Tag: Connor Stalions

Connor Stalions once ‘received a game ball’ from Harbaugh for ‘deciphering signals’

We learned a little bit more about the relationship between Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions on Tuesday

It sounds like former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh knew what Connor Stalions was up for the Wolverines after all.

There has long been a theory that Harbaugh didn’t have much of a connection to Stalions — who is infamously known for his role in the Michigan football sign-stealing scheme that gained national attention last year. However, on Tuesday, Netflix released its documentary covering Stalions and Michigan, and he said he once received a game ball from Harbaugh for deciphering the opponent’s signals.

Stalions is quoted in the documentary saying Harbaugh gave him a game ball from the 2022 win at Iowa in relation to sign stealing. It’s unclear if Harbaugh was aware of how Stalions was able to “decipher” the Hawkeyes’ signs — which can be legally done — but clearly, there was some connection between the two.

Check out the clip of Stalions talking about the game ball moment below:

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How to watch Netflix Connor Stalions documentary ‘Sign Stealer’

You’re not going to want to miss this. #GoBlue

It was the biggest story in college football in 2023, and a name known to very few people, Connor Stalions, became infamous nearly overnight.

The former Michigan football staffer who was responsible for stealing signs for the Wolverines was suddenly thrust into the limelight, accused of a scheme of sending people to games to videotape opposing teams’ signals.

And now, he tells his side of the story for the first time.

As part of its ‘Untold’ series, Netflix released ‘Sign Stealer’ on Tuesday, an 87-minute documentary on the saga that’s embattled Stalions and Michigan since Oct. 2023.

A synopsis of ‘Sign Stealer’ was provided by Netflix:

In an exclusive interview, Connor Stalions sits down to tell his side of the story for the first time since the alleged Michigan sign-stealing scandal rocked college football in October 2023. Stalions, who developed a database of thousands of signals, put his so-called “signal-deciphering” skills to use while working as an analyst for Michigan. As football fanatics and online sleuths noticed his constant presence on the sidelines as the Wolverines racked up win after win, a growing chorus called foul play — despite sign stealing being completely legal under NCAA rules. Though Stalions resigned from the team after they surged to an 8-0 start, the media scrutiny only intensified from there. Eventually the Big Ten Conference suspended then-head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final games of the season, Michigan fired a top athletic booster, and the NCAA opened an official investigation into the alleged scheme. Diving into this recent saga, UNTOLD: Sign Stealer drives home key questions: was Stalions simply the best to ever do it, or a cheater? Should the Wolverine’s 2024 National Championship have an asterisk next to it? And how trustworthy are the institutions that govern American collegiate sports?

If you want to check out the documentary, here is how you can watch it.

You’ll need a Netflix account in order to view ‘Sign Stealer,’ as it is streaming exclusively on the platform.

Once you have a Netflix account, you can watch ‘Sign Stealer’ here. It is available to stream via its website or on the Netflix app, on your mobile device or on your TV.

For our extensive takeaways as it pertains to the bombshell documentary, you can check them out here.

Michigan was issued the notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding Stalions’ alleged actions on Sunday and now has 90 days to respond. Stalions’ lawyers responded swiftly, calling the investigation an action meant to ‘besmirch’ former head coach Jim Harbaugh and Connor Stalions.

Connor Stalions’ lawyers issue statement after Michigan football receives NOA

This is scathing! #GoBlue

Michigan football received the notice of allegations from the NCAA on Sunday as it pertains to Connor Stalions’ alleged illegal sign-stealing operation. Like the NCAA, his lawyers aren’t going quietly into the night.

Brad Beckworth and Nathan Hall provided a statement to The Athletic (subscription required) that accuses the NCAA of unfairly targeting former Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh as well as their client.

“This investigation has been a witch hunt from day one intended to besmirch Michigan and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh,” attorneys Brad Beckworth and Nathan Hall wrote in a statement to The Athletic. “Connor is a scapegoat in the NCAA’s ongoing quest to show that it has a purpose in today’s sports world.”

The statement continued:

“The NOA says Connor’s friends and family sent him film from games they attended with tickets Connor purchased,” Stalions’ lawyers wrote. “But there is no rule against that.” The lawyers went on to say the “only ‘scouting’ that took place in this case happened on Michigan’s campus from behind Connor’s computer.”

There has been little argument thus far, outside of Michigan message boards, that Stalions didn’t violate the advanced scouting rule, also known as NCAA bylaw 11.6.1. That bylaw prohibits in-person scouting by institutional staff members, but Beckworth and Collins argue that since Stalions wasn’t in-person according to the evidence of his scheme, it doesn’t qualify.

It’s unclear if Michigan will argue similarly or if it will attempt to appease the governing body. But it appears all but certain that Stalions and his legal counsel will fight the NCAA on this.

Meanwhile, the Netflix documentary on the subject, “Sign Stealer,” is set for a Tuesday release.

Connor Stalions is coaching high school football now because of course he is

This was inevitable

Whether or not Connor Stalions is guilty of facilitating an alleged sign-stealing operation at Michigan, it almost felt inevitable that he’d get another job in the sport somewhere.

Perhaps not in college football, of course. Because even in a sport as petty as this one, it was still too soon. But after the Wolverines won the national title last year while seemingly rubbing their scandal in everyone’s faces, was there any question Stalions would parlay his in-state celebrity into another gig?

