Connor Stalions’ first game as Mumford High School’s defensive coordinator ended in a 41-point loss.
And his second game — this time serving as acting coach after head coach William McMichael suffered a stroke, according to the Detroit News — didn’t go any better, with Detroit Mumford getting blown out, and shut out, 60-0, against Hamady High School on Friday.
“Success doesn’t come overnight and the first three or four opponents we play are playoff teams, so the schedule is frontloaded,” Stalions told the Detroit News following the game. “By no means is that an excuse, but we know we’re in for some dogfights at the beginning of the year and it’s about getting these guys to buy into the process.”
Stalions, who resigned from his position as Michigan’s analyst last year after being accused of orchestrating an intricate sign-stealing scandal, landed Mumford’s defensive coordinator position last month, and McMichael joked at the time that he’d hired “the most hated man in college football right now.”
Mumford won just one game last season.
When McMichael suffered a “mild stroke,” as ESPN reported, and couldn’t coach Friday’s game, Stalions took over — and it quickly turned disastrous, when Hamady took a quick lead off a 63-yard touchdown run on its second offensive snap, according to the Detroit News.
“Connor Stalions… the interim head coach for Detroit Mumford. Now apparently, a lot of signals got crossed for Mumford last night. Didn’t get all the signs… 60-nil.” – Rece Davis on College GameDay in Ann Arbor🏈📺🎙️ pic.twitter.com/6Xbn8YwLnq
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 7, 2024
That deficit only swelled from there, and the outlet added that Stalions’ fourth-down decisions — an area where Mumford went 0-for-6, including one where they reportedly tried to convert a fourth-and-20 from their own 30-yard line — were questionable, too.
“I came to Mumford because I wanted to help flip the culture,” Stalions told The Detroit News following the game. “They are not used to winning and I wanted to help show these guys the actual process of what it’s going to take to win, because they eventually will win, and for me that’s more gratifying than going to a program that’s already winning.”
Stalions’ coaching performance was also criticized by Rece Davis on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” with the host saying that they “didn’t get all the signs” in reference to Michigan’s scandal.
Mumford will face Cass Technical High School next week in search of its first win, though it’s unclear at this point if Stalions will continue to serve as acting coach or if McMichael will return.
