New twist in Connor Stalions case, as second school sought his help, per report

Central Michigan sought help from then-Michigan football staffer Connor Stalions to help the Chippewas’ coaching staff in their 2023 season opener against Michigan State, according to a report from CBS News Detroit.

Central Michigan received a notice of allegations from the NCAA in June over the roughly two-year-old claim in which a man thought to be Stalions appeared on the Chippewas’ sideline.

A man resembling Stalions was photographed wearing Central Michigan apparel and sunglasses and had a recording device while standing on the team’s sideline.

The NCAA began an investigation into the matter in October 2023 after pictures of the man surfaced online and went viral.

A member of Central Michigan’s coaching staff opened up contact with Stalions and that then-head coach Jim McElwain was “likely aware of and approved of the arrangement to secure Stalions a sideline credential and outfit him in CMU-issued gear,” according to the report.

Stalions’ presence on the Central Michigan sideline was specifically to assist the Chippewas in their game against Michigan State, another person told CBS.

McElwain, who resigned after the 2024 football season, claimed he had no knowledge of the identity of the man on his sideline in that game.

“We... were totally unaware of it,” McElwain told reporters.

“I certainly don’t condone it in any way, shape, or form, and I do know that his name was on none of the [sideline] passes that were let out.”

Stalions, the man behind the Michigan sign-stealing operation, resigned his position with the school as an analyst during the 2023 season amid the NCAA’s investigation into the scheme.

The NCAA revealed the results of that probe last week, imposing a significant fine on Michigan that could swell to more than $20 million from the loss of postseason revenue over the next two years and gave head coach Sherrone Moore a one-game ban to start the 2026 season.

Michigan is on a four-year probation, will pay up to 10 percent of its football budget, 10 percent of the cost of its football scholarships for this season, faces a 14-week prohibition on recruiting communications in the football program during the probation period, and a 25 percent reduction in football official visits during the 2025-26 season..

Michigan football committed several violations over the three years in question, including an off-campus, in-person scouting project and impermissibly recruiting inducements and communications, the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions said.

(CBS)

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