In late October, there were only rumors that Michigan football was making a late push to lure Bryce Underwood away from LSU. They were forum messages, rumors that had more than a hint of truth. But very few knew what was going on between the Wolverines and the No. 1 recruit in the country — who happened to be playing high school ball just 20 minutes later.

Even fewer knew that the Maize and Blue would soon have a supporter in the Belleville program.

Former Michigan football commit Connor Stalions has become a household name in college football after becoming a common theme in the sport in 2023. In 2024, Stalions coached at Detroit (Mich.) Mumford, initially as defensive coordinator before finding himself ultimately serving as acting head coach. When Mumford’s season ended, he got a call and before he knew it, he was set to serve as offensive coordinator for the playoffs in Belleville (Mich.).

That meant Stalions would be in close proximity to Underwood and his also incredibly talented teammate, safety Elijah Dotson.

Underwood transferred to LSU and Dotson to Pitt, but on November 20, Dotson transferred to the Wolverines and Underwood followed suit the next day. For the national media, the Dotson news was somewhat expected. It wasn’t the Underwood news.

After training both for three weeks, Stalions shared his thoughts exclusively with WolverinesWire, first commenting on Underwood and what makes him such a special player.

Bryce Underwood

The Underwood family and Stalions before the Northwestern game in Week 13. Photo: Isaiah Hole

“Anyone can look at Bryce’s highlight tape and see the talent, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t let his physical attributes fool you,” Stalions told WolverinesWire. “Bryce is a reassuring example of how hard work and total dedication to perfecting one’s craft is what separates the good from the great.

“First to arrive, last to leave. Wins every sprint in training. Treat each and every representative as if their life depends on it. When he’s not on the field or practicing, he’s studying the game. Never satisfied. Always looking for ways to improve. Constantly putting in extra work. He didn’t get to where he is now by chance. For him, EVERYTHING revolves around football. He’s only 17, so he has plenty of room to grow, but Bryce is already acting like a pro. And every kid who looks up to him needs to understand that his work ethic is what got him to where he is. You can achieve whatever you want if you work tirelessly.”

Elijah Dotson

The Dotson family and Stalions before the Northwestern game in Week 13. Photo: Isaiah Hole

Although Dotson has been somewhat overshadowed by Underwood in terms of media coverage, Stalions has insisted he is a strong player in his own right.

Stalions projects him as a potential multi-year starter and says the safety (who also played wide receiver at Belleville) has many unique qualities that will endear him to both the coaching staff and the Michigan fan base.

“Same with Elijah,” Stalions said, noting the aforementioned comments about Underwood. “Elijah jumps on film, flies around the field on both sides of the ball and he loves to hit. He’s super versatile in coverage, but you also want him fit in the run. And he’s really smart. As soon as the season ended and he decided to commit to Michigan, he immediately focused on learning Michigan’s defense. That’s the type of guy he is. Ultimate focus. I look forward to seeing E-Dot’s impact on defense and special teams. Don’t be shocked if you see him finding his way on the field prematurely.”

Dotson and Underwood will sign with Michigan out of Belleville High School on December 4, 2024. Photo: Isaiah Hole

Stallions won’t go so far as to say he had an influence in bringing both of Michigan football’s future stars to Ann Arbor. And while he didn’t spend much time with them overall, he learned a lot as the Tigers’ coach — not just about the players on the field, but about who both Underwood and Dotson are as young men.

Through this process, Stalions came to know both the Dotson and Underwood families and was able to recognize the values ​​embedded in both. Still an avid Michigan fan, although he hasn’t openly recruited the duo to Ann Arbor, he’s more than excited that both will be wearing maize and blue – an occasion marked by both early signing day on Signed with the Wolverines on Wednesday.

“Elijah and Bryce are both great young men who come from great families,” Stalions said. “They are both direct reflections of their fathers, who I got to know well. When it comes to their recruitment, Elijah and Bryce really couldn’t go wrong with their decision. We didn’t talk much about recruiting – we focused on the football itself. But I’m sure like everyone who goes through this process, they made difficult decisions. I was only with them for three weeks this season and I could tell after the first practice that they would both be successful no matter where they played college football. Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I’m excited to see them head to Michigan. But what’s even cooler for me is that I was looking forward to seeing them play college ball no matter where it was – now all I have to do is drive down the street to see them play.”