Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions had a rocky start to his high school head coaching debut at Mumford High School in Detroit. Stalions, who was originally brought on as the defensive coordinator for the Mustangs, was thrust into the interim head coach role this week after head coach William McMichael suffered a “mild stroke.” Unfortunately, his first game in charge didn’t go as planned.
On Friday night, Mumford faced Flint Hamady, and the result was nothing short of a disaster for Stalions’ debut. The Mustangs were overwhelmed, suffering a 60-0 blowout loss. It was a tough start for a program trying to find its footing, and emotions ran high on the sidelines.
One of the more notable moments during the game occurred after Mumford turned the ball over on downs. Frustrated by the call, Stalions erupted, arguing with the officials that his team should have been awarded one more down. The heated exchange between Stalions and the referees caught the attention of onlookers, with Barstool Sports personality “Barstool Tate” reportedly obtaining footage of the outburst and sharing it on social media. The clip quickly spread on X (formerly known as Twitter), further adding to the drama of the evening.
The loss dropped Mumford to 0-2 on the season, continuing a challenging stretch for the Mustangs, who have posted a dismal 9-29 record since the start of the 2020 season. Despite the rough beginning, Stalions remained optimistic about his role in the program and the work ahead.
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“I came to Mumford because I wanted to help flip the culture,” Stalions told The Detroit News after the game. “They are not used to winning, and I wanted to help show these guys the actual process of what it’s going to take to win, because they eventually will win, and for me, that’s more gratifying than going to a program that’s already winning.”
Stalions emphasized his commitment to building a program from the ground up, adding, “I’d rather have 15 guys who love the process of football than 30 guys who are halfway in and halfway out. Those 15 guys are the ones who will drive this program forward.”
Stalions’ return to coaching comes in the shadow of controversy. He was previously at the center of Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal, which remains under investigation by the NCAA. Stalions was accused of masterminding an operation to illegally steal opposing teams’ signals during games, a violation that rocked the Michigan football program. The NCAA has since issued a Notice of Allegations, and the investigation is ongoing.
In October of last year, Stalions was suspended with pay by Michigan as the allegations surfaced, and he ultimately resigned from the program in early November. Despite the scandal, Stalions has sought to reinvent himself in the high school football world, aiming to help struggling programs like Mumford.
While his coaching debut didn’t go as he might have hoped, Stalions remains focused on the long-term goal of turning Mumford into a winning program. For now, though, both he and the Mustangs have a lot of work ahead to bounce back from the tough start to the season.
