Big Ten commissioner defends handling of Michigan’s sign-stealing controversy

Big Ten Media Days are officially here, and it didn’t take long for Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti to be asked about his handling of Michigan’s sign-stealing controversy last season. Petitti was ultimately the deciding factor that led to Jim Harbaugh serving a season-ending three-game suspension, including games against Maryland, Penn State and Ohio State. Petitti said it was a collaborative effort by many within the Big Ten and he stands by the results of the decision he made on the matter.

“It was a collaborative process within the conference office, with staff initially trying to understand and gather information,” Petitti said. “There was a lot of collaboration with the NCAA in terms of the information that we had access to. We worked with our administrators and ultimately our presidents and chancellors. So it was a completely collaborative process. I understand that, coming from MLB and having witnessed some of the disciplinary actions there. It’s a difficult process when you’re forced into a situation where you have to decide what to do with a member. And that’s part of it. You approach it with a lot of respect and try to do what’s fair and protect the entire conference. That was the approach we took, and I stand by the results of the decision we made.”

When asked whether he had insight into the NCAA’s current investigation into the Michigan football program and what the timeline for a decision would be, Petitti did not comment in detail.

“I am not aware of a timeline and I do not yet know when the NCAA will make a final decision or when that might be.”

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