Jim Harbaugh Hires Biff Poggi As Michigan Football Associate Head Coach
TheWolverine.com has confirmed an earlier report from The Baltimore Sun that Baltimore St. Frances head coach Biff Poggi has been hired to serve as Michigan football's associate head coach, an off-field position.
"He said he’ll serve as an associate head coach, helping Harbaugh mentor younger assistants and working hands-on with the team’s offensive linemen," the report read.
This will be the second stint in Ann Arbor for Poggi, who is the father of former Michigan fullback Henry Poggi. He previously served under head coach Jim Harbaugh under the same title of 'associate head coach' and special advisor to the head coach in 2016.
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“It’s a younger man’s game,” Poggi told The Baltimore Sun. “This was a chance to go one last time on a really big stage, to a legendary program.”
Before he built the program at St. Frances, Poggi coached for 19 years at his alma mater, Gilman. His youngest child, Mary, will start school at Michigan in the fall, another reason why the move made sense.
“I’m going to Michigan with the idea that I’m going to be there until I finish coaching,” he said. “I’ll be there, I hope, as long as Jim is there and wants me to stay there. … If he goes someplace else or doesn’t want me to stay, then I’d look at other opportunities.”
Since Poggi will be in an off-the-field role, Michigan will not be able to recruit St. Frances for two seasons per NCAA rules. The Wolverines have two current players — freshman running back Blake Corum and freshman linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green — who are St. Frances products.
This move comes amidst an offseason in which Harbaugh made significant changes to both his on-field and behind-the-scenes staffs. The Wolverines brought in six new assistant coaches, revamped its recruiting department, replaced multiple graduate assistants and hired new analysts.
Harbaugh said at the Sound Mound Sound Body Showcase at Ferris State in June that he feels like the changes he has made have paid off so far.
"Really proud to be working with the guys that we’re working with," Harbaugh said. And the energy of the staff, the energy is at an all-time high!"
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