Connor Stalions, the former Michigan Wolverines football staffer embroiled in a signal-stealing scandal, has resurfaced as a volunteer coach at Detroit Mumford High School.
Despite his controversial past, Stalions has taken on the role of defensive coordinator under first-year head coach Williams McMichael.
Stalions remains tight-lipped about the allegations that have plagued him. During a recent Saturday practice, Stalions went to great lengths to avoid the media.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the former Michigan staffer bolted across the football field in a full sprint to evade a six-person media group that had gathered to cover the practice.
Stalions’ involvement with Mumford High School became public knowledge earlier in the week, raising questions given his ongoing connection to an NCAA investigation.
The scandal, which involved allegations that Stalions orchestrated a scheme to steal signals from opposing teams, led to his suspension from Michigan in October 2023 and his subsequent resignation.
The NCAA’s findings also contributed to a three-game suspension for then-head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has since returned to the NFL as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The tension surrounding Stalions was palpable during Saturday’s practice. Originally scheduled for 9 a.m., the session was repeatedly delayed, with the final start time pushed to 3:10 p.m.
When the players finally took the field, Stalions conspicuously avoided the media, exiting the school through a different door and running to the center of the field, far from where reporters were stationed.
McMichael, who confirmed Stalions’ presence on the coaching staff, expressed no concerns about the NCAA violations associated with Stalions’ tenure at Michigan.
“He had to go through a background check just like everybody else that comes into the Detroit community school district, and he was able to pass that. As long as he passed that, I don’t have no problem with him,” McMichael stated.
The media had been informed by McMichael that Stalions was not authorized to make any public statements until after the release of a Netflix documentary titled “Sign Stealer,” scheduled to premiere on August 27, where Stalions is expected to break his silence on the allegations.
As the investigation into his alleged sign-stealing operation continues, Stalions remains a focal point in the broader NCAA probe.
Earlier this month, Michigan received a draft of the NCAA’s notice of allegations, which included claims that Stalions had attended a Central Michigan football game in 2023 disguised in Chippewas gear, with a sideline pass, to observe the signals of Michigan State.
The notice also implicated Michigan’s new head coach, Sherrone Moore, in the scandal, alleging that he deleted text messages exchanged with Stalions.
What are your thoughts on the Stalions controversy? … Considering his new defensive coordinator role, do you think he will end up turning into Bill Belichick 2.0???