Michigan football: Jim Harbaugh explains 'obvious' decision to hire Chris Partridge, what Kirk Campbell brings
Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh made two new assistant coaching staff hires this offseason, each for completely different reasons. Chris Partridge was on the market after being let go at Ole Miss, and Harbaugh brought in the linebackers coach, who was at Michigan from 2015-19. Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss, meanwhile, was fired amidst a University of Michigan Police Department investigation into computer access crimes. Harbaugh elevated Kirk Campbell, previously one of the program’s analysts, to quarterbacks coach.
Harbaugh called it an “obvious” move to bring back Partridge, who spent the last three seasons as the Rebels’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. As a result, former linebackers coach George Helow and Michigan reportedly mutually parted ways.
“We think he’s a great coach,” Michigan’s head man said of Partridge. “He was when he was here, and a trusted agent, known friend. Thought that was something that would really help our team.
Added Harbaugh, of the attributes that stand out about Partridge: “The energy he brings, tremendous people skills, great work ethic, football knowledge. He is somebody that is literally always trying to get better as a coach, as a teacher. Just attacks everything with a high level of enthusiasm in every way.”
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Partridge is known as an elite recruiter, with deep ties in New Jersey and throughout the country. Relationships are first and foremost for Partridge, and Harbaugh has been impressed with how he develops them.
“He’s just so passionate about it,” Harbaugh said of the Michigan assistant on the recruiting trail. “He cares so much. Going back from the time that he was here, the comments that come back from the families, especially, just how much they trust Chris … because it’s daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. He invests like it’s with his own family.
“Just that tremendous passion and how much he cares. Really, that’s what everybody that he’s associated with just knows that, senses that, and then he proves it. It’s not just over those months that he’s recruiting somebody, it’s while they’re here, and then it becomes a lasting, trusting friendship with Chris.
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“Just the amount of comments I’ve had from parents, families … where he’s part of the family, becomes part of the family, that’s what you’re looking for. That’s the kind of coach I want around our players, around our program.”
Campbell, meanwhile, stood out to Harbaugh with his work as a Michigan offensive analyst last season. Per Campbell, he worked on the first- and second-down passing game among many other aspects of the offense. Michigan was ranked 16th nationally with 9 yards per pass on first and second downs a year ago, per Sports Info Solutions.
“Super excited about Kirk,” the Michigan head coach said. “He’s a fantastic coach. He was with us all last year as an analyst, and just gained the respect of everybody on the staff. I appreciate him. He was somebody that was offered a full-time staff job at a couple other colleges and wanted to be here, and it’s worked out really well for him and for us that we were able to elevate Kirk.
“He just thinks fast. He thinks fast on his feet. Tremendous work ethic, studying the game. Really excited about what he can bring to our football team.”
Both Partridge and Campbell have a lot of talent to work with as Michigan chases its third consecutive Big Ten title.
