Disgraced Staffer at Center of Spartans' Rival Michigan's Cheating Scandal Lands Football Job

The Michigan State Spartans likely had a run-in with Michigan Wolverines staffer Connor Stalions during last season's opener. Michigan high school teams have to deal with Stalions now.

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

In the state of Michigan, perhaps there is no more interesting a time than now when it comes to football.

The Michigan State Spartans have a new head coach in Jonathan Smith and plenty of excitement around quarterback Aidan Chiles. The Michigan Wolverines just won a national championship. The Detroit Lions are witnessing levels of success their franchise has not seen since the Eisenhower administration.

Of course, part of that intrigue is scandalous. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh's regime was just slapped with a Notice of Allegations by the NCAA. Violations galore. There are the COVID-19 recruiting dead period violations. Then there is the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal that was the cloud looming over the Wolverines' championship run last year.

Stalions, a low-level staffer and wannabe Michigan Man who allegedly wrote a manifesto outlining a hypothetical reign over the Maize and Blue (exhibiting a casual relationship with reality), now has a new job in football.

He will be the defensive coordinator for Detroit Mumford.

Last season, the Mustangs went 1-8. They scored a total of 58 points on their opponents. They allowed 314 points scored. That's an average of roughly 35 points per game. Time for a new staff, right? Southeast Michigan doesn't lack for talent, so poor performance can't solely be because you were outgunned, right?

This reporter has some questions.

Why hire Stalions? So opposing teams will stop giving your scoreboard a workout? Is it beneficial for the 16-, 17-, and 18-year-olds to have to carry the baggage of Stalions around with them when they should be focused on the game and their enjoyment participating? Forget any potential social media (or in-person) harassment they might have to endure from the fringe fans that take things too far (of which this reporter finds deplorable).

And what about that upcoming Netflix documentary "Sign Stealer", the supposed Stalions tell-all that drops on August 27th? Don't you think it will serve as a distraction or maybe bring more ignominious attention to your program and players? Are you part of the any publicity is good publicity camp?

A follow-up question: Will Stalions help you avoid getting trounced again by Detroit Cass Tech?

These are all questions this reporter would love to ask Mumford head coach William McMichael, though he sort of answered them when he spoke to The Detroit News.

"I got the most hated man in college football right now, Connor Stalions," McMichael said. "He’s my defensive coordinator."

As a reporter, what a fascinating time to be covering football in Michigan.

Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.

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