial depth chart. Despite questions about Gabriel's size (5-foot-11, 205 pounds), the coaching staff seems to favor him over Sanders. Earlier this offseason, Gabriel's processing speed reportedly impressed Browns coaches, giving him an edge over Sanders. The former Oregon Ducks star also received reps with the first-team offense during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, while his fellow rookie didn't. If Gabriel plays well against the Eagles, that would continue to affirm the coaching staff's confidence in the 24-year-old QB. Neither Sanders nor Gabriel is expected to be the Week 1 starter for the Browns. It's likely going to be Flacco, who helped Cleveland make the playoffs in 2023 when he went 4-1 during a late-season stretch. Still, another solid preseason showing could help Sanders position himself to replace 40-year-old Flacco in the future. With the setback, it may take more time to climb the depth chart.
5 wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel
The Washington Commanders have a problem quietly brewing in their wide receiver room. If the same trend continues, it could provoke general manager Adam Peters into drastic action before Week 1 against the New York Giants arrives. Second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin's contract battle remains at the forefront. The wide receiver and Washington haven't found any middle ground on an extension as yet. Not even his trade request moved the needle, although the wideout and Peters remain on speaking terms based on their recent conversation at practice. Washington's pass-catchers have found life difficult over the last two weeks. The dynamic has changed without McLaurin, and the lack of consistency during joint practice and the preseason game against the New England Patriots brought this firmly under the microscope. Ideally, McLaurin will get back onto the field sooner rather than later. He is the franchise cornerstone — the alpha who makes everyone better. But make no mistake, Peters is going to be watching how others perform closely in the coming weeks. Scouring the waiver wire for reinforcements is possible. The Commanders have maxed out their tradable assets throughout the offseason, but Peters is in win-now mode. If he can strike a deal for a pick swap or late-rounder, that changes the landscape considerably. With this in mind, here are five wide receiver trades the Commanders must consider as their depth continues to unravel. Wide receiver trades Commanders must consider as depth continues to unravel Commanders could trade for Kendrick Bourne This would have to be the right trade at the right price. Adam Peters hasn't dismissed anything, but acquiring Marshon Lattimore, Deebo Samuel Sr., and five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil makes it much more difficult. That doesn't mean Peters won't try if the correct opportunity presents itself. And the front-office leader might turn to someone he knows well from a previous stop. According to reports, Kendrick Bourne is being phased out of the New England Patriots' offense. Injuries have stunted his production over the last two seasons, and it seems like new head coach Mike Vrabel prefers others. Peters was part of the brain trust that identified the wideout as an undrafted free agent target with the San Francisco 49ers. Therefore, he could decide to get involved if the AFC East club makes him available. This will cost almost nothing. But if Bourne can stay healthy, he could be another useful, experienced addition to the Commanders' passing attack. Commanders could trade for Tim Patrick The Washington Commanders have had plenty of success with veteran players a little down on their luck who manage to galvanize their careers under head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. General manager Adam Peters won't hesitate to roll the dice once again if he believes it can benefit the franchise. Although he's had some devastating injury problems in recent years, Tim Patrick represents an intriguing option who could reportedly be available. He put together a full campaign with the Detroit Lions last season as a rotational piece who logged 59 percent of offensive snaps. But considering he missed the 2022 and 2023 seasons with a torn ACL and torn Achilles, respectively, staying injury-free was a major positive. Patrick will have gained tremendous confidence from this experience. At 6-foot-5, he represents a matchup nightmare when fit and firing on all cylinders. While asking him to be a WR 1 or WR2 is a stretch, the Commanders wouldn't need that from him in this scenario. What they'd want is for Patrick to be a red-zone asset and take away attention from others in key down and distances. That seems like an attainable objective, but whether the Lions would want to move him to an NFC rival is highly debatable. Commanders could trade for John Metchie III The fact that John Metchie III is playing in the league represents an achievement in itself. A prolific wide receiver at Alabama, he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia shortly after being selected No. 44 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. But after successful treatment, he finally got to fulfill his dream during the 2023 campaign. Metchie's brought in 40 receptions from 67 targets for 412 receiving yards and one touchdown over his two active seasons. It was always going to be a slow burn back to his old self, but the Texans don't have the luxury of waiting around. This is a business, after all. Metchie made the team last summer