Rundown of every Michigan football assistant coach during Jim Harbaugh's tenure

Michigan Wolverines football has just one assistant coach — tight ends mentor and special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh — who has been with head coach Jim Harbaugh since the beginning of his tenure in 2015. There’s been an unprecedented amount of staff turnover, with several moving on to more significant positions and others being let go after not meeting performance standards.

Harbaugh has hired 31 assistant coaches since 2015, and will be tasked with bringing on at least two more this offseason after the departures of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald (Baltimore Ravens) and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis (Miami Hurricanes).

With all the news surrounding the Wolverines’ staff, we thought there was no better time than now to provide a rundown at Michigan’s past assistant coaches, followed by the list of current on-field staff members.

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PAST ASSISTANT COACHES

John Baxter

Position At Michigan: Special teams coordinator (2015)

Current Job: Special teams coordinator at Fresno State

Overview: Baxter came highly recommended and was handed the keys to the Michigan special teams in Harbaugh’s first season. After one season, though, he returned to USC, where he had worked from 2010-13.

Don Brown

Position At Michigan: Defensive coordinator (2016-20)

Current Job: Head coach at Massachusetts

Overview: Brown led stellar Michigan defenses, with his first three units (2016-18) finishing top three in total defense. However, his groups allowed 62 points and 56 points to Ohio State in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and after a dismal season in 2020, he was let go. A New England Native, Brown moved on to Arizona, before landing the head-coaching gig at UMass this offseason.

Anthony Campinale

Position At Michigan: Linebackers coach (2019)

Current Job: Miami Dolphins linebackers coach

Overview: A Rutgers graduate, Campinale worked at his alma mater from 2012-15, before moving on to Boston College in 2016 and then Michigan for the 2019 campaign. He left for the Miami Dolphins on his own accord and was there for the last two seasons. The team has hired a new head coach, Mike McDaniel, so his future there may be uncertain, and he actually is a candidate to become the Wolverines’ new defensive coordinator.

Tim Drevno

Position At Michigan: Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2015-17)

Current Job: Offensive line coach at UCLA

Overview: A Harbaugh assistant at Stanford (2007-10) and with the San Francisco 49ers (2011-13), Drevno was an obvious choice for Harbaugh to pluck when he took the Michigan job. Drevno served as offensive coordinator for three seasons, before moving on to USC, where he coached in 2014. He spent the 2021 season as an offensive analyst at UCLA and was promoted this offseason.

D.J. Durkin

Position At Michigan: Defensive coordinator / linebackers coach (2015)

Current Job: Defensive coordinator at Texas A&M

Overview: Durkin was Florida’s interim head coach for its bowl game in 2014, and was a hot commodity that Harbaugh hired. After one season in Ann Arbor, he was hired as Maryland’s head coach and served in that position for three seasons.

Jedd Fisch

Position At Michigan: Passing game coordinator / quarterbacks and wide receivers coach (2015-16)

Current Job: Head coach at Arizona

Overview: After two seasons at Michigan, Fisch was ready to move on and coordinate his own offense at UCLA, before becoming the program’s interim head coach at the end of the season. He jumped back to the NFL for three seasons, before being hired as Arizona’s head man before the 2021 campaign. His Wildcats went 1-11 last year.

Pep Hamilton

Position At Michigan: Assistant head coach / offensive coordinator / passing game coordinator (2017-18)

Current Job: Houston Texans passing game coordinator / quarterbacks coach

Overview: Hamilton worked with Harbaugh at Stanford, before coordinating the Indianapolis Colts’ offense from 2013-15, working with Andrew Luck, a former Cardinal star, once again. He was the head coach of the XFL’s DC Defenders in 2020, two seasons after departing Michigan.

Greg Frey

Position At Michigan: Offensive tackles and tight ends coach / run game coordinator (2017)

Current Job: Offensive line coach at Duke

Overview: Frey excelled during his six years coaching the offensive line at Indiana, which impressed Harbaugh. A unique move, Harbaugh tabbed him as offensive tackles and tight ends coach while Drevno worked with the centers and guards. The move wasn’t as big of a hit as Michigan would’ve liked, and he moved on to Florida State in 2018.

Josh Gattis

Position At Michigan: Offensive coordinator (2019-21)

Current Job: Offensive coordinator at Miami

Overview: Gattis had his ups and downs at Michigan, after joining the program following prior stops at Alabama, Penn State and Vanderbilt. The offense came on late in 2019, but took a major step back in 2020. The Wolverines’ attack was much better in 2021, when Harbaugh got more personally involved and promoted Sherrone Moore to co-coordinator.

Greg Jackson

Position At Michigan: Safeties coach (2015)

Current Job: Houston Texans safeties coach

Overview: Jackson was with Harbaugh in San Francisco from 2011-14, and joined him in Ann Arbor. But after one season at Michigan, the NFL came calling again, and he joined the Dallas Cowboys staff from 2016-19.

Brian Jean-Mary

Position At Michigan: Linebackers coach (2020)

Current Job: Linebackers coach at Tennessee

Overview: Jean-Mary had coordinator experience and was seen as a solid hire before the 2020 campaign. But after a dismal season for the Wolverines’ defense and amidst plenty of staff changes last offseason, he walked away to head to Tennessee.

