REPORT: Connor Stalions lands new coaching job

Chris Breiler | Aug 16, 2024

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline beside off-field analyst Connor Stalions, right, during the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. / Adam Cairns / USA TODAY NETWORK

He might be at the center of one of the biggest college football scandals in recent memory, but that hasn't prevented former U-M football staffer Connor Stalions from landing a new coaching job. On Friday, the Detroit News reported that Stalions is the now the defensive coordinator at Detroit Mumford high school.

Connor Stalions, 'most hated man in college football,' lands coaching job https://t.co/EUC3HfgiQu via @detroitnews Story by Dave Goricki

— angelique (@chengelis) August 16, 2024

Stalions is the central figure of an ongoing NCAA investigation into an apparent sign-stealing scheme that became one of the biggest controversies in College Football during the 2023 season. The former U-M staffer was accused of illegally gathering intel on other teams by utilizing a "vast network" of folks who would attend games on his behalf and record Michigan's future opponent signals. For many, the controversy surrounding Stalions called into question all of Michigan's success over the last three years, with some even calling for wins to be vacated.

The story about Connor Stalions wasn't just about the act of gathering intel on other teams, however. As additional details began to emerge about the former U-M staff member, it became clear that his vision for the Michigan Football program - and his role within it - went far beyond gathering intel on other teams. In fact, a previous report by Sports Illustrated indicated that Stalions had a detailed plan on how he would ultimately run the program in the future - - something he referred to as "The Michigan Manifesto." The information was obtained via a former student at a Power 5 school who was in direct communication with Stalions in January and February 2021.

Connor Stalions, left, stands next to Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh during the team's game against Rutgers, Sept. 23, 2023 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Stalions, now 28, revealed that he was part of a small group of people—two of whom he said were at low-level positions on different college football coaching staffs—who were putting their heads together on a long-term plan to run the Michigan football program. Stalions claimed to have a Google document between 550 and 600 pages long that he managed daily, containing a blueprint for the Wolverines’ future. He referred the document as a movement more than a plan, dubbing it “the Michigan Manifesto.”

Stalions wrote, “I think it’s pretty rare to find the right type of people who can grasp a vision of the future and want to team up and run s---. And we all got our own stuff goin on, but we all got some pretty unique approaches. Basically the way I see it, there’s a future Ohio State head coach and staff out there somewhere preparing for it whether they know it or not. And we have a group of a half dozen actively planning s--- 15 or so years out. And another dozen or two on board. So by the time it’s ready to rock, we’re all on the same page and we quickly make Michigan the ultimate standard.”

The former U-M staffer will tell his side of the story in an upcoming Netflix documentary called, "Sign Stealer," set to be released on Aug. 27. Given how big of a role this topic played during the 2023 season, there's no doubt that fans from all across college football will be tuned in when the documentary releases later next month.

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