ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan Wolverines have fired special teams coordinator J.B. Brown after two seasons with the program.
On Wednesday (Dec. 3), College Football Senior Writer for ESPN, Pete Thamel, reported on X that the program was moving on from Brown, who served in various roles for five years with Michigan.
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Source: Michigan has dismissed special teams coach JB Brown. He'd been Michigan's special teams coach the past two seasons and has been at the school for five total years in various roles.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 3, 2025
The Wolverines came into the 2025 season with high hopes and expectations for their offense, defense, and special teams, which was a strength of the football program led by brown.
But the 9-3 Wolverines missed the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row under head coach Sherrone Moore, who, alongside defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and newly signed offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, was expected to lead the program back to the promised land for Team 146.
“After thoroughly evaluating our special teams’ performance throughout the season, I made the decision to make a change that was in the best interest of the program.
I want to thank JB Brown for his unwavering dedication and the positive impact he’s had on our players and program.
We are grateful for his commitment, and I wish him nothing but success as he continues his coaching career.”
Sherrone Moore
Although there were a multitude of comical errors for the team as a whole, Brown’s special teams unit stuck out like a sore thumb as they regressed rapidly.
In 2024, kicker Dominic Zvada was a first-team All-American, the Big Ten Conference’s Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year, and a Lou Groza Award semifinalist following a phenomenal season that broke records.
Zvada made 21 of 22 field goal tries (95.5%), including going seven for seven from over 50 yards, setting single-season and career records at the university for conversions at that distance.
But this season, Zvada went 15 of 22 (68.2%) as he regressed to the dismay of the Michigan faithful.
Even more glaring was Michigan’s punting game by Hudson Hollenbeck, who shanked a multitude of punts, including the most glaring one in The Game against Ohio State when he shanked a punt that went for 11 yards, giving the Buckeyes great field position.
More moves could be coming for the coaching staff as Michigan is expected to take a jump with Bryce Underwood, who has one year under his belt.
Moore will search for a new special teams coordinator for the Wolverines.