REPORT: Michigan Staffer Created Manifesto, Had Visions Of Running Football Program
The story surrounding the current NCAA investigation into sign-stealing by the Michigan football program has taken yet another strange turn. The latest reporting from SI's Richard Johnson paints a picture of a former superfan turned staffer who had visions of eventually running the Michigan football program.
The individual at the heart of the investigation, Connor Stalions, was reportedly working on a 600-page document for the future of Michigan football - something he referred to as "The Michigan Manifesto." The information was obtained via a former student at a Power 5 school who was in direct communication with Stalions in January and February 2021.
Stalions, now 28, revealed that he was part of a small group of people—two of whom he said were at low-level positions on different college football coaching staffs—who were putting their heads together on a long-term plan to run the Michigan football program. Stalions claimed to have a Google document between 550 and 600 pages long that he managed daily, containing a blueprint for the Wolverines’ future. He referred the document as a movement more than a plan, dubbing it “the Michigan Manifesto.”
Stalions wrote, “I think it’s pretty rare to find the right type of people who can grasp a vision of the future and want to team up and run s---. And we all got our own stuff goin on, but we all got some pretty unique approaches. Basically the way I see it, there’s a future Ohio State head coach and staff out there somewhere preparing for it whether they know it or not. And we have a group of a half dozen actively planning s--- 15 or so years out. And another dozen or two on board. So by the time it’s ready to rock, we’re all on the same page and we quickly make Michigan the ultimate standard.”
Although none of the information in this latest report provides evidence of what Stalions is currently being accused of, it does provide quite a bit of insight into what he was ultimately trying to achieve as part of Michigan's staff.
Stalions is currently suspended with pay as the NCAA investigation continues.
