Michigan’s Connor Stallions Texts ‘Stolen Opponent’s Signals’ From TV – Had A WolverineVision
In a lengthy text exchange from 2021, the Stallions bragged about stealing signs and a close relationship with the Wolverines’ “whole staff.” He said he sees himself one day leading Michigan football and is preparing to create a hundred-page document he calls the “Michigan Manifesto.”
It wasn’t long before Connor Stallions was bragging about his ties to the Michigan football team in a text chat: “I’m close with the whole staff,” he wrote. Specifically, he said he “becameclose to CP and Jay Harbs,” apparently referring to current quarterbacks coach Chris Partridge and tight ends and assistant coach Jay Harbaugh, who is the son of head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Pre-Covid, he would steal the opponent’s signals during the week while watching TV, then flyto the game and stand next to [then-Michigan offensive coordinator Josh] Gattis and tell him what coverage/pressure he was getting.” the Stallions continued. . Those texts are part of a longback-and-forth between the Stallions and the then-Power 5 school prospect who wanted to break college football in January-February 2021. The specific activity performed by the Stallions – interpreting opponents’ signals from telecasts – is not against the rules of NCAA. But the Michigan employee fired last week has become a household name in college football amid allegations and reports that he orchestrated an elaborate scheme to place unnamed associates to spy on, and in some cases film, the stadiums of Michigan’s opponents. oppose the warnings of the trainers (both behave very much against the rules).
Ori, papers in hand, stood near Jim Harbaugh in last season’s game against rival Ohio State. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK
The former Power 5 tight end shared the entire text conversation with Sports Illustrated, confirming the origin of the messages, removing Stallions’ name from his contact informationto reveal a phone number. This number has been linked to the name Stalions in the public database WhitePages. There was no answer when the SI called and texted the number. The Stallions’ text messages to the student paint a vivid picture of his motivations, revealing an aspiring coach obsessed with helping Michigan build his career and one day lead the program.
A Michigan spokesman said the university, Jim Harbaugh, Jay Harbaugh and Partridge had nothing to add to previous statements because of the ongoing NCAA investigation. Michigan said it is “fully cooperating with the Big Ten and the NCAA” and that “at the University of Michigan, we hold all members of the community to the highest standards of ethics and integrity.”
Jim Harbaugh also denied knowledge of illegal signal-stealing plans and said he did not direct any staff members to participate in off-campus patrols. “I do not condemn or condone anyone who does anything illegal or against NCAA rules,” he said.
Gattis is now Maryland’s offensive coordinator. The university declined to make him available for comment. SI was unable to independently confirm the validity of the Stallions’ claims about their relationship with the Michigan coaches. However, several photos of him have surfaced in recent days showing him standing prominently on the Wolverines sideline. A review of the Stallions’ now-deleted Venmo account showed that Jay Harbaugh sent money to the Stallionsin 2017 for O.K. hand gesture emoticon in the memo line, although the purpose or amount of the transfer was not stated.
Stallions, who hails from Michigan, officially joined the Wolverines staff in the spring of 2022. ESPN reported that on his now-deactivated LinkedIn page, Stalions said he served in the Marines from 17 to 22 and also helped Michigan football as a volunteer assistant from 15, hoping to build a platform for the future. career That was apparently his position during the text exchange. The Stallions, now 28, revealed he is part of a small group of people — two of whom he said are low-level positions in various college football coaching positions — who have puttheir heads together for a long-term plan. Michigan football program. The Stallions claimed he had a 550 to 600 page Google document he managed daily that contained a plan for the future of the Wolverines. He called the document a movement more than a plan, calling it the “Michigan Manifesto”.
Every idea you could ever have,” he wrote, “has a place where it belongs in the document. It’s very organized.”
The Stallions wrote: “I think it’s pretty rare to find the right kind of people who understand thevision of the future and want to come together and lead the s—. And we all have our things, but we all have some nice ones. unique approaches. Basically, I think Ohio State’s next head coach and staff are preparing for it, whether they know it or not. And we have a group of half a dozen actively planning s—- 15 years from now. And another dozen or so two on board. So when it’sready to rock, we’re all on the same page and quickly making Michigan the ultimate standard.
In last season’s game against Colorado State, his chin studs stood alongside Michigan offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore and tight end Jim Harbaugh.
Stallions graduated from the Naval Academy in 2017.
While in Annapolis, he worked as a student assistant for the football team (oddly, this coincidedwith the time his LinkedIn profile said he was volunteering at Michigan). In his conversation with a Power 5 student that spanned about three weeks, Stallions said he obtained the high school national standardized tests and GPAs of about 500 Midshipmen football players shortly after graduation a decade ago. he should not be allowed to have. He claimed he only went to the Naval Academy recruiting office and coach Ken Niumatalolo dropped his name. Although he said the admissions office told him to delete the information the next day, Stallions worriedwhether he was
