Why keeping Jesse Minter at Michigan is likely a ‘pipe dream’

On Wednesday, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh announced he will be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Earlier this week, reports surfaced claiming Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh will likely join him.

If Minter opts to try his luck in the big leagues, it will be a massive loss for Michigan. Under Minter, the Wolverines boasted the No. 1 defense in the nation this season, only allowing 247 opponent yards per game.

On Thursday, On3’s Andy Staples asked the Wolverine’s Anthony Broome if Minter would stay if he was given the largest contract for a defensive coordinator in college football.

“Probably not,” Broome said. “That’s probably the biggest pipe dream of them all. Listen, it’s been assumed, just like it was assumed when Michigan hired Mike Macdonald, the NFL was going to come calling back for him at some point, given that he’s from that Baltimore Ravens tree.”

Minter joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2017 as a defensive assistant. In 2020, he was promoted to the team’s defensive backs coach. With the NFL calling his name, Broome believes a massive payday may be Michigan’s best shot at retaining Minter.

What would it take to keep Jesse Minter?

LSU hired Missouri’s Blake Baker to be its new defensive coordinator and paid him $2.5 million per season, the most of any assistant in the nation. Before Harbaugh accepted the Los Angeles Chargers’ job, reports claimed Michigan was prepared to offer him up to a $12 million salary.

If the school can spare a fraction of that money for Minter, it may cause Minter to reconsider his options. Broome believes it is pivotal that Michigan at least attempts to persuade Minter to stay.

“Give him something to think about,” Broome said. “With Jim Harbaugh, you felt like if it’s not now, when for the NFL. But, Jesse Minter is a young guy, he’s going to be in demand probably the rest of his coaching career, honestly.

“We’ll see what happens, but Michigan I don’t think can afford to let him walk out the door without opening up the checkbook and seeing what it would take from his perspective to give him something to consider.”

Minter signed a new three-year contract on March 2. Under his current deal, Minter collected a base salary of $1.15 million in 2023, followed by $1.2 million this year and $1.25 million in 2025. Per NBC Sports Chicago, NFL coordinators earn $1 million annually on average.