GEORGE HELOW

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jim Harbaugh’s assistant coaches at Michigan all received new contracts with pay raises in recent months, making Sherrone Moore and first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter the highest-paid on staff. Weiss, meanwhile, signed a new three-year contract on Feb. 24 that boosted his pay from $600,000 to $850,000 per year, with identical performance bonuses. The duo have a tall task ahead of them following the abrupt departure of Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, whose pay topped $1 million annually. • Running backs coach Mike Hart signed a new two-year contract on Feb. 22 that will pay him $550,000, up from the $430,000 in 2021. Michigan is coming off a successful 2021 season in which it finished 12-2, won the Big Ten championship and earned a College Football Playoff berth.

Jim Harbaugh has announced two new hires and several role adjustments for the 2022 Michigan football coaching staff.

ANN ARBOR – There is a reason Junior Colson’s playing time continues to increase for Michigan’s football team. Colson received his first career start Oct. 23 against Northwestern, and his playing time has increased every week since. “Junior just continues every week to understand what we’re doing, how the defense all fits together,” linebackers coach George Helow told reporters Wednesday. It’s more like a friendship, brotherhood.”Redshirt junior Michael Barrett was in a similar situation as Colson this offseason. He’s a great athlete, he can play, he’s fast, he can move around.

Meanwhile, last week, ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked Hutchinson as the No. “He’s a tremendous competitor, he’s wired right, he loves to compete. That guy, man, you can’t say enough things about Aidan Hutchinson. But the former Dearborn Divine Child graduate is healthy again in 2021 and is leading Michigan’s revamped defense under new coordinator Mike Macdonald. He’s a great teammate, he’s a great leader.

Redshirt freshman Nikhai Hill-Green has earned the second starting inside linebacker role at Michigan, edging out the returning Mike Barrett, assistant coach George Helow said Thursday. “He’s had a really good offseason,” Helow, assigned to coach the linebackers, told reporters outside Schembechler Hall. “Nikhai had a plan this offseason: He really got after it in the weight room (and) changed his body. “He’s earned the right to start,” Helow continued. He’s currently filling in as a backup “WILL” (weak side) linebacker behind Hill-Green and in “dime” packages, when Michigan elects to go with six defensive backs.

Michigan has hosted a handful of prospects on campus for official visits so far this month, but it hasn’t resulted in any commitments yet. Could Jacksonville (Fla.) Bartram Trail 2022 three-star linebacker Micah Pollard change that? “Had an amazing visit to the University of Michigan!” Pollard wrote in a post on Twitter. “Thank you Ann Arbor.”Pollard doesn’t have any other official visits scheduled yet, which could bode well for Michigan. THE MICHIGAN NEED: Just like pretty much every other position on defense, linebacker is another crucial need in the 2022 class.

Ron Bellamy, who was hired on Jan. 25, also is switching roles and will now coach safeties instead of receivers. “He’s been through the fire,” The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich said of Jean-Mary. Jean-Mary also was instrumental in landing four-star linebacker Junior Colson, the Wolverines’ highest-ranked defensive recruit in the class at No. The Wolverines also will have to build relationships that Jean-Mary had already established, namely Traverse City Central four-star linebacker Joshua Burnham, the No. Sign up for insight on the Wolverines for $4.99 a month (with a 60-day free trial) by texting 734-215-6605.

December’s early signing period for Michigan was filled with drama. With Harbaugh’s staff now finalized, the traditional February signing day (Wednesday) could be busier for Michigan than it was in 2020, when it didn’t add any recruits to its 23-player class. The Michigan Insider’s Brice Marich said flipping Iwunnah, who was offered by Michigan just four days after committing to Colorado on Jan. 19, is a strong possibility. “I think one of the biggest hurdles is just seeing the school because if he does come to Michigan, he’s never going to step foot on campus before he signs. “I know it does help having Ron Bellamy now on staff,” Marich said.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — In the latest moves to reshape his coaching staff, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has hired Maurice Linguist and George Helow to be assistants on defense. Harbaugh hired Baltimore Ravens linebacker coach Mike Macdonald as defensive coordinator on Sunday, replacing Don Brown, who is now defensive coordinator for the Arizona Wildcats. Linguist was the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive backs coach last season after coaching defensive backs at Texas A&M, Minnesota and Mississippi State. Hart was the running backs coach at Indiana for the past four seasons. Harbaugh did not retain cornerbacks coach Mike Zordich, who identifies himself as a free agent DB coach on Twitter.

On Sunday, 33-year-old Mike Macdonald, an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens, was announced as Michigan’s next defensive coordinator. “Maurice and George are outstanding additions to our defensive coaching staff,” Harbaugh said in the release. “Those personnel moves complete the defensive coaching staff for the Wolverines under first-year coordinator Mike Macdonald,” Michigan says. The moves come as part of a wholesale change of the coaching staff on defense. Long-time defensive backs coach Mike Zordich, one of two remaining members of Harbaugh’s original Michigan staff, has also departed after his contract expired last week.

Jim Harbaugh has reportedly made another hire on the defensive side of the ball, tapping another up-and-coming assistant for his Michigan staff. Mike Macdonald, a 33-year-old assistant for the Baltimore Ravens, was named defensive coordinator on Sunday. Sources: #Michigan is hiring #Maryland special teams coordinator and ILBs coach George Helow as safeties coach. A strong addition for new #GoBlue defensive staff. Helow was also a graduate assistant at Florida State under Jimbo Fisher in 2013, and interned at the University of Alabama in 2012.