Connor Stalions, former Michigan staffer, coaching Belleville, Bryce Underwood

Stalions is now an assistant coach as the Tigers and Underwood push for another MHSAA state championship

Conor Stalions is now helping with the Belleville offense for the 2024 playoffs. Mariusz Nowak /

Connor Stalions, the former Michigan football staffer at the center of a sign-stealing scandal, is now an assistant coach at Belleville High School, where star quarterback Bryce Underwood plays, CBS Detroit reports.

Stalions joined for the Tigers' 2024 Michigan high school football playoff run. He was previously an assistant with Detroit Mumford High School in 2024.

Belleville co-head coach Dejuan Rogers told CBS Detroit that Stalions has been calling the offense since the playoffs began on November 1.

"Connor ... he's been a great tool for us in enhancing how we attack opposing defenses,"  Rogers told CBS Detroit. 

Belleville's offense is led by the No. 1 player in the class of 2025, quarterback Bryce Underwood, who is committed to LSU. But the Michigan Wolverines have continued to show interest in flipping Underwood to Michigan.

On Friday, Michigan fans drove a Go-Blue bus to Belleville's playoff win against Saline. Underwood had a great game with four passing touchdowns, and one beast-mode rushing touchdown.

University of Michigan football defensive line coach Lou Esposito and general manager Sean Magee were at Howell High School (Mich.) on October 25 to watch the nation's top recruit, Underwood (Belleville), play 3-star Michigan defensive line commit Bobby Kanka (Howell). Howell upset the then undefeated Tigers.

Stalions was brought in shortly after.

"We are not the same team people saw in the game against Howell," Rogers told CBS Detroit. 

Rivals.com wrote of Michigan's interest in Underwood in late October:

"Let’s start with the facts.

- Sherrone has spearheaded a serious push for Bryce Underwood. FACT.

- Bryce Underwood has been receptive to the advances. FACT.- Some in the recruiting circles report that Bryce is legitimately “torn” on what to do next. FACT.

- Michigan has significant support for NIL moves like this, and others, moving forward. FACT."

Stalions was a former analyst for the University of Michigan who allegedly bought tickets to future opponents games to scout play-call signals. Scouting play-call signals in-person is against NCAA rules. The NCAA investigation has led to coaching suspensions. Stalions resigned from Michigan in November of 2023.

In September, CBS Detroit reported Stalions became the acting football coach of Detroit Mumford High School, but athletic director Donshell English refuted the report.

Belleville's next play off game is Friday, November 15 against Detroit Catholic Central.

247sports.com on Underwood:

"Potential franchise signal caller with the ideal blend of size, arm talent and athleticism. Exhibited no shortage of field command midway through senior season, which makes sense given resume: over 48 career starts and upwards of 165 touchdowns accounted for. Those numbers are amplified even more by the fact that he’s extremely young for the grade and won’t turn 20 years old until his third year of college. Has continued to improve as a passer and has gotten much more in tune with his mechanics. However, the biggest revelation in his final prep campaign has been his ability to move the chains with his legs as he builds speed and dodges defenders as an open-field runner with a frame that’s north of 6-foot-3 and pushing 215 pounds. Displays excellent pocket awareness for his age and isn’t one that panics as pressure builds. Does best to stay on schedule and hit his marks with authority, showing the ability to not only challenge tight coverage windows with velocity over the middle, but also throw with both touch and anticipation to the second and third levels. Projects as a multi-year impact player for a College Football Playoff contender that has a chance to eventually emerge as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft with his tools. Might need a semester or two to find his footing, but ability to hunt big plays and distribute on the move could be hard to keep off the field even if he’s still learning how to dissect complex defenses."

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