Connor Stalions, the former Michigan staff member at the heart of the university’s sign-stealing scandal, has returned to coaching, this time as the defensive coordinator for Mumford High School in Detroit. Located just under an hour from the University of Michigan campus, Mumford High’s football program now finds itself in the spotlight as Stalions, once a key figure in one of college football’s most controversial investigations, steps into a new role.
Despite the change of scenery, Stalions remains a figure of intense interest. His involvement in Michigan’s alleged sign-stealing scheme, which is still under NCAA investigation, has made him a subject of two upcoming documentaries, including one in Netflix’s popular Untold series.
While the documentaries promise to bring Stalions significant publicity, for now, he seems determined to keep a low profile.
Over the weekend, Detroit Free Press reporter Mick McCabe described a “six-hour game of cat-and-mouse” that Stalions played with the media during a Mumford High practice session. Despite being on the scene, Stalions managed to evade speaking with reporters entirely, leading to speculation about his reluctance to engage publicly. According to reports, the practice was delayed multiple times, with Mumford’s head coach William McMichael repeatedly adjusting the start time. Although media access had been promised, Stalions ultimately avoided any interaction by exiting the school through a different door and sprinting across the field.
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Six media members were in attendance, hoping to get a word from Stalions, but they left empty-handed. McMichael suggested that Stalions feels legally restricted from speaking publicly until the Netflix documentary is released, even on mundane topics related to his current coaching duties.
Stalions’ new role comes as the NCAA continues to investigate his involvement in Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal. The allegations centered around Stalions as the key figure in the operation, which reportedly involved scouting opponents and deciphering their play-calling signals. While the NCAA’s findings and any potential sanctions are still pending, Stalions’ transition to high school football appears to be proceeding without concern from his new employer.
Mumford High’s head coach, William McMichael, dismissed any worries about NCAA repercussions affecting Stalions’ current position. “Naw, the NCAA really doesn’t have anything to do with high school football,” McMichael said. “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.”
As the high school football season gets underway, it will be interesting to see how Stalions’ presence impacts the dynamics on the field. Opposing teams might take extra precautions with their sideline signals, given his controversial past. For now, though, Stalions is staying out of the spotlight, biding his time until his story is told through the upcoming documentaries.
Whether his coaching career will continue to be shadowed by his past remains to be seen, but his return to the sidelines is sure to keep the sports world watching.
