Report: Pep Hamilton drawing interest as coaching carousel picks up speed

When you have a coach like Jim Harbaugh, losing assistant coaches simply comes with the territory. Harbaugh’s affinity for hiring assistants on the rise in the coaching profession will lead to some of those coaches leaving to take jobs at other schools as they climb the coaching ladder. Jedd Fisch to UCLA, D.J. Durkin to Maryland, John Baxter to USC, and Greg Jackson to the Dallas Cowboys are the main examples of this so far in Harbaugh’s tenure - and now Pep Hamilton may be next.

According to a report yesterday evening from Dan Wolken at USA Today, there was talk of a head coaching vacancy at Arizona State. This morning, that news was confirmed - Todd Graham has been fired. According to Wolken’s report, Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson is interested in candidates with ties to the NFL - including Pep Hamilton. Other reported candidates include Kevin Sumlin and Detroit Lions DC Teryl Austin.

Hamilton’s first year as passing coordinator for Michigan has been rocky. Notably, he has had to deal with the turmoil caused by there being three different starting QBs this season. Michigan QBs have a passer rating of 115.50 this year, compared with a passer rating of 138.25 last season. Total yards and passing TDs are also down year over year. Michigan’s passing attack was ranked 74th in the FBS by the S&P+ rankings prior to the Ohio State game yesterday.

Hamilton has been a coach for 20 years. Prior to coming to Michigan this season, his most recent positions were with the Indianapolis Colts as the offensive coordinator and the Cleveland Browns as the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. Hamilton’s contract with Michigan is for four years and $4.25 million. He is the third-highest paid assistant coach at Michigan, behind Don Brown and Tim Drevno.

This is a developing story.