Defensive Line Coach Jerry Montgomery Reportedly Takes Job at Oklahoma

Multiple sources are confirming rumors that Michigan defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery has accepted the same position under Bob Stoops for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Via Sam Webb at Scout.com:

Sources have confirmed to GoBlueWolverine that Jerry Montgomery accepted the vacant defensive line coaching post at Oklahoma on Friday. A formal announcement is expected to come Monday.

Contract details weren’t available at press time, but sources indicate that Michigan offered a competitive compensation package to Montgomery, but ultimately he felt the opportunity at Oklahoma was one he couldn’t pass up.

Via NewsOK:

Montgomery replaces departed defensive tackles coach Jackie Shipp, who was fired earlier this month after spending Bob Stoops’ entire 14-year OU tenure on the Sooners’ staff.

An OU athletic department spokesman declined to comment on the Scout report, although Michigan sophomore nose tackle Ondre Pipkins’ tweet Saturday seemed to confirm the news.

"Want to wish Coach Montgomery and his family luck at Oklahoma," Pipkins tweeted. "He taught me a lot and I’ll never forget the talks we had ... Love you coach."

MLive is also reporting the same thing.

Most of this seems based on the original report by Sam Webb, who is usually accurate in these matters and has no reason to mislead Wolverine fans.

Although Montgomery was a key part of the defensive turnaround and has led Michigan's recruiting efforts for 2014 thus far, he is an alumnus of the University of Iowa and has not spent more than two years with any program as their DL coach. He was one of the few members of Hoke's staff that did not follow him from San Diego State. (The other notable example is DC Greg Mattison.)

Obviously this is disappointing news, especially if the deciding factor was salary and Dave Brandon could have easily compensated Montgomery to stay. However, Brady Hoke has an excellent track record with hiring staff members and Montgomery's replacement should not disappoint Michigan fans.

Who do you think the new D-Line coach should be?