"Sad ... another hater of 7v7": Football fans react to former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions' views on 7-on-7 high school football

Former University of Michigan staffer Connor Stalions has ignited debate with his critique of 7-on-7 high school football. Stalions, who recently served as the Offensive Coordinator at Belleville High School, coaching top-ranked recruit Bryce Underwood, voiced his concerns about 7-on-7's impact on player development.

"7on7 has turned into a terrible thing for the development of the high school football game & players," he tweeted. "The whole purpose of 7-on-7 to begin with was to give high schoolers reps in the offseason without having Spring Ball (with pads) like college does.

That needs to be closely reevaluated, and if states actually care about the safety and development of their high schoolers, they’d benefit significantly greater from having actual Spring (or “Summer”) Ball than continuing on with 7-on-7s. The entire concept of 7-on-7 ultimately took 1 step forward while taking maybe 5 steps backwards for the game of football and development & safety of players."

His remarks have drawn mixed reactions from the football community. Coach Griff of Pacific High School defended the format, tweeting:

“Sad … Another hater of 7v7. The only valid point he made is about supposed coaches trash-talking kids. If he wants a real debate, he can call me. Whatever negative experiences he’s had don’t represent all 7-on-7 programs, players, or organizers.”

Another fan dismissed the criticism, tweeting:

“Seems like a weird hill to die on.”

"I'm not ready all that," a fan tweeted.

"No one asked," another tweeted.

"Put the signs in the bag bro," a fan tweeted.

Stalions elaborated on his concerns about linebacker development, arguing:

"A 7-on-7 rewards LBs for just skipping right to step 5. And that doesn’t even mention the bad post-snap habits, specifically where a LB’s eyes need to be at the snap. Depending on the call, a LB’s eyes at the snap in a real game need to either be on a Tight End/Sniffer, the RB, or a Triangle Read (Guards & RB). In a 7-on-7, his eyes can just skip right to his pass responsibility."

Connor Stalions criticizes 7-on-7 football, calls for reform in high school athletics

Seven-on-seven football, a variation emphasizing passing without linemen or tackling, features seven-player teams competing in fast-paced, 20-minute games. The offense starts at the 40-yard line with three downs to score, earning a first down by crossing the 25-yard line.

Touchdowns are worth six points, with optional one- or two-point conversions. Quarterbacks have four seconds to release the ball, making it a valuable training ground for passing and receiving.

Connor Stalions, however, argues that the format encourages bad habits, particularly among wide receivers:

"Sure, while you never have to block, the argument could be made that WRs face the biggest challenge in a 7-on-7—getting open when the defense knows it’s a pass. But once that pass is caught, 90% of these WRs hold the ball like they’re trying to pose for a photo while palming the ball. And why are they rewarded for this bad habit? Because 1. there’s no threat of a fumble; and 2. back to players & coaches prioritizing trash talking & celebrating more than actual good football habits."

Before joining Belleville, Stalions was the defensive coordinator at Detroit Mumford, where the team finished 1-8. Meanwhile, Belleville ended the season 9-3 with Underwood leading the offense.