Decision to bring back Chris Partridge 'pretty obvious' for Jim Harbaugh
When Jim Harbaugh had the chance to bring back Chris Partridge to be part of his staff at Michigan, the decision to jump all over it was a no-brainer for both sides who worked quickly to get a deal done just before spring practice began.
With Partridge digging in his heels and hitting the ground running, Harbaugh was asked by reporters on Thursday why he decided to bring back the former assistant.
His answer speaks for itself.
"It would be pretty, pretty obvious," Harbaugh said. "We think he’s a great coach, and was when he was here. Trusted agent, known friend. Just thought that was something that would really help our team. Tremendous people skills, great work ethic, football knowledge and he is somebody that is literally always trying to get better as a coach, as a teacher. Just attacks everything with just a high level of enthusiasm in every way."
Partridge's addition to the program is not just a benefit from a football standpoint, it's also a benefit from a recruiting aspect, too.
Partridge has been known for his recruiting prowess, responsible for bringing multiple five-star recruits to Ann Arbor during his first stint with the Wolverines.
It's clear that Harbaugh values having a strong recruiter on staff. He appreciates Partridge's relationship-building strategy to recruiting, something he hopes carries over to the Wolverines' current recruiting landscape.
"He’s just so passionate about it, he cares so much," Harbaugh said. "Going back to the time when he was here, the comments that come back from the families, especially, just how much they trust Chris, because it’s daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. He just invests just like it’s like his own family. So just that tremendous passion, how much he cares. Really, I think everybody that he’s associated with just knows that, senses that.
"Then it’s not just over those months that he’s recruiting somebody. It’s while they’re here and it becomes a lasting, trusting friendship with Chris And just the amount of comments I’ve had from, from parents, families, where he’s part of the family, he’s become part of the family. I mean, that’s what you’re looking for. That’s the kind of coach I want around our players, around our program."
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