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The Michigan Wolverines might be in for some good news on the coaching staff front as it pertains to keeping one of their own. Rutgers has decided to hire former Minnesota defensive coordinator Robb Smith to the same position under Greg Schiano. Anthony Campanile, who has ties to New Jersey and a brother on the staff at Rutgers, is expected to remain in Ann Arbor after some overtures from the Scarlet Knights, as well as Boston College earlier this offseason.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg had it first.
This is seemingly good news for #Michigan, as Wolverines linebackers coach Anthony Campanile had been a target for the Rutgers DC job. Campanile is expected to stay with the Wolverines. Rutgers retained his brother Nunzio, who served as interim head coach for much of 2019 season.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 14, 2020
Campanile coached Michigan’s linebackers last season after replacing Al Washington, who departed for Ohio State with Greg Mattison. It would have been a bit of a double-whammy to lose both Campanile and Chris Partridge, now at Ole Miss, in the same offseason, but it appears that only one staff hire will need to be made barring any unforseen circumstances (sorry, folks that want Don Brown gone).
Campanile is seen as a rising name in the coaching ranks and one of Michigan’s rising assistants. This puts Michigan in a spot where for the first time in an offseason, it appears that things will be calm and there will not be a ton of change to the staff for continuity purposes.
No official announcements have been made, but now we wait to see who Jim Harbaugh adds to replace Patridge on staff, as he had coached the safeties and coordinated the special teams. There has been little buzz around that position outside of stuff behind a paywall, so we will have to wait and see what happens.