Joel Klatt fuels speculation on Connor Stalions scandal with ominous warning of suspicious move by Michigan official
Last week, the Michigan Wolverines made headlines by announcing an internal suspension of head football coach Sherrone Moore. This suspension was brought about as part of the NCAA's investigation into the Connor Stalions investigation regarding sign-stealing and advanced scouting within the Michigan football team. Now, another move by the Michigan administration happened that flew under […]
Last week, the Michigan Wolverines made headlines by announcing an internal suspension of head football coach Sherrone Moore. This suspension was brought about as part of the NCAA's investigation into the Connor Stalions investigation regarding sign-stealing and advanced scouting within the Michigan football team.
Now, another move by the Michigan administration happened that flew under the radar, but caught the eye of FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt. Michigan President Santa Ono announced his decision to leave Michigan, heading to the University of Florida.
That timing felt suspicious, given that he had just begun his tenure as President of a university as prestigious as Michigan. While still a quality school, Florida isn't quite on par with Michigan, which has strong programs in law, engineering, business, and medical programs like their college of pharmacy and nursing. Leaving such a job less than three years into your tenure leading the school is a fairly eyebrow-raising move.
Throughout the investigation into the Wolverines, Santa Ono has fully backed the Michigan program and maintained their relative lack of wrongdoing. Now, however, he suddenly decides to leave and head south just as the investigation into Michigan starts to pick up steam again.
Klatt called it out, bringing a fairly ominous warning with him on The Joel Klatt Show.
"So, Santa Ono is like, you know what, I’m good. Peace out. Now, maybe he’s just going down for sunshine and no taxes. I don’t know. There’s plenty of those in our country, but I’m not sure if that’s totally this case. Again, the interesting timing of this is they know more than we do. So, now you have Michigan trying to get out in front of a suspension for their head coach Sherrone Moore and the president leaving for a job that we would all at least assume is not quite as prestigious. So, something is coming. And it’s likely very large and could be even financial. So, the Michigan saga is going to be with us for at least a few more months.”
Now, Ono may be leaving for different reasons, completely separate from football. In his op-ed regarding his decision to take the job at Florida, Ono cited divisions regarding DEI and other challenges to higher academia, such as antisemitism and peaceful protests. It's entirely plausible that he felt the situation at Michigan was tenuous at best and thought a decision to leave would help settle the situation at a university as rooted in activism as Michigan is. Like Klatt stated, sunshine and no income tax make Florida a very appealing place to live.
However, Klatt is also right to view the timing as fairly suspicious, given that it was announced just days after Michigan's suspension of Moore. Is Ono getting out in front of the investigation into Michigan? How deep does this rabbit hole go?
It doesn't seem likely, as the athletic director, Warde Manuel, has been extended despite being much more likely to be involved or even a contributor in the Stalions scandal. However, we truly have no idea how deep or widespread the probe into Michigan goes.
Regardless, the scrutiny is intensifying on the Wolverines the longer this goes on. It does seem likely that further punishment is on the horizon for the Wolverines.
