Lawsuit By Joey Velazquez Says Connor Stalions Had Video of Ohio State Practices, Told Him to Lie to NCAA
Former Ohio State and Michigan linebacker Joey Velazquez is suing CBS for defamation over a report that accused him of lying to the NCAA during its sign-stealing investigation.
In a lawsuit filed with the Supreme Court of New York on Aug. 28, Velazquez is suing CBS over a report by CBS News Detroit that accused Velazquez – who was not identified by name in the CBS story – of lying to the NCAA by claiming that former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge told his players not to cooperate with investigators.
According to the lawsuit, Velazquez was instructed to lie to the NCAA by former Michigan analyst Connor Stalions, the architect of Michigan’s impermissible in-person scouting scheme. In a phone call that Velazquez recorded without Stalions’ knowledge, which the lawsuit asserts Velazquez had the right to record under Michigan state law, Stalions allegedly told Velazquez to “never give up your phone” and that “you can technically lie your ass off and it doesn’t even matter.”
Velazquez’s lawsuit states that Stalions approached him about assisting with reviewing opponent film to prepare for games after he tore his hamstring at the beginning of the 2023 season. Per the lawsuit, “it was obvious that the film that Stalions was using was not broadcast film,” and Stalions “had even obtained film of Ohio State’s open practices through in-person advance scouting.” Velazquez said he did not know that Stalions’ system violated NCAA rules and “he thought he was doing whatever he could to help his team win within the rules.”
After Velazquez told his father that Stalions had film of Ohio State practices, Velazquez’s father became concerned that his son had been pulled into an operation that violated NCAA rules, according to the complaint. Velazquez’s father contacted a friend who coached at a Division III school, who informed Velazquez’s father that conducting in-person advance scouting and filming signs would violate NCAA rules. When an investigator looking into possible NCAA infractions by Michigan approached Velazquez’s father, he turned over the documents he had to the investigator and instructed his son to be honest with any investigation.
Velazquez fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation and “always told the truth to the NCAA and to Michigan compliance,” per the lawsuit. Velazquez was considered to be “a protected confidential source entitled to whistleblower protections and immunity,” but his name was allegedly leaked to Michigan officials outside the compliance team during a conference call between the NCAA, the Big Ten and Michigan.
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