With undefeated Michigan returning to action Saturday after a week off, discontent is simmering across the Big Ten regarding the conference’s inaction and public silence in the face of the Wolverines’ signal-stealing controversy.
A late-afternoon Thursday virtual meeting of league athletic directors, including all four incoming Pac-12 schools, with commissioner Tony Petitti stretched into early evening eastern time, lasting over 90 minutes. That followed what sources told Sports Illustrated was a sometimes-heated call with the conference’s football coaches Wednesday night, who vented to Petitti about what they see as a lack of response to Michigan’s alleged rule-breaking—much of which was intended to gain a competitive advantage against other Big Ten schools. Petitti is scheduled to be in Ann Arbor for the Big Ten field hockey championships this weekend, sources said, which could provide an opportunity to speak directly with Michigan officials on the matter. Another call with the coaches is expected in the coming days.
A source familiar with the AD call says the difficult spot Petitti is in was acknowledged, and he was given credit for listening both to the coaches and athletic directors. The majority of ADs on the call had an appetite for some action from the conference office.
