'Nothing to say': Michigan's Warde Manuel opts for silence on sign-stealing scandal

Standing in the corner of the Crisler Center media room, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel did his best to get ahead of the questions as a scrum of media members approached.

"I will have a comment at the appropriate time," Manuel started Saturday evening. "For now, I have none."

That didn't stop the handful of reporters — which quickly grew as those around the room saw a crowd begin to form — from probing further. The first attempt was to ask about Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, who was in town the day prior for a meeting with Michigan president Santa Ono to discuss the ongoing sign-stealing investigation.

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The primary person of interest is former U-M recruiting analyst Connor Stalions, who resigned Friday. However, the scandal has seemingly cast a pall over the entire football season, even as the Wolverines continue to dominate, as they did Saturday with an effortless 41-13 dismantling of Purdue.

The main question Manuel, head coach Jim Harbaugh, and the entire athletics program has to answer isn't what happened, but how deep did it go?

"I have nothing to say," Manuel repeated. "I’m here to see Jim and celebrate this victory."

That may have been the case, but Manuel knew as well as everybody in the room that few reporters had any pressing questions about the game that just transpired. After all, what was truly learned? The Wolverines picked up their ninth straight win this season, their 21st consecutive Big Ten victory and their 21st straight win at home.

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Entering the game, the Boilermakers (2-7, 1-5 Big Ten) didn't appear to present a notable test for the Wolverines in any way, and it played out as such on the field.

Even on a night when he didn't have his usual precision, J.J. McCarthy still completed 24 of 37 passes (64.9%) for a season-high 335 yards. On the other side, the defense gave up a garbage time touchdown with 18 seconds left; that was the only time it allowed Purdue to cross the 50 and score a touchdown all night.

Even the special teams unit — which pinned Purdue inside its own 15 on all four punts, made all eight kicks and allowed just 12 kick return yards all night — was overwhelming.

"The comments keep coming about why they’re good, how they’re good; they’re just good," Harbaugh said. "If you know football, and you watch our guys play — I’ve said it before, there's 20, 22, 23 guys that will be playing on Sundays next year. I truly believe there’s another 30-35 right behind them that will return. And others that’ll be developing and it’s just really good players and that’s if you know football.

"I mean just watch the game, turn on the tape — that’s why they’re so good. They’re good at it."

Saturday isn't what proved Michigan was good at football. The Wolverines have long shown that and will have a chance to prove how good they truly are Saturday at Penn State.

Instead, the night at the Big House was a chance for the Wolverines to prove their unity, and perhaps answer some questions with their play.

They certainly did the former, which started with the letter Ono wrote Petitti earlier this week, pleading with the commissioner to let due process play out and not rush to any punishments or decisions.

"Deeply appreciate it," Harbaugh emphasized Saturday of the public support his program has received from Ono.

But public support doesn't quiet outside noise. And when Manuel was asked if Michigan has received any semblance of a timeline from either the Big Ten or NCAA, as well as when it anticipates getting a ruling, he snapped back.

"I don’t know what part of 'no comment ...' " Manuel began, before he cut himself off. "Y'all can keep asking me all the questions you want, but I have no comment."

There was one final try from the media, as another reporter asked why he was choosing silence.

Certainly,there is an investigation going on and per NCAA rules, there are elements that cannot be discussed. However, that doesn't mean nothing can be discussed. To name a few: Was Manuel also in the meeting with Ono and Petitti? How has this affected contract negotiations with Harbaugh? What are his thoughts overall about accusations of cheating in his department?

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But those went unanswered as Manuel reaffirmed he wouldn't clarify any further.

"I don’t know," Manuel said. "It’s just the choice I’m making."

Harbaugh also did his best to dodge questions that didn't pertain to the previous three hours on the field. At one point, he said he's "not talking" about the current allegations. At another, he said he "respects" the question he was asked, but isn't going to get into it.

He did lift back the curtain a bit when asked how he and his team have responded as a whole, and whether it has been a distraction or a method of unification.

"It's practically a priceless gift," Harbaugh began," to get to where we want to go."

Where the Wolverines want to go is Houston for the national championship in January. First, they must face their stiffest tests yet.

After getting through nine games in which U-M led by multiple scores entering the fourth quarter, the Wolverines are at that point. It starts with a noon kickoff in Happy Valley, where the Penn State crowd will be deafening. Fortunately — or unfortunately — U-M feels ready for the noise, because it bas already heard plenty of it off the field.

"We've done a tremendous job with that so far," McCarthy said. "We're gonna have to continue to do that, the noise isn't going to stop."

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Warde Manuel: No comment on Michigan football sign-stealing scandal