Connor Stalions's High School Coaching Debut Didn't Go As Planned

Ryan Phillips | Aug 30, 2024

Michigan football analyst Connor Stalions was fired after evidence of him orchestrating a sign-stealing scheme was unearthed. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Connor Stalions made his debut as a high school football defensive coordinator Thursday night—and things did not go well.

The man at the center of Michigan's sign-stealing scandal from last year is leading the defense for Detroit's Mumford High School this season. His Mumford Mustangs opened their 2024 campaign against Thurston High School from Redford, Mich. It quickly turned into a blowout.

The final score of the season-opening tilt was 47–6 in favor of Thurston. That's likely not the debut Stalions and his defense were looking for.

Several weeks ago reports surfaced that Stalions had been hired at Mumford to run the defense. The school's head coach, William McMichael told The Detroit News, "I got the most hated man in college football right now, Connor Stalions. He's my defensive coordinator."

McMichael might be rethinking that hire after what happened in Week 1.

Mumford went 1-8 last season and 0-5 in league play, and in 2022 the Mustangs were 1-9 and 1-6 in their league. So Stalions wasn't exactly joining a powerhouse program.

Stalions and his crew travel to face the 1-0 Hamady Hawks next Friday.