Michigan officially announces two assistant coaching hires

The Michigan Wolverines have filled the openings on their coaching staff and they’re all set for 2020.

Michigan has hired former Penn State and Mississippi State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop as safeties coach, and former South Florida defensive coordinator and Texas assistant Brian Jean-Mary as linebackers coach.

In addition to these hires, running backs coach Jay Harbaugh will now be the special teams coordinator on top of his RB coaching duties.

These positions became open when safeties coach and special teams coordinator Chris Partridge left for Ole Miss and linebackers coach Anthony Campanile left for the Miami Dolphins.

“It is an honor to join Coach Harbaugh’s staff at the University of Michigan,” Jean-Mary said. “I am excited about the opportunity to work under a truly outstanding leader, to join a program with such a rich tradition of winning, and to recruit the best and brightest to the University of Michigan. My family cannot wait to get to Ann Arbor. Go Blue!”

Jean-Mary is 44 years old and was part of three top-15 signing classes at Texas. Other stops in his career include Georgia Tech, Louisville, and South Carolina. Per the press release, Jean-Mary’s defensive units at USC ranked highly in turnovers created, tackles for loss, and pass defense. In his first year, USF listed top-25 nationally in six categories, including sacks per game (3.0, 11th) and interceptions (20, second). USF led The American Conference in total defense (359.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (21.5 points per game).

The Shoop hire was reported earlier this week, but now it’s official. “I am very appreciative to Coach Harbaugh for the opportunity to join the football family at Michigan,” Shoop said. “I look forward to getting to work, contributing to a program that will continue to combine academic achievement and athletic excellence, while competing for championships. Go Blue!”

Shoop brings over two decades of coaching experience with him to Michigan. He’s previously worked with Don Brown at UMass. Per the press release, Shoop’s 2018 defense at Mississippi State was the only defense in the FBS to finish top-10 in all four major defensive categories (total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense, and passing defense). The Bulldogs allowed only 12 touchdowns all season, the fewest allowed by any FBS team since 2011. Five teams were kept out of the end zone, and out of 32 trips allowed in the MSU red zone, teams only scored eight touchdowns. MSU also allowed just 3.5 of opponents’ plays to gain 25 yards or more, the smallest percentage in the nation. State led the nation in total defense (263.1 yards), finished second in scoring defense (13.2 points), and rushing defense (95.08 yards) and listed seventh in passing defense (168.0 yards). Shoop’s defense allowed the fewest yards per play in the country (4.13). MSU’s 103 tackles for loss set a new program record while no opponent topped 30 points against the Bulldogs all year.