when trade speculation was rife. The same rumors are swirling this time around, and the Texans might be more receptive depending on the compensation package. It would be a low-risk, high-reward pickup by the Commanders. Metchie is incredibly talented. Building back momentum gradually was always the primary objective for the pass-catcher. What Peters needs to figure out is whether he could bring something different to Washington's receiver unit if he decides another fresh face is needed. Metchie deserves a bit of good luck. Landing in Washington would represent all that and more. Commanders could trade for Adam Thielen The Carolina Panthers suddenly have an embarrassment of riches at the wide receiver position. They boast a nice blend of youth and experience, led by first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan and Pro Bowl pass-catcher Adam Thielen. After contemplating retirement this offseason, Thielen decided to stick around. He thought something special was building in Carolina with resurgent quarterback Bryce Young. At the same time, there is a youth movement underway with McMillan, Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. Thielen remains the team's most consistent receiver. He's an exceptional route-runner with assured hands in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field. The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State figures to play a key role for Carolina again in 2025, and general manager Dan Morgan also bumped his pay this offseason. That said, everyone has a price. Adam Peters won't push the boat out too much for someone who's probably a one-year rental. But if the Washington Commanders need to find more dependability in the passing attack, this is the exact sort of player they should be looking for. The Panthers would be extremely reluctant to part ways with Thielen. That might change if they're out of contention by the trade deadline, but not right now. Commanders could trade for Romeo Doubs This might be more on the expensive side, but it's starting to look like Romeo Doubs could be on the chopping block. And in this scenario, there would be a couple of legitimate suitors who'd believe there is still some untapped potential left. Doubs is a curious case. He's 6-foot-2 with a large wingspan. He has every athletic intangible imaginable to be dominant. No fewer than 15 touchdowns over his first three NFL seasons are encouraging, but the former Nevada standout also boasts 22 drops. That is far from ideal. It's also a reason why Doubs is being touted as potential trade bait at some stage this offseason. Nothing concrete has emerged as yet. Doubs fell hard during training camp practice this week, but it's reportedly too serious. But this does nothing to diminish the concerns that he might not even meet expectations in Green Bay after a promising start. It's also worth remembering that Doubs is entering the final year of his deal. The Packers could decide to cash in now rather than risk losing him for nothing next spring. If general manager Brian Gutekunst goes down this route, this could provide the Commanders with a boom-or-bust option who could make a real difference if he transitions smoothly. More Commanders news and analysis
Portland Trail Blazers to be sold to Hurricanes owner and pickleball enthusiast
A group led by billionaire Tom Dundon, the owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, has reached a tentative agreement to buy the Trail Blazers from Paul Allen‘s estate, sources tell Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico. Blue Owl Capital co-president Marc Zahr and co-CEO of Collective Global Sheel Tyle are among the other investors who are part of Dundon’s group, according to Soshnick and Novy-Williams, who say the buyers intend to keep the team in Portland. The Blazers will be valued at more than $4 billion in the sale, reports Shams Charania of ESPN. The Trail Blazers announced their plans to sell the franchise back in May. Allen, the longtime Blazers owner who purchased the franchise for $70M in 1988, died on Oct. 15, 2018, resulting in control of the team being transferred to his sister Jody Allen, the trustee and executor of his estate. The plan following Paul Allen’s death was for ownership of the Blazers to eventually change hands as part of an estate sale, which is the process that’s playing out now. The investment bank Allen Co. (no relation) and the law firm Hogan Lovells were selected to lead the sale of the team. As Soshnick and Novy-Williams note, while the valuation of the Blazers in this tentative deal isn’t yet known, a trust generally has a fiduciary duty in an estate sale to maximize the value of its assets and to sell to the highest qualified bidder. When Sportico last updated its NBA franchise valuations in December 2024, the site estimated the Blazers’ worth to be $3.6 billion. New owners have agreed to buy the Celtics ($6.1 billion valuation) and Lakers ($10 billion valuation) since then. All estate proceeds as a result of the Blazers sale will be directed toward philanthropy, per the late Allen’s wishes. In addition to owning the NHL’s Hurricanes, Dundon has invested heavily in pickleball — he’s the majority owner of the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball. Dundon, who is also the chairman and managing partner of the Dallas-based investment firm Dundon Capital Partners, will serve as the Blazers’ new governor if and when the sale is officially approved by the NBA, per Sportico’s report.
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