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Jim Harbaugh on 2022 Michigan staff: 'It's a tremendous group'

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•07/31/22•

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Matt Weiss (left) and Sherrone Moore were tasked with co-coordinating Michigan football's offense in 2022. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Baltimore Ravens, but replaced him with someone a lot like him in Jesse Minter. It’s been “like year two of the same defense,” senior cornerback DJ Turner and senior tackle Mazi Smith said from Big Ten Media Day.

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That’s how comfortable they are with it, and Mike Elston has only made it better after coming over from Notre Dame to coach defensive line.

“I went back and talked to Jesse Minter right when Mike left, and just felt it was the absolute best thing for our team,” Harbaugh said, noting he’d talked to him while interviewing Macdonald last year, as well. … “It’s an added bonus that Jesse Minter got a year of defensive play calling under his belt as the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.”

He has a “sneaking suspicion the defense could be even better” this year, he noted.

On offense, both coordinators — Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss — were on the staff last year, very familiar with the offense. Though Josh Gattis left for Miami, Harbaugh feels they have the right mix to keep things heading in the right direction.

“Matt Weiss is incredibly smart. He is one of those persons that, when you’re doing a project, is so detailed,” Harbaugh said. “He thinks about it from every angle, plans everything out. I’ve never met a play I don’t like, and always feel that our players can execute anything — just give them the chance. Let’s just get started and get the project going. Damn the torpedos. I’ve never screwed up anything so bad that I couldn’t change it or throw it away.

“So we make the perfect, perfect blend really between Matt and myself. Then Sherrone is really kind of the living embodiment of both Matt Weiss and myself. He’s right there and the most important, because he’s coaching the offensive line. So … it’s an incredible group that way.”

But that’s not all, he said. Everyone is involved on offense, and all will have input. They’re going to stick to their principles of dominating up front, when possible. That means a great run game, and then building on that.

He acknowledged that could mean more in the pass game given the weapons they have. But all will have a say.

“Mike Hart does a great job in the run game, in the blitz protections,” Harbaugh said — and that was probably an underrated aspect of last year’s success. “Ron Bellamy is another person like Matt Weiss — very detailed, very organized, very analytical about plays and projects. And Grant Newsome, who’s also on the staff as a graduate assistant as our tight ends coach, is tremendous and will be a great coach … and already is.”

Overall, it might be the best staff he’s had.

“It’s a tremendous group,” Harbaugh said. “We have some really great analysts, as well. So, I feel great about the offensive staff. I feel great about the defensive staff.”

And he’s ready to see what they can accomplish when practice begins Aug. 3.

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