Enter Detroit Mumford, which just hired the former Michigan staffer as its defensive coordinator.

“I got the most hated man in college football right now, Connor Stalions,” Mumford head coach William McMichael told The Detroit News. “He’s my defensive coordinator.”

The only way this news would be shocking is if Stalions was coaching a high school in Ohio. His celebrity is too big (relatively) and being able to connect your prep team to Jim Harbaugh’s 2023 national title winners is too much to pass up for some.

“What happens in the NCAA, at that level, really has nothing to do with high school or Mumford,” McMichael told The Athletic. “It wasn’t a publicity stunt. (Stalions) loves football so much, he didn’t really want to be away from it.”

The coach added that the defense he hopes to deploy “mirrors” what Michigan ran under Harbaugh, and Stalions “knows it like the back of his hand.”

College fans had a lot of thoughts.

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Connor Stalions lands at Detroit high school as assistant coach

Good for him! #GoBlue

Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions, who allegedly ran what the NCAA deems an illegal sign-stealing scheme, may not have returned to college football, but he’s getting another chance to coach in the game.

First reported by The Detroit News’ David Goricki, Stalions has joined the Detroit (Mich.) Mumford program as the team’s defensive coordinator.

Stalions is the new defensive coordinator at Detroit Mumford, new Mumford head football coach William McMichael told The Detroit News on Thursday.

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

As mentioned, Mumford has a new football coach in William McMichael, who previously was the offensive line coach at Belleville. McMichael is also the father of Jeremiah Beasley, the linebacker who signed initially with Michigan football before ultimately transferring to Missouri.

Stalions will officially break his silence since the NCAA revealed he was the target of its investigation later this month, when Netflix releases ‘Sign Stealer’ — a documentary that tells the story from Stalions’ point of view, as part of the streaming platform’s ‘Untold’ series. That documentary is scheduled to drop on Aug. 27.

Alleged Michigan sign-stealer Connor Stalions finds new coaching job

The infamous Connor Stalions has found a new coaching gig

The infamous Connor Stalions, the man who was allegedly behind the controversial sign-stealing allegations that surrounded Michigan football’s 2023-24 National Championship run, has found a new coaching job.

According to David Goricki of the Detroit News, Stalions is now working as the defensive coordinator at Detroit Mumford High School.

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CMU AD Amy Folan releases statement on QB coach, Connor Stalions situation

CMU AD Amy Folan releases a statement amid the report of QB coach Jake Kostner’s firing:

It was been reported by Football Scoop that Central Michigan has fired QB coach Jake Kostner, and it is being speculated that it is connected to the Connor Stalions situation, specifically the Michigan staffer being on the sidelines for CMU’s game against Michigan State.

Reported by Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, CMU athletic director Amy Folan released a statement on the matter:

Central Michigan does not comment on ongoing personnel matters. The NCAA investigation is still ongoing. We will continue to cooperate and look forward to a resolution.

This situation feels like it is ready to blow and Spartans Wire will keep you up to date with coverage as it develops.

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CMU fires QB coach, reportedly connected to Connor Stalions situation

CMU has reportedly fired their QB coach just days before the start of fall camp:

The University of Michigan is looking at receiving a notice of violations from the NCAA in regards to the fallout of the Connor Stalions sign stealing scandal. A part of that sign stealing scandal involves Stallions being present on Central Michigan’s sideline for their week one game against Michigan State last season.

According to a report by Football Scoop, Central Michigan is moving on from QB coach Jake Kostner. The timing of the firing is all too interesting, as fall camp is set to begin for the Chips this week.

Kostner was a student assistant with Michigan for four seasons and knew Stalions from his time in Ann Arbor.

When CMU was asked about the connection of Kostner and Stalions, Tony Paul of the Detroit News reported that CMU declined to comment, but they are still working with the NCAA on their investigation.

This will be a story to watch as it looks to be unraveling.

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Michigan could soon be getting notice of allegations for sign-stealing investigation

Looks like things might be somewhere in the middle of all of the swirling expectations. #GoBucks

It appears the long tail of the investigation into the sign-stealing allegations against the Michigan football program could be nearing an end. According to a report from Chris Balas of the Wolverine.com (subscription required), the NCAA could drop the notice of allegations to Michigan this week, perhaps as early as Tuesday.

The expectation is that the Wolverines will be hit with a Level 1 violation and perhaps receive a one or two-year postseason ban. According to the report, two other Michigan coaches could be hit with Level II violations for “providing impermissible benefits to Michigan athletes.”

We will, of course, have to wait until the real notice drops, but the expectation is that Michigan will fight the penalty. And, as we all know, the NCAA move’s at a snail’s pace, so there won’t likely be a resolution to the whole ordeal until 2025, meaning this season will most likely not be impacted.

There is not an expectation that Michigan will have to vacate games or the national championship from last season. As more becomes available, and as the official notice of allegations is dropped, we’ll have more to say about it all.

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Netflix to release documentary on Connor Stalions, Michigan sign stealing controversy

The Michigan sign-stealing scandal involving Connor Stalions is set to get the Netflix documentary treatment

According to Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports, Netflix is set to release a new documentary as part of their ‘Untold’ series on the Michigan sign-stealing controversy and Connor Stalions.

The documentary is set to release on August 27.

Michigan State was a major part of this story, as it was alleged that Stalions was on the sidelines for the Spartans’ game against Central Michigan last year.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.