Mike Macdonald

Position At Michigan: Defensive coordinator (2021)

Current Job: Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator

Overview: A one-year mercenary of sorts at Michigan, Macdonald joined the Wolverines for the 2021 season after six seasons with Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, and the Baltimore Ravens. Already seen as a potential future defensive coordinator in the NFL, Macdonald’s year of smashing success with U-M afforded him the opportunity to interview for, and eventually land, the Ravens’ D.C. gig.

Greg Mattison

Position At Michigan: Defensive line coach (2015-18)

Current Job: Retired

Overview: Mattison was the Michigan defensive coordinator under Brady Hoke from 2011-14, before Harbaugh retained him as defensive line coach. In a stunning move, Mattison left the Wolverines for Ohio State in 2019, before retiring after the 2020 campaign. Mattison actually departed Michigan for a rival two times in his career, leaving Ann Arbor for Notre Dame ahead of the 1997 season.

Ben McDaniels

Position At Michigan: Quarterbacks coach (2019-20)

Current Job: Houston Texans wide receivers coach and offensive assistant

Overview: An offensive assistant for Michigan in 2018, McDaniels, the brother of current Las Vegas Raiders head man Josh McDaniels, was promoted to quarterbacks coach. After limited success working with Shea Patterson, Joe Milton and Cade McNamara from 2019-20, he was let go but landed on his feet in the NFL.

Jim McElwain

Position At Michigan: Wide receivers coach (2018)

Current Job: Head coach at Central Michigan

Overview: McElwain was the head coach at Florida from 2015-17, and saw Michigan blow his Gators out, 41-7, in the Citrus Bowl Jan. 1, 2016. He appeared to be no fan of Harbaugh’s during his time in Gainesville, but joined the Michigan staff in 2018 before heading to Central Michigan to serve as head coach.

Shaun Nua

Position At Michigan: Defensive line coach (2019-21)

Current Job: Defensive line coach at USC

Overview: Nua replaced Mattison after working at Arizona State in 2018. After his best season in 2021, though, he left for USC and appears to be more comfortable on the west coast.

Chris Partridge

Position At Michigan: Special teams coordinator and linebackers coach (2016-17), special teams coordinator and safeties coach (2018-19)

Current Job: Co-defensive coordinator / safeties coach at Ole Miss

Overview: An elite high school coach at Paramus Catholic, Harbaugh plucked him to coordinate the program’s recruiting in 2015. He then stepped into an on-field role as special teams coordinator in 2016, before moving to safeties in 2018-19. He was offered a promotion to co-coordinate the Ole Miss defense in 2020, and took it.

Bob Shoop

Position At Michigan: Safeties coach (2020)

Current Job: Defensive coordinator at South Florida

Overview: Shoop was known as one with plenty of coaching acumen when he joined the Michigan staff in 2020, but he performed his duties remotely due to a personal issue. This is seen as the biggest ‘miss’ on Harbaugh’s coach-hiring resume at Michigan.

Brian Smith

Position At Michigan: Safeties coach (2016-17)

Current Job: Defensive coordinator / linebackers coach at Rice

Overview: A former coworker of Don Brown at Massachusetts, Smith was an up-and-comer in the NFL before coming to Michigan in 2016. He did a great job and was hired as Rice’s defensive coordinator, the position in which he still serves.

Al Washington

Position At Michigan: Linebackers coach (2018)

Current Job: Defensive line coach / run game coordinator at Notre Dame

Overview: Washington’s short career at Michigan ended the same way as Mattison’s long tenure — with a stunning move to Ohio State after the 2018 campaign. He was fired there after last season.

Ed Warinner

Position At Michigan: Offensive line coach

Current Job: Offensive line coach / run game coordinator at Florida Atlantic

Overview: A well-respected offensive line coach, Warinner helped lead a turnaround for the unit at Michigan from 2018-20. Unexpectedly, he was let go after the 2020 campaign.

Tyrone Wheatley

Position At Michigan: Running backs coach (2015-16)

Current Job: Head coach at Morgan State

Overview: A legendary former Michigan running back, Wheatley joined Harbaugh’s first staff in Ann Arbor, before choosing to leve for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He got his first college head-coaching gig with Morgan State in 2019.

Mike Zordich

Position At Michigan: Cornerbacks coach (2015-20)

Current Job: Defensive backs coach at Central Michigan

Overview: A former NFL defensive back, Zordich also had NFL coaching experience when he came to Michigan in 2015. One of Harbaugh’s longest-tenured assistants, he was known for developing cornerbacks at an elite level. Harbaugh dismissed him following the 2020 season.

CURRENT ASSISTANTS

Co-offensive coordinator / OL: Sherrone Moore

QBs: Matt Weiss

RBs: Mike Hart

Special teams coordinator / TEs: Jay Harbaugh

Defensive line: Mike Elston

Linebackers: George Helow

Defensive passing game coordinator / DBs: Steve Clinkscale

Safeties: Ron Bellamy

NOTE: Michigan is in the process of replacing both of its coordinators and this list is not final for the 2022 season.