In late October, there were but mere rumblings that Michigan football was making a late push to lure Bryce Underwood away from LSU. It was message board fodder, rumors that had more than a hint of truth. But very few knew what was going on between the Wolverines and the No. 1 recruit in the country — who happened to play high school ball just 20 minutes down the road.
Even fewer knew that the maize and blue would have an advocate within the Belleville program in short order.
Former Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions has become something of a household name in college football after becoming a daily subject in the sport in 2023. In 2024, Stalions was coaching at Detroit (Mich.) Mumford, first as a defensive coordinator before he found himself ultimately serving as the acting head coach. Once Mumford’s season was done, he got a call, and before he knew it, he was set to serve as the Belleville (Mich.) offensive coordinator for the playoffs.
That meant that Stalions was about to be in close proximity to Underwood as well as his also incredibly talented teammate, safety Elijah Dotson.
Underwood was committed to LSU and Dotson to Pitt, but on Nov. 20, Dotson flipped to the Wolverines and Underwood followed suit the next day. To those in the national media, the Dotson news was somewhat expected. The Underwood news was not.
Having coached both for three weeks, Stalions shared his thoughts exclusively with WolverinesWire, remarking first on Underwood and what makes him such a special player.
Bryce Underwood
“Anyone can watch Bryce’s highlight tape and see the talent, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t let his physical traits fool you,” Stalions told WolverinesWire. “Bryce is a reassuring example of how hard work and complete dedication to perfecting one’s craft separates the good from the great.
“First guy there, last guy to leave. Wins every sprint in practice. Treats every single rep like his life depends on it. When he’s not on the field or working out, he’s studying the game. Never satisfied. Always looking for ways to improve. Always getting extra work in. He didn’t get to where he is by accident. He’s ALL about football. He’s only 17, so he has plenty of room to continue to grow, but Bryce already conducts himself like a professional. And every kid who looks up to him needs to understand that his work ethic is what got him to where he is. You can achieve what you want to if you relentlessly put in the work.”
Elijah Dotson
Though Dotson has been somewhat overshadowed by Underwood in terms of media coverage, Stalions has insisted that he is a powerhouse player in his own right.
Projecting him as a potential multi-year starter, Stalions says that the safety (who also played wide receiver at Belleville) has a lot of unique qualities that will endear him to the Michigan coaching staff and fan base, alike.
“The same can all be said for Elijah,” Stalions said, noting the aforementioned comments about Underwood. “Elijah pops off on film, flying around the field on both sides of the ball, and he loves to hit. He’s super versatile in coverage, but you really want him in the run fit, too. And he’s really smart. Right after the season ended and he decided to commit to Michigan, he immediately shifted his focus to learning Michigan’s defense. That’s the type of guy he is. Ultimate focus. I’m looking forward to seeing E-Dot’s impact on defense and special teams. Don’t be shocked if you see him find his way on the field ahead of schedule.”
Stalions won’t go so far as to say he had an impact in getting both of Michigan football’s future stars to Ann Arbor. And while he didn’t have a ton of time with them overall, as their coach with the Tigers, he learned a lot — not only about the players on the field but who both Underwood and Dotson are as young men.
Through the process, Stalions got to know both the Dotson and Underwood families, and he could see the values instilled in both. Still an avid fan of Michigan, while he wasn’t overtly recruiting the duo to Ann Arbor, he’s more than thrilled to see both set to wear maize and blue — an occasion marked by both signing with the Wolverines on early signing day on Wednesday.
“Elijah and Bryce are both tremendous young men who come from great families,” Stalions said. “They’re both direct reflections of their fathers, whom I’ve gotten to know well. Regarding their recruitment, Elijah and Bryce really couldn’t go wrong with any decision they made. We didn’t talk too much about recruiting — we were dialed in on football itself. But I’m sure they had difficult decisions, as does everyone who goes through the process. I was only with them for three weeks this season, and I could tell after one practice that they would both succeed regardless of where they played college football. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I’m ecstatic to see both of them go to Michigan. But what’s even cooler for me is that I was looking forward to see them play college ball regardless of where it was — now I’ll only have to drive right down the road to see them play.”
