Mississippi State Coaching Staff Not Worried About Sign Stealing Amid Investigation Into Michigan
Zach Arnett and his staff at Mississippi State have no concerns about sign stealing ahead of the Bulldogs' road game at Auburn this weekend.
Last week, it was reported that the NCAA opened an investigation into Michigan's football program over allegations that staffers on the Wolverines attended games of both scheduled opponents and possible postseason and College Football Playoff opponents to gather information on their signs and play calling.
Although the act of sign stealing itself technically isn't illegal, scouting opponents in person has been prohibited by the NCAA since 1994. In the wake of the investigation, Michigan suspended analyst Connor Stalions without pay, while head coach Jim Harbaugh has denied he had any knowledge of a sign-stealing scheme or in-person scouting of opponents.
During a press conference this week ahead of the Bulldogs' matchup at Auburn, head coach Zach Arnett and his coaching staff were asked about any concerns over sign stealing in college football, but all of them said they had no worries over it.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
"I don't have any concerns of sign stealing," offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay said in his press conference. "If they (other programs) can figure out who is actually signaling, they are doing a pretty good job."
Barbay further said that an easy way to avoid sign stealing would be to implement a mic into the quarterback's helmet, allowing for a more secure way to call plays from the sideline or the booth.
"I think that would be cool and really good," he said. "You would be able to talk with your quarterback and give him those last-minute reminders. I know in the NFL they start a play call off and the quarterback just finishes it (in the huddle). I think that would be really cool. But I am not worried about sign stealing. I am more worried about our guys getting the signals."
Head coach Zach Arnett said that there are always people on the opposing team, whether players or coaches, trying to peek at the other team's signs from their sideline, an experience he has known first hand being a defensive coordinator the previous five seasons.
"When I called defense – I think it’s the same now – we just have one primary signal caller," Arnett said. "Depending on offensive tempo or your call, how realistic is it go get all that information processed. If you snap the ball every 10 seconds, you don’t have time for all that."
Defensive coordinator Matt Brock said that the coaching staff has rarely, if at all, brought up sign stealing as a concern, mostly because of the fast pace of the play calling.
"You get into different situations with tempo and things like that," Brock said. "When you signal (on defense), you signal quick."
The only scenarios Brock mentioned that sign stealing would be a concern were if a team were playing against a former coach or staff member who joined a different program and may already be familiar with their play book.
"You might change terminology or a signal here and there," Brock said. "But as far as throughout the course of the season (not really)."
Regardless, Mississippi State has no concerns with sign stealing from the opposition amid growing concerns within the college football world.
