In his Michigan Manifesto, Connor Stalions said he wanted to be a college football head coach and lead the Wolverines to a national championship. This week, Stalions fulfilled part of that dream, becoming a head coach in Michigan, though not at Michigan.
A volunteer defensive coordinator at Detroit’s Mumford High School, Stalions was named the Mustangs' active coach for at least Friday's game against Hamady High School, according to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports. Stalions is filling in for Mumford's head coach, William McMichael, who suffered a stroke on Aug. 30.
"Connor is leading the team now," McMichael told Dodd, explaining that the timetable for his return to work is "unknown."
Mumford suffered a 60-0 loss to Hamady in Stalions’ head coaching debut. Per David Goricki of The Detroit News, Mumford went 0-for-6 on fourth downs, repeatedly giving Hamady a short field.
Exclusive footage of Connor Stalions arguing with the refs tonight after his team turned the ball over on downs.
— Ohios Tate (@BarstoolTate) September 7, 2024
He thought it was only 3rd down.
They lost 60-0 in his Head Coach debut. pic.twitter.com/EElyDeuJ7X
Mumford is now 4-25 since the start of the 2022 season, suffering a 47-6 loss in its season opener against Thurston High School last Thursday.
Stalions, who resigned from the Michigan football program after he was identified as the architect of the Wolverines' sign-stealing scheme last October, has been at Mumford since May. He told Dodd before Friday’s game that he planned to build momentum for the Mustangs program this week with an inspired performance in honor of McMichael.
"It's a matter of keeping them bought in," Stalions said.
According to Dodd, Stalions then stated his desire to one day become Michigan's head coach. When Dodd asked him whether he could become a college head coach at some point, Stalions responded, "I would hope."
