ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 16: Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh watches the pregame warm ups prior to the start of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)With Don Brown let go by Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan Wolverines are in need of a new defensive coordinator. But it looks like Harbaugh may have found his man, courtesy of his brother in the NFL.
According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Michigan are targeting Baltimore Ravens linebackers coach Mike Macdonald for the job. Macdonald is in his seventh season with the Ravens, led by John Harbaugh.
It’s his third season as the linebackers coach, but Macdonald has experience coaching the secondary too. He coached safeties at his alma mater Georgia before joining the Ravens in 2014.
The Wolverines are coming off their worst season under Jim Harbaugh due in no small part to their defense. They allowed an average of 34.5 points per game – 95th in the nation – as they went just 2-4.
Defensive coordinator Don Brown was fired shortly after the season.
Sources: Michigan is targeting Ravens linebackers coach Mike Macdonald for its defensive coordinator job.
Currently working with John Harbaugh. May soon be working with his brother.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 8, 2021
Despite the strong football connections that the Harbaugh brothers share, they actually haven’t shared assistants too often. Aside from both hiring Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, the number of shared assistants is quite small.
But John Harbaugh has turned the Baltimore Ravens into one of the premier franchises in all of American sports under his tenure. Just about every team poaches an assistant or two from his staff on a regular basis.
Is Mike Macdonald a good pick to be Jim Harbaugh’s new defensive coordinator?
