Former Sign-Stealing Michigan Staffer Hired as High School's Defensive Coordinator

Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the Wolverines' sign-stealing scandal, is back on the sidelines after being hired as the defensive coordinator for Detroit Mumford High School. 

"I got the most hated man in college football right now, Connor Stalions," Mumford head coach William McMichael told David Goricki of The Detroit News. "He's my defensive coordinator."

Stalions was suspended last October after the Big Ten announced an NCAA investigation into the Michigan football program for sign-stealing. Stalions later resigned from his role as a player personnel analyst. 

Stalions resigned after his scheme was revealed of purchasing tickets to games around the country and directing a network of individuals to video the sidelines in an effort to decode their play-calling signals. Investigators used ticket information, film, photographs and interviews to determined that Stalions had impermissibly scouted at least 13 future Michigan opponents on at least 58 occasions between 2021 and 2023. He directed others to scout some opponents multiple times -- including one team that they scouted seven different times in 2022.

McMichael, who is in his first season as Mumford's coach, said a mutual friend introduced him to Stalions. He said Stalions had to go through a background check before he joined the staff.

"What happened at Michigan had nothing to do with Mumford High School," McMichael said. "That's a Michigan thing. That's an NCAA thing."

Stalions is reportedly a hit with the players a Mumford. 

"The kids love him," McMichael said. "He seemed like the perfect fit for us and what we wanted to do. The defense we've been running for a while mirrors Michigan's. It gives an edge to the guys who are looking to go to the next level because they're learning college lingo and how you go about being